Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(100)

Hal began stuffing his and Robert’s clothes into the bag.

She opened the door and stood aside. “After you,” she said.

When they walked out into the corridor, the guards that were usually there were gone.

“Now,” their escort said, “glower at everyone and walk like a blackbird until I get you under cover.”

“How does a blackbird walk?” Robert whispered.

“Like he’s got a burr up his ass,” she said.

Hal did his best to comply as they descended to the ground floor of Newgate Prison and out into a light rain. Robert took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Hal knew that they might be going from the pot into the fire, but he felt the same relief to be out of Newgate.

Even though it was a short walk from Newgate to the palace, they were accosted along the way by multiple people—at least their escort was. Everybody seemed to know Lila, from a farrier at the stables to a pantry maid taking a break outside the kitchens to another clerk who called, “Hey, Lila, will you be at the Cold Crow tonight? I’ve got to win some of my money back.”

“No,” she said, without missing a step. “I’m working tonight. Maybe at the turn of the week.”

They did stop and wait when a velvet-clad merchant drew her aside for a hurried conversation. When she returned, she growled, “Everybody’s job is the most important.” She put on speed, as if to make up for lost time.

“Is that your name? Lila?” Robert said, hurrying to keep up as they circled around to the back of the palace.

She shot him a look. “Damn,” she said. “I was beginning to like you. Now I have to kill you.” She pushed open a door that was hidden behind a clump of shrubbery. “In here.”

She led them through what seemed to be a servants’ entrance to a pantry and staging area that was no longer in use. Hal could hear the clamor of musicians trying out their tuning in the next room.

“Is that the ballroom?” he said, tipping his head toward the sound. He’d been in there before, for parties during the holidays.

“Yes,” Lila said. Opening a cabinet, she pulled out a cloth-wrapped bundle. Inside were two standard-issue blackbird swords and two daggers.

She handed out the weapons. Hal slid the blade home with a satisfactory hiss.

Lila opened another cabinet. It was stuffed with what appeared to be black oilskin cloaks. Again, standard issue for the King’s Guard here in the south, where winter was more often rainy than cold.

“Leave the cloaks in here until you need them,” she said. “When the party gets under way, ease out and mingle.” She opened the door that should have led into the ballroom, but all Hal could see were thick blue draperies. “The hostages will be wearing animal masks covered in sequins—badgers, lions, elyphants, dragons, and so on. They’re all different styles and colors, so the hostages will be harder for the King’s Guard to notice when they congregate. Get word to each one of them to drift toward the punch bowl when the temple sounds the quarter hour before ten o’clock. Also—tell them to keep their masks on until they are told to remove them. We don’t want anyone picking them out.”

“That’s a lot of information to deliver,” Hal said. “Wouldn’t it have been safer to let them know the plan before they come up to the ballroom? What if we miss someone? What if someone notices us making the rounds?”

“Lieutenant Karn wants to make sure nothing leaks beforehand. There are eyes and ears everywhere.”

“But—”

“There are twenty-eight adults. See that you get to everyone, and make sure you’re not noticed.” She paused, and when there was no more protest, she went on. “At ten o’clock, all hell breaks loose, and you will herd them behind the curtain and out through the exit door, handing each one a cloak to put on as they come through. Got it?”

“Where do we go once we get outside?” Robert’s eyes were alight with excitement. He was all action, waiting to happen.

“The postern gate will be open, but you won’t go there. You’ll go back to Newgate.”

“Newgate?” Hal shook his head. “Why do we go back there?”

“Because it’s close, and because nobody will look for you there. Once you’re there, you’ll get further orders.”

“What happens at ten o’clock?” Robert said.

“Like I said. You’ll see. Now, I have errands to run.” She left through the door they’d come in, leaving Hal and Robert staring after her.

“What just happened?” Robert whispered.

“Damned if I know,” Hal said.

Destin Karn descended the now-familiar staircase to King Jarat’s secret prison, Luc Granger at his heels, along with a small crew of the king’s handpicked blackbirds. There were so many ways this complicated plan could go wrong, with so many untried civilians involved. So he’d have to feed them information just in time for them to put it to use. And he’d have to find a way to do it with Granger shadowing his every step.

The hostages were already assembled, dressed in their party clothes. Lila and Marina had done their work well, with help from Jocelyn, Destin’s tailor friend. They wore a combination of clothing fetched from their capital apartments, clothing they’d had with them in the Pit, now carefully cleaned and repaired, and some new acquisitions by Lila for the children.