Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)(53)

I stripped out of my bloody clothing, not caring that Anders watched. With shaking hands, I slid on the constricting material, pulling the close-fitting fabric over my head, making sure my hair was covered.

Instead of going to the stairs, Anders waved me between two windows. “Outside, next to this window, the tower meets the main section of the castle. We must stay in the corner where the shadows will conceal us.” The sun had not yet risen and darkness blanketed the land. “I’ll go first,” Anders said. “After I’m out, place your feet on my shoulders. I will bear your weight on the way down.”

Tears filled my eyes.

“If you’re in too much pain, I can carry you.”

I shook my head.

“What is it?”

“I’m a fool,” I admitted. “I fell for Morlet’s tricks.”

Anders’s face softened. “I think you’re incredibly strong. It’s your desire to see the good in people that makes you special.”

Voices echoed from the stairwell. Anders grabbed the rope nailed to the stone window ledge. He slid his legs over the side and descended. Hopefully, the concoction he gave me was potent enough to hold my body together until I escaped.

I climbed onto the ledge and slid my legs over the side. There wasn’t any pain, which was both frightening and comforting. As soon as my feet found Anders’s shoulders, he started to descend. I grabbed the rope to keep my body steady.

The sentries on the roof carried torches, but they didn’t notice us since we were dressed in black fabric that blended in with the coloring of the castle.

Something oozed into my eye, and I wiped it away. My gloved hand was covered in blood. My head must be bleeding, and I couldn’t even feel it. Not wanting to panic and risk falling, I ignored the thick liquid dripping down my brow and focused on putting one hand below the other as we descended the rope. We had one more level to go.

Anders froze as three sentries passed below us. He held the end of the rope over his shoulder so it didn’t reach the ground where someone could stumble against it. For once, I was glad he was an assassin and knew how to enter and exit a fortified compound unnoticed. His body shook ever so slightly from supporting my body weight.

He started to lower us again, this time much faster than before. The guards were probably on a rotation, and he knew exactly how long we had until they passed by again. I moved my hands as fast as I could, trying to help. When his feet hit the ground, he reached up and brought me down beside him.

Anders unsheathed a dagger from his boot and threw it toward the top of the rope, slicing it through. The knife plummeted to the ground, and I picked it up while he shoved the severed rope under a nearby bush.

Crouching low, we sprinted away from the castle toward a cluster of rocks. I dropped to my knees, resting against them as Anders surveyed the surrounding area. Breathing became difficult, and my vision blurred. A ragged scream pierced the air. Morlet must have discovered I was gone. His shadow passed by one of the tower’s open windows. We didn’t have long until his entire army was searching for me.

Anders placed his hand on my shoulder. “Ready?”

I couldn’t speak. My stomach and head were throbbing with pain. He pulled me to my feet and pointed to the right. I nodded, and we started running. All of my energy focused on staying upright and following Anders. When we reached a tall oak tree, we stopped. Leaning against the trunk, an odd sensation washed over me.

“Morlet is searching for me,” I said. “Do you have the medallion?”

“No. Too risky. Perhaps you can block him.”

“I didn’t think that was possible.”

He shrugged. “The other Krigers can’t communicate with Morlet like you can. I tend to think the rules don’t apply to you, and anything is possible.”

“Do you have any idea how to block him?”

“Instead of projecting your power outward, keep it around you like a shield.” He glanced to the left. “Let’s go.”

We started running.

Reaching inside myself, I coaxed my power to my hands and envisioned wrapping it around my body like a blanket. A wave of dizziness overcame me. Anders grabbed my arm, keeping me upright. I continued to use my power to form a protective layer around me, having no idea if it worked or not. I no longer felt Morlet searching for me, but my body was in so much pain, I couldn’t be sure.

We finally reached the wall surrounding the castle grounds. Anders motioned for me to stay put. I nodded, and he slunk away. Three guards fell from the top of the wall, hitting the ground with a horrific thud. I refused to look at their still bodies. A moment later, Anders was at my side with a rope and crossbow.

“I had them hidden under a bush,” he explained. He attached the rope to an arrow and shot it to the top of the wall. I heard a soft ping as it stuck into the stone. Anders pulled on the rope, ensuring it would hold our weight. Satisfied, he turned to me. “Can you climb?”

I tried to pull myself up, but my arms were like blades of grass.

“Luckily, you’re light. Get on.” He crouched to the ground, and I leaned on his back, wrapping my arms and legs around him. He tied the end of the rope around both our bodies, securing me to him. The muscles in his back flexed as he scaled the wall, pulling us up with his arms.

When we reached the top, he flung the rope to the other side, and we quickly descended.