The Masked City (The Invisible Library #2)(84)
‘Move, Winters,’ Vale snapped, as though he hadn’t been flat on his face and watching Kai a moment ago. He caught her elbow to pull her to her feet, and the two of them ran along the bridge to the stairs at the far end, clattering down them without any attempt at stealth.
Kai came strolling across the surface of the water, now raised to their level, to greet them. Water streamed down his clothing and hair and dripped from his hands, until a last rivulet rippled around him like a snake and flowed back into the main body that supported him. ‘The guards are unconscious or injured,’ he reported, lifting his hands to run them through his hair with a sigh. ‘Ah, that feels good. I don’t think the waters outside will be as pleasant. They will have too much of a Fae touch to them.’
‘I didn’t know you could do that,’ Irene said, at a loss for words. She was feeling light-headed. Perhaps they even had a chance now. She could have kissed Kai - and then her common sense cut in. This was not the time.
And when is the right time or place? an internal voice put in unhelpfully. He just saved your life. He’s standing there with his clothing clinging to him. It’s not as if he would try to stop you. In fact, the way he’s looking at you …
‘Can you do it again?’ Vale said urgently.
‘Oh yes.’ Kai rolled his shoulders, the muscles in his chest flexing. ‘The waters will obey my will - here, at least. I may have more difficulty outside.’
‘I don’t think that you’ll be able to assert your authority against the Ten in Venice,’ Irene warned him, and the moment passed.
‘I was thinking of here, not there,’ Vale said, beckoning them into motion again. A piece of rock shivered and cracked away from near his feet, and Irene caught his arm to steady him. ‘Winters, if I remember correctly, there was another large body of water close to the staircase leading into this place?’ She nodded in agreement. ‘Well then, what if Strongrock can move the water from its basin and raise it up to the level of that staircase? And carry us along with it? I know he can keep us safe in the water, as he’s done it before. The Ten might be able to stop a few humans coming down the stairs, but they might have more difficulty with an oncoming tidal wave clearing our path.’
‘I suppose that gravity will take care of most threats,’ Kai agreed.
Irene imagined it. Water sluicing down the stairs into St Mark’s Square in a great torrent. She liked it. But despite Vale’s casual optimism, she couldn’t help feeling there might still be some personal safety issues. ‘We’ll still need to exit the Campanile into Venice itself,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘It would be astonishing if guards weren’t waiting for us outside. But yes, if the momentum of the water is great enough after it’s flooded down the length of the tower, they’ll be unable to stand in its way. Kai, can you do this while actually keeping us - well, alive?’
Kai took a moment to think about it, which wasn’t quite as reassuring as Irene would have liked, but then he nodded. ‘It may be uncomfortable, but you’ll be safe,’ he said.
‘Excellent,’ Vale said. ‘Ah, we are almost there. Strongrock, once we cross that open area, we will come to that final lake I mentioned. There is a last high bridge across it, which will take us almost to the exit. They might well have armed guards posted there - it’s what I would do. You may need to rouse the water to wash them away first. Do you think you can do it?’ He turned to meet Kai’s eyes.
‘It will be my pleasure,’ Kai said. ‘But this place is coming apart. What if I end up damaging the exit?’
‘It’s still our best option,’ Irene said firmly, deciding to keep her worries to herself. ‘Besides, have you noticed that the earth-tremors have slacked off a little? Maybe their purpose was to drive us into the ambush—’
More rubble fell - nearly on top of them this time - and the marble paving shivered under their feet, cracking into fragments. A huge gust of wind made them all stagger.
‘Or maybe not. Let’s get this done fast,’ Irene said hastily. She didn’t add Because it may be listening, but she could see it in their faces.
They moved forward together at a run. Caution was pointless now, for the crashing stone and the wind drowned out any noise they made - and there was no sign of guards or snipers as they mounted the last bridge.
Almost no sign. Irene caught a flash of red, a sleeve hastily pulled back into cover, violently obvious against the colourless marble.
‘You think it’s clear?’ Kai asked, his voice pitched just loud enough to be heard.
‘No, look there,’ Irene said, pointing, her voice equally low. ‘They’ll be sitting on top of the entrance, just waiting for us to come to them.’
‘It was all too likely,’ Vale agreed. ‘Now, as we planned, Strongrock.’
Kai nodded. Leaving wet footprints behind, he sprinted to the edge of the bridge and threw himself into the lake below in a running dive, vanishing beneath the surface. The water began to swell into a growing wave, sweeping forward and upwards, growing higher with every moment.
The arched length of bridge shook beneath them.
If they went forward, they might be running into an ambush. If they stayed where they were, she and Vale could end up crushed. ‘Stone, hold together!’ Irene shouted as loudly as she could. Her voice wouldn’t carry to the ceiling, but if it could just keep the bridge together for long enough, Kai could deal with the soldiers.