‘I promised to be your warrior. Now we’re blood-bound.’ Levi pulled himself onto his horse. ‘Come on. Ash is waiting.’
He didn’t wait around to see Doran’s stunned expression, but it dug into his back all the way to Alt Võina.
Day 150
Full control took longer than I hoped, but I achieved it. When I walked into Dirlein, my spirits flanked me. I even left a handful in the castle, to see how far I could stretch our bond.
The city’s souls belong to me now.
The more I add, the more I feel… it’s hard to describe. Like a call, but it’s not meant for me. It’s meant for them.
Chapter 4 – Doran
Doran felt a sense of doom as he watched the entrance to Alt Võina’s prison. It looked like a small building from the outside, no larger or fancier than a brick shed, but every criminal in Vaska knew that the real prison lay beneath the city’s unaware citizens. Doran had never been inside, and he’d never wanted to see it either. Some criminals survived their sentences and went free after years of whatever went on down there, but none of them were the same when they got out. Doran had once thought of the few that survived long enough as lucky, but then he’d seen one such inmate—silent, jumpy, and with constant fear in his eyes—and changed his mind.
And now Ash, his first and best friend, was inside because he’d pissed off one of the wealthiest merchants in the city. Doran didn’t know how, but he had to get Ash out of there.
‘What do we do?’ Levi asked.
They had tied their horses’ reins to a fence close to the prison. With a bit of luck, they would still be there when he and Levi returned with Ash, but he expected they’d use up their luck underneath Alt Võina’s cobbles.
‘I don’t know,’ Doran said, ‘but we need to do it quickly and without alerting anyone.’
The entrance was unguarded, but he bet the inside was teeming with guards just itching to hit something.
Doran rubbed his chin. ‘We need two uniforms so we can disguise ourselves, but they won’t just have some lying around.’
It was the first hurdle on a long track of impossibilities, but he couldn’t let Ash die. Some damn clothes wouldn’t stand in his way.
Levi nodded to their right. Doran looked, but there were no uniforms there either. Just warehouses and alleys and the distant smell of the sea.
‘That’s the road to the harbour,’ Doran said. ‘What about it?’
‘If we could lead a guard away, you could steal his uniform.’
Doran raised an eyebrow at Levi. Ever since they burned down the cult, his Ginger had been more confident. Doran loved this new side to him. There were moments when he looked far away, like something was bothering him, but Doran would have been more worried if that hadn’t been the case. Levi had been through a lot, but Doran knew better than to push him. If Levi wanted to talk about it, he’d do it in his own time.
Doran winked. ‘I like the way you think.’
‘I play the victim, you take his clothes.’
Doran grinned. ‘I didn’t know you were into roleplay.’
‘I don’t—’ Levi blushed a bright red, narrowed his eyes, and pouted. ‘I’m not sure what you mean, but by your grin I am sure that it’s not what I meant.’
For a second, Doran forgot where they were. ‘Are you sure? I could have sworn—’
Levi punched his arm with a smile. ‘Let’s go. Ash doesn’t have the time.’
It sobered Doran back to reality. He’d have to wait with teasing Levi until Ash was safe and they were far away from Alt Võina, but it’d be hard. He chuckled.
Levi turned around. ‘What’s funny?’
‘Just something I thought. Don’t worry about it.’ Doran brushed past him. ‘Maybe I’ll tell you later.’
So much for not teasing him until they were all safe. Levi was too cute—what was a thief to do except try to steal some of that sweetness?
Levi followed him to the harbour. It was only a short walk away—crime was heaviest in the dark alleys between warehouses, so the prison wasn’t far to save time—and before long, salt, seaweed, and fresh-fish stink filled the air. It reeked of opportunity and fools who didn’t know not to wander the dark alleys alone. Sailors carried crates to their ships on the other end, but this part was mercifully quiet.
A lone guard leaned against a warehouse and stared out to sea, heaving a deep sigh and kicking at the dirt.
Perfect.
‘Let’s go around,’ Doran said. ‘If he sees us and hears you calling for help a moment later, he won’t fall for it.’
They walked around the warehouse and entered the narrow alley. The buildings stood so close together that their roofs hadn’t let sunlight through in years. Weeds grew between the cobblestones, and a few crates sat abandoned to both sides. There wasn’t enough room to walk side by side where the crates were—one of them would have to squeeze through alone—but there was plenty of room to hide.
Doran crouched behind one and looked at Levi. ‘I’ll wait here. Lead him my way.’
He closed his eyes and kept one hand on his dagger. No breeze. A buoy’s bell rang out. People talked in the distance. Levi’s steps ran the other way.
‘Help!’
Levi sounded frightened. Doran smiled. How much fun their roleplay would be!
A shuffle from the road.
‘Get over here.’ The guard—had to be. No one else in Alt Võina ever rushed to a stranger’s aid.
Doran drew his dagger and got ready to pounce.
‘Where is he?’ the guard asked.
‘Over there.’ Did Doran hear tears in Levi’s voice? He looked forward to testing that talent under nicer circumstances. ‘I think he was trying to mug me!’
Silence.
Doran’s heart missed a beat.
‘I don’t see anyone,’ the guard said. ‘Wait here for a while. He won’t attack out in the open.’
Doran swore under his breath. The guard must have been more bored than he’d thought if he didn’t want to go after a criminal.
‘Come on, Levi, think of something,’ Doran whispered to himself.
‘He took my money, sir. It’s all I have.’
‘You don’t look poor.’ The guard paused. ‘Are those daggers?’
Doran swore again. Why hadn’t he thought of that?
‘My pa gave them to me, but I don’t know how to use them. They’re just to make criminals think twice.’
Doran smiled. ‘That’s my boy.’
‘Please,’ Levi said. ‘He’s getting away. I need that money, sir!’
The guard sighed. ‘Stay close to me.’
Doran tensed and listened to the footsteps on the cobblestones. They were getting louder, but the guard wasn’t in any rush.
Fifty metres.