Everyone but Jeatar froze. He dashed along the cells fast as fright. Danello followed him a few heartbeats later, the pynvium rod clenched in his hand.
“Yosel?”
The guard hadn’t left the foyer yet, but soon as he did, he’d spot the open cell doors and the prisoners outside of them. If he even got that far. Yosel was still unconscious and wasn’t going to answer him, and only a fool would think that wasn’t suspicious.
“What?” snapped one of the prisoners I didn’t know. I hadn’t heard Yosel speak much, but he did a decent enough impression.
“Everything OK? You’ve been gone awhile.” Keys jangled at the inner gate. Jeatar and Danello were flat against the cells just beyond it, waiting to move.
“Yeah, fine.”
I waited for him to say more, but he shrugged and shook his head as if he wasn’t sure what to say. Great. Yeah, fine wouldn’t fool even the lazy League guards.
The gate swung open. Jeatar and Danello tensed. No one came through.
This guard was no fool.
I pictured him standing there, pynvium and sword ready to put down anyone who jumped him. Or ready to sound an alarm. Was the wooden door open? Were there more guards waiting as well?
We weren’t ready to take them all on yet.
I started walking, stamping my feet just a little to sound like someone much bigger than I was, like Yosel.
“We’re done here,” the prisoner called up, then joined me. We didn’t sound quite like two soldiers, but I hoped it would be enough to put the guard at ease.
It was.
He stepped out into the aisle, then jerked, startled. The pynvium rod came up fast, but not before Jeatar launched himself at the guard. Jeatar slammed him against the open door and the rod flew out of his hand.
Danello grabbed the fallen rod and darted into the foyer, his own pynvium rod ready. He didn’t flash either so the wooden door must still be closed. The other guards had to have heard the ruckus. Would they just investigate or would they call for reinforcements?
The fallen guard twisted and threw Jeatar off. He rolled sideways and smacked into the bars. The prisoner lunged at the struggling guard and kicked him in the head. Jeatar got to his feet and helped him carry the guard into a cell and lock it.
I joined Danello in the foyer and he handed me the second pynvium rod. Jeatar and the prisoner stood behind us.
“Now what?” Danello asked, his face shiny with sweat. “They’ll see us soon as we open the door.”
“And flash us before we can get the key in the lock for sure,” the prisoner said.
I looked at Danello, then Jeatar. “Give me the keys,” I said, holding out my hand.
Jeatar dropped them in my palm, much to the prisoner’s amazement. He opened his mouth just as a bell started ringing.
“The alarm bell,” he said. “They’re calling in soldiers from the on-duty house next door.”
“Danello, get everyone ready to move when I signal.” I stepped up to the door, keys shaking in my hand.
“Standard reinforcement is four men,” Jeatar said before he joined Danello and the others.
Six guards, six pynvium rods. I picked up mine and tucked it behind my back, under my shirt. I’d probably only get one chance.
I unlocked the door and stepped out. The six guards were indeed there, but not positioned around the gate like I’d expected. They stood on the other side of the counter.
“There’s nowhere to go, girl,” the sergeant said. “Put the keys down and step away from the gate.”
I stuck the key into the lock.
“Drop it or I’ll flash you.”
I turned the key and the bolt slid back.
Whoomp.
Needle pricks washed over me, much stronger than the ones the soldiers in Geveg used. I faked a cry and collapsed, tucking my hand under me as I dropped. My fingers wrapped around the hidden pynvium rod.
“Watch the door. Be ready to flash if you see more.”
Footsteps came closer, but it sounded like only one guard. I needed more if I had any hope of getting them all in my flash. I groaned a little, twitched a leg, then a foot.
“Careful, she’s waking up.”
“Already?”
“Must be tougher than she looks. Took out three men already.”
“Or she isn’t alone. Anyone in there worth busting out?”
I cracked my eyes open. Three were almost in range. A few more steps and—
I jerked up, yanking the pynvium rod out and swinging it around.
Whoomp.
The three guards hissed and went down, their faces clenched in pain. Two others leaped away, their mouths dropping open. The sergeant lunged forward and thrust the sword through the bars and into my chest.
Cold pain burned and my vision blurred. I fell against the bars, my hand outstretched, searching for flesh. I found none and slumped to the floor. The guard stepped closer and shoved the gate open, pushing me across the floor and out of the way.
I hacked a wet cough. Prayed that Danello wasn’t about to race into the cage and get himself hurt. Prayed harder that the sergeant would come closer.
“Is she dead?”
The sergeant shook his head. “Not yet.”
“How did she do that? She one of those quirkers?”
“That would explain a lot.”
Quirkers. I’d heard unusual Takers called worse, rarely with so much fear behind it.
The sergeant crouched down, resting his forearms on his knees. The sleeves of his uniform slid up and exposed his wrists.
Just a little closer.
I shivered, cold despite the warm blood pooling beneath me. He wasn’t coming closer. I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to move fast enough to grab him, but he wasn’t giving me much choice.
I darted out and grabbed his wrist, but got mostly sleeve. Only one finger pressed against his skin.
Let it be enough.
I pushed my chest wound into him, my breath easing as the pain raced up my arm and out. He screamed in shock and pain, grabbing his chest and falling backward. I jumped to my feet as the other two guards cried out.
Whoomp. Whoomp.
Both pynvium rods flashed and my skin prickled. The sergeant whimpered and lost consciousness.
“Now!” I leaped over his body and went for the pynvium rod next to an unconscious guard. Behind me footsteps echoed as the others ran from the cells.
One of the guards bolted for the door. I flicked my wrist and triggered the pynvium, but he must have gotten out of range. He just gasped as he fled out into the night.
“Nya!” Danello cried.
I turned. The last guard was racing towards me, sword out. Danello was already moving, leaping through the air. I rolled left, Danello and the guard smashed into the wall on the right. Three of the prisoners I didn’t know raced past and shoved through the door. Three of the Gevegians pounced on the last guard. In seconds they had him subdued.
“Everyone out,” I called, climbing to my feet.
We all hurried out the door and turned left, away from the duty house and down the quiet street. Jeatar ran past me, sprinting to the lead. He waved his arm and motioned the group down a side street.
Bells started ringing. The night glowed behind us as men with torches poured out of the on-duty house.
Halima stumbled and fell, her small cry echoing in the night. Danello scooped her up and kept running. We turned corners around buildings that all looked the same, cut through plazas with fountains, climbed low walls, and squeezed down what might have been the only alley in Baseer.
“Everyone in here.” Jeatar held open a high wooden gate. A fence surrounded a courtyard with stone benches and a small pond. I hurried inside with the rest and dropped on to one of the benches.
“Are they still chasing us?” Barnikoff asked, chest heaving. “I think we lost them, but let’s make sure.” Jeatar shut and locked the gate, then put a finger to his lips.
I no longer heard the bells, but I had no idea if they’d stopped ringing them or if we were too far away to hear. I didn’t hear anything but the quick and frightened breathing of those around me.
After a few minutes Jeatar opened the gate and peeked out. “I think we’re clear,” he said softly. “We don’t have far to go, but we need to be very quiet.”
Danello took my hand. Halima had his other. Tears sparkled on her cheeks, but she didn’t make a sound. Eight years old and already she knew how to avoid Baseeri soldiers. Tali still hadn’t figured out how to do that.
Tali.
I closed my eyes for a long moment. She was out there somewhere, hoping I’d come get her. I’m so sorry, Tali. I’d be there soon, no matter what I had to do.
Jeatar led us down a street lined with villas just visible behind graceful fences twined with honeysuckle. Soft light burned in the windows. The villas were bigger than the ones Tali and I had grown up in, and some of Geveg’s aristocrat terraces could probably fit on to the grounds of one of these.
Much to my surprise, Jeatar stopped at one of the gates and pulled a key from his pocket. The gate swung open without a sound.
“Hurry,” he whispered, waving us through.
Inside an aristocrat’s villa? Surely this wasn’t Jeatar’s, but what wealthy Baseeri did he think would welcome a dozen escaped prisoners into their home?
I looked at Aylin, whose perplexed expression said she was thinking the same thing.
Perfect rows of flowers bordered stepping-stones carved into interlocking animal shapes. Fish, birds, butterflies. I cringed every time someone stumbled off the path and crushed the plants.
We veered right at the front of the villa, bypassing the inset door of Verlattian teak carved in similar fashion to the stepping-stones. The door we stopped at was not so fine. Simple wood, no carvings. Jeatar unlocked this door and pulled it open.
“Stay in the kitchen,” he said.
We filed in one by one. Jeatar caught my arm as I reached the door. “Only a few of us spoke to Neeme earlier,” he said softly. “I convinced them to keep your shifting a secret for now. I don’t know how long that’ll last though.”
I stepped aside and let the rest pass. “Where are we?”
“You’ll see.”
“Jeatar—”
“Five more minutes. Let me explain it all at once.”
“So what will they do if they find out about me?”
“I don’t know. Some won’t care, but others will.”
“Quirkers aren’t popular around here, are they?”
His eyes widened. “Not since the Duke started using them to round up his enemies. We can trust these people, but if they refuse to let you stay, I’ll put you on a boat and get you home safely.”
Without Tali? Not a chance.
Jeatar and I were the last inside. He shut and locked the door, sliding a heavy bolt across. “I have to speak to a few people, and then we’ll get you all settled.” He smiled, but I caught the worry in it. “Relax in here, help yourself to whatever you find in the pantry. I’ll be right back.”
Several people darted for the glossy doors Jeatar had pointed to, jostling each other to get them open first. Barnikoff stepped forward and yanked them away one by one.
“Everyone will get food,” he said. He pulled open the cabinet and started handing out fruit and strips of dried meat.
I spotted three jugs on the far counter and pulled the corks out. Fruit juice. I pulled real glasses from another cabinet and started pouring. Aylin served.
“So what do you think this place is?” she asked softly when she was finished.
I opened my mouth to answer, but my throat caught, so I just threw my arms around her. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
She hugged me back. “Me either. We were so scared. The soldiers said they were going to hang us.”
“I’d never let that happen.”
Danello walked over and I let go of Aylin. “I’m so sorry I dragged your family into this,” I said.
He pulled me close and rested his head on mine. “It’s not your fault. I never should have let them come with us when we tried to rescue you and Tali.”
“But we’re safe here, right?” Aylin said. “Jeatar wouldn’t have brought us here if we weren’t.”
I reluctantly withdrew from Danello’s arms. “I think he thinks it is.”
“Should I be worried?”
“Until we’re out of this horrible city, I think we all should be worried.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“Were you with Tali when she was captured?”
They nodded. “When we tried to rescue you,” Danello said, “Vyand’s men came out from everywhere. It was like they were waiting for us. Da’s going to come home and we’ll all be gone,” he said, voice cracking. “He won’t even know what happened to us.”
I took his hand and squeezed. If only we’d left when his father had. We could have traded instead of sold the things we’d taken from the town house. We’d never have been at the alley market, the rent collector never would have seen me, and we wouldn’t have been on those stupid docks.
If wishes were fishes, we’d eat every night.
“Are your brothers with Tali?” I said.
“I think so. Vyand split us up when we got here, but I don’t know where she took them.”
Jeatar did though. And if getting Tali out was near impossible, getting all of them out was probably beyond impossible.
“OK, this way,” Jeatar said, returning with another man. He didn’t look happy.
We followed them out of the kitchen and into a sitting room with a stone fireplace along one wall. Bookcases stretched floor to ceiling on either side. Jeatar went to one and pulled a book off the shelf. He reached behind and something snicked. A quick tug and the bookcase swung out, revealing stairs curving down.
Murmurs ran through the group, but I couldn’t tell if they were scared or excited ones.
Jeatar started down, but the big man stayed up, his arms folded across his barrel-like chest. A guard, sure as sugar.
I followed Aylin, the air growing cooler as we descended. Smooth-cut steps, a simple wrought-iron railing, short, wide candles in wall sconces every five feet.
I stepped out into a much brighter – and much bigger – room filled with Baseeri. The girl I’d helped – Neeme – was there, next to a stack of uniforms. She raised a tentative hand and waved.
Jeatar turned to me and spread his arms wide. “Welcome to the Baseeri Underground.”