The rock moved, rolling, and suddenly Bartolo’s arm was stuck under the boulder.
Bartolo clutched the prism to his chest with one arm and tried to move the rock, to free his trapped arm and return to the surface. His chest heaved and his mouth opened. Water flooded into his chest as his body fought his mind and won, gasping in whatever substance it could find in the space around it.
There was movement. Someone was in the water with him.
Strong arms moved the rock and freed Bartolo’s arm. He felt himself taken under the armpits and heaved forcefully upward. Bartolo felt himself pop to the surface, but he was dazed, his vision dark, his lungs filled with water. Drifting down the river now, the newcomer rolled Bartolo onto his side and heaved at his stomach. Water gushed out of Bartolo’s mouth and he felt his body squeezed again.
Bartolo twisted and rolled his way down the river until the current slowed near a bend. Bartolo heard voices and felt many hands on him, hauling him out of the river to land, his body flopping onto the bank like a hard-won fish.
Bartolo opened his eyes and felt hands prying at his own, struggling to release his grip.
“Let go,” he heard Dorian’s voice. “I’ve got it.”
Bartolo felt a surge of relief when he realized he still held the prism.
Another figure leaned over him. Scraggly wet hair revealed a bald pate and a round, sturdy face. “You’re lucky I’m a good swimmer, bladesinger,” Fergus said.
Bartolo grinned, and then coughed again, ejecting another stream of water.
Bartolo lay on his back, recovering from his swim as Tapel disappeared with the prism. He sat up as Tapel returned.
“It’s done. I returned the prism to the top of the tower,” Tapel said.
“Well done, lad,” Bartolo said, coughing and shaking water from his dark locks.
“I saw an answering light in the east,” said the boy.
“Here, help me up,” Bartolo said. Tapel took hold of his wrist and hauled the bigger man to his feet. “Listen, Tapel. You did well. If you hadn’t found these men, we wouldn’t have known about the deception. Your mother would be proud, as would Rogan Jarvish.”
Tapel’s eyes misted. “I thought I’d betrayed us all.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth. Now where’s my armorsilk?” Bartolo glanced about. One of the recruits came forward, and Bartolo stood, weaving slightly, but eventually gathering himself and taking several deep breaths.
Bartolo smiled at Fergus. “I owe you my life,” the bladesinger said simply. “It’s a debt I won’t take lightly.”
Fergus grinned and shrugged.
“Gather round!” Bartolo called. Soon the group stood ringed around him. Gazing back at Samson’s Bridge, Bartolo saw the reflector at the apex of the tower, shining bright green, lending urgency to every action.
“As you can see, Altura is in need. Our task at this point should be to head to the defenses at the free cities, where our high lord has built a series of fortifications on the ridge behind Castlemere.”
The recruits nodded.
“However, we now have a more important task. Our high lord needs these signals to get through. We can see the light from the next link in the chain in the east, but Derrick and Roscoe, I need you to head over the bridge and confirm that the chain is whole. You’ll be working on your own initiative, and you know what your mission is. We’ve planned for many things, but treachery wasn’t one of them.”
“We understand,” Derrick said. The two recruits nodded to each other.
“The rest of you will be coming with me to Wondhip Pass. I know it’s a long journey, but we know how critical the station there is. We don’t need to travel all the way to the pass, just close enough to see the light, which should be visible from below. We simply need to confirm that the station in the pass is functioning. We’ll be traveling fast, and we’ll be traveling with little food, just whatever we can take from the bandits’ camp. Everything depends on us.”
“What about me?” Fergus said.
“I need you to go to Castlemere. Find the high lord and tell him what happened here. Tell him we’ll make sure the chain is complete, and then we’ll find him, wherever he is.”
“And me?” Tapel said.
Bartolo knelt. “Tapel, you’ve been brave beyond any imagining. You saw something suspicious and acted on it. If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t have known the chain was broken. I need you to go to your mother at the palace. She’s worried sick about you and needs to know you’re not hurt.”
“I want to come with you.”
Bartolo shook his head. “We’ll be setting a grueling pace. Those at the palace need to know, just like the high lord at the free cities. Now that we know about the danger, we can make sure the chain is functioning. Can you help me, lad?”
“I will.” Tapel nodded.
“You have your tasks. See to it!”
Bartolo had to use his head. He wished he were with Miro, who would soon be facing the enemy.
But Miro’s plan depended on support from the other houses.
Bartolo had his own part to play.
21