I was on the road home, out past the eastern edge of the village. I jogged a few steps and then walked briskly, jogging and brisk walking, whatever it took to get down the road quickly without drawing too much attention. Looking at the ground as I went made jogging decidedly more difficult.
I hesitated in front of the door to my house, then flung it open to check inside. I didn’t have time to change, and I didn’t care if the lord saw me in the ripped damp dress I was still wearing. It was my battle dress, a garment to show how hard I’d fought to make things right. Because if I was wrong and I wasn’t able to free Jurij from this mess, it might be all I left behind.
I swallowed, but I was still determined. I couldn’t yet face Jurij again after what had happened, after he sealed a pact with my sister. Not unless I had something to give him. Not unless his heart was finally set free. I grabbed a dirty apron Mother had hung off the back of one of the chairs and wrapped it around my shoulders, using one fist like a broach at my neck to hold it in place. Better than wasting time searching for a proper cloak.
I dashed off outside, not caring to properly close the door behind me. I jogged into the woods and heaved a great sigh of relief once I could look up safely again. It was then that I heard the turn of the cart, and I dived into the foliage. My heart just about jumped out of my throat when I glimpsed the wooden fox-face heading down the pathway in the western direction, the empty cart behind him. So the delivery is done. It’s time. I waited for Darwyn to pass, not daring to move a muscle. Possibly not even breathing.
Once I heard the turn of the wheel fade away, I exhaled and jumped back onto the path. By then, the moon was so full that silver light poured from the sky and lit the way before me. Eventually the trees encroached upon the path so fully that I could no longer see the moon at all, but its silver light speckled through the leaves so softly I felt no reason to be afraid. I ventured on, pushing the occasional stray bough out of my way to go farther. And then the trees parted completely.
There were walls of dark stone as far as I could see. It took me a moment to realize that one layer of wall acted as a fence. Its gate swung open.
I braced myself. The ground shook.
Ancient, monstrously huge wooden doors beyond the outer wall parted slightly like I had seen Father’s lips part when he longed for Mother’s kiss. I stepped through, lifting one foot and then the other, willing myself to stay upright. A thin sliver of moonlight came with me and lit some of the way.
But even so, it was dark, darker than the cavern and the cloudiest of nights. I traced the shaking slit of moonlight with my feet as I continued to walk into the darkness, my gentle steps echoing like thunder in the empty space.
And then the shaking stopped. The door shut behind me.
“I’ve come to see the lord,” I whispered, as loudly as I dared. Now that I was here, my courage faltered. There was no answer. My heart was racing. What am I doing here? This is foolish, I still have time, I should go back—
I thought I heard a trickle of water and paused. There was nothing but the stone floor and a pile of bread and buns at the door, and the more I stared at the moss-covered stones, the more apprehensive I felt. I closed my eyes, shutting out the only sliver of light, and listened for the noise. My hands out before me, I walked toward the soothing sound of the trickling water. I moved unheeded for some time until my hand brushed against a hard surface. Opening my eyes, I found another slit of moonlight pouring through another set of wooden doors.
Tentatively, I put one eye against the slit and saw a fountain surrounded by an empty space and then a circle of white rose bushes. The fountain resembled a little boy, his face unmasked, his arms and head raised towards the sky. In place of the eyes were two spouts of water that poured out and downward, sparkling deep blue in the moonlight.
I want to see his face. It was a stupid thought, considering what danger I had put myself in. But I was overcome by it. I tried to pull open the doors, but they moved only a hair’s breadth even with all of my might. I threw my hands wildly over the doors to search for a better grip but found nothing amongst the rough surface of wood. Then I found the handle, but before I could grip it properly, my finger caressed a jagged sliver.
“Ow!” I sucked on my sore index finger and cursed a few times. It stung so much, I was tempted to rip it out with my teeth.
“Who goes there?”
The voice was haunting. Almost familiar.
I thrashed around to face it, but I couldn’t see anything. The echo of gentle footsteps came toward me.
“A woman?” the voice remarked as it drew nearer. I could feel the air part to allow that smooth, tenor tone to reach me, and I shivered. This was insane, he’s going to report me, I’m going to die—