Page 43 of Sanctuary of the Shadow
Mal shrugged. “I already paid for the room. Come on.”
They headed toward the tavern entrance, a wooden door with a rounded top, only for Malaikah to stop suddenly and spin around. She looked up at Raith and made a face. “On second thought, you should wait outside. You’re going to stand out like a sore thumb in there.”
Raith said nothing.
“How is he supposed to get to the room, then?” Harrow had to agree with Mal’s assessment, however. Even from beneath his hood, his unusual eyes glowed, and his looming height meant he would tower over everyone.
Raith tipped his face up to the second floor. “I’ll climb through the window.”
“That’s absurd,” Harrow said at the same time that Mal said, “Cool.”
“But it’s too dangerous—”
“Hon, I could climb that stone with ease, and something tells me Raith can handle himself just fine.” Mal shot him a pointed look. “Just stick to the shadows, and don’t let anyone see you.”
With a silent nod of agreement, Raith stepped into a corner and then seemed to dissolve into the darkness until he was nearly invisible.
“Damn,” Mal whispered with a shudder. Harrow hid her reaction, but she felt much the same way. She would be a fool to forget for even a second how dangerous Raith could be.
She and Malaikah entered the tavern together, and Harrow realized she had vastly underestimated the level of activity from outside. Every table in the alehouse was packed full of shouting, guffawing intoxicated people. The odd shadowy figure lurked in a dark corner. Servers with trays of ale wove their way through the crowds while a drunken fiddle trio dragged through a jig no one paid attention to.
Harrow had always avoided places like this. Too many eyes upon her made her nervous—her safety had always depended on her anonymity. She reaffirmed their decision for Raith to wait outside. If she was uncomfortable, Raith would have felt much worse.
Pushing her way through the crowd, Malaikah headed toward the bar, where a woman was filling tankards of ale. “I rented a room upstairs,” Mal shouted over the melee. “Here to get the key.”
The innkeeper nodded. “Follow me.”
They were led up a narrow staircase to the second level. Upstairs was a long, narrow hallway lined with doors. The noise from below bled through gaps in the creaky floorboards.
The innkeeper unlocked a door at the end of the hall, ushered them inside, and passed the key to Malaikah. “Food orders are put in at the bar, but we can deliver to the room. I’ll send the lads up with some firewood and water. Washroom is behind the curtain. Latrines are out back. You need anything else?”
“We’re good, thanks.”
“Enjoy your stay,” she said unenthusiastically and then left. The bar sounds boomed through the floor. They dropped the bags on the bed and looked around.
Though quite small, the room was surprisingly comfortable. There was one double bed, a stone fireplace, two chairs and a table, and a small couch much like the one in Harrow’s caravan. The curtain on the wall beside the fireplace covered the door to the bath.
The first thing Harrow did was hurry to the window, unlatch the panes, and push the glass open. “Raith!” she whispered to the silent street below. Leaning out, she scanned the lane for him but couldn’t see a thing.
Just when she started to fear that he was gone, his flaming eyes looked up at her. Not from the street but already halfway up the wall, as his claws found purchase in the gaps between stones.
She jumped back to make room for him, and a moment later, he leaped lightly through the window and pushed his hood back. His features remained blank as he scanned his new surroundings.
“Right, then,” Malaikah said into the growing silence. “We did it.”
The victory felt hollow somehow.
“I guess I’d better head back before people notice I’m gone.” Mal gave Harrow a sympathetic look. “You realize you’re going to have to stay here, right? No wandering around.”
Harrow winced. “I know.”
“All right, then. I’ll leave you to it. I still have to get your horse set up in the stables.” She looked between Raith and Harrow, shifting on her feet. “Goodnight, then.”
Harrow hugged her.It’s not goodbye yet, she assured herself. She would see Mal again soon—possibly even tomorrow, if she could sneak away safely. “Night, Mal. Love you.”
“Love you too.” They broke apart. Malaikah gave Raith an awkward wave and then left, pulling the door shut behind her.
Alone, Raith and Harrow stared at each other from across the room.
