Page 38 of Lhora
Kalfis led them over to the cage where he, Lhora, Lon, Pullid, and two more piled in. The conveyance whined softly as they descended, causing her to glance upward. “Won’t the sound alert the guards?”
“It’s a lot quieter than you think,” Kalfis stated. “Even if they do hear it, they won’t think anything of it. They’ll think I’m doing more of the Sarpen’s work.”
“We still need to hurry,” the Vadris said.
When they reached the level Kalfis had told them about, he locked the cage to temporarily prevent someone else from calling for it. Lhora peered around at the roughly carved walls.
“This way,” the soldier instructed, and led them to the far end of the room where there was a single small wooden door level to the floor. It didn’t have a keyhole, meaning it wasn’t locked. Kalfis bent down and opened it, gesturing to the pitch-dark interior. “It’s cramped, and I’ve heard you’ll need to crawl some of the way. You’ll eventually reach another wooden door that’s supposed to be unlocked. It’s hidden beneath some shrubbery. But just in case it isn’t…” He handed the Vadris the key.
Lon nodded. “We’ll gather there and head for the harbor once we’re all together.”
Lhora reached out to the soldier. “You’re coming with us, right?”
Kalfis gave a half-hearted chuckle. “I was hoping you’d ask.” He waved at them. “Go. I’ll go get the others.”
“I’ll stay here and direct them through,” Pullid volunteered.
The Vadris clapped him on the shoulder, then bent and dove into the narrow tunnel, leading the way. Lhora went next, with the others directly behind them.
Kalfis had been correct to say it was cramped. It was also dark of moonless night dark. Several times they bumped into each other, which couldn’t be helped. Although they knew they wouldn’t be heard, they whispered their apologies, but otherwise rarely spoke.
There was no way of knowing how long or how far they crawled or walked hunched over when the ceiling rose high enough. Lhora felt confused. Her sense of direction was totally off-kilter, but she pressed on.
Lon paused again for another brief rest break, or so she thought until he announced, “End of the line.”
“Is there a door?”
“Hold on.”
She heard a creak, a snap, and sunlight flooded in through the crack in the opening as the Vadris opened the door, swinging it outward. Vines covered the entrance. Lon shoved them aside, stepping out first to survey the area and make sure it was safe.
“It’s clear. Let’s go, Lhora.”
Smiling, she climbed out of the tunnel to join him, and together they waited for the others to arrive.
19
Seizure
“Someone’s coming!”
At the hissed warning, Lhora and the others sought cover to prevent being seen as they made their way toward the harbor. A crew member named Bintalles landed in the small culvert, next to where she’d taken shelter. “That’s the third wagon we’ve encountered,” the man grumbled. “At this rate, it’ll be dark before we reach that ship,ifthat ship’s still at the docks.”
She didn’t reply, but he was right. Having almost thirty men trying to sneak unobserved over land in broad daylight was nearly impossible. By this time, she was certain the guards in the dungeon were aware that their prisoners had escaped. No doubt the Sarpi was dispatching his soldiers this very moment to round them up.
No, she corrected herself. The Sarpi wouldn’t go to all that trouble. He’d order them killed on sight. After all, they were escaped prisoners and dangerous felons. Having them killed would protect the rest of the populace, or so the Sarpi would tell his people to explain the men’s demises.
They listened as the wagon approached. Unlike the others, this one moved at a fast clip, as though the driver was in a hurry to get to his destination. That was until Pullid stood up a short distance away and yelled.
“Kalfis! Ho!”
Lhora got to her feet and stared at the man driving the wagon. “Kalfis?”
The driver laughed, but it was short lived. He gestured to them. “Hurry and get in as soon as I get the wagon turned around!”
They all piled into the back of the wagon, which Lhora recognized as looking just like the one that had carted them all from the harbor to the dungeon after they’d been taken prisoner by the Sarpi.
“Where did you get this fine carriage?” a man she learned was named Fobi asked.
