Page 76 of House of the Raven
22
VALERIA
“’Tis the hardest wood I’ve ever handled. My saw barely scratched it before it dulled. Fae blackwood, is it?”
Juanes Hernández - Human Carpenter - 101 DV
Aknot forms in my throat, and I nearly choke. Mother’s necklace. River is after Mother’s necklace. Any doubts that he’s working with Orys fly out of my mind.
You’re so stupid, Valeria!One mention of your mother and you forget who you’re dealing with. He wasn’t looking for a weapon when he pawed you. He was looking for the amulet.
I don’t let myself think twice. I turn and sprint up the stairs, taking two at a time. River is after me in an instant, his hand reaching out and nearly catching the back of my skirt. But he’s heavier than me, and one of the steps splinters under his weight, slowing him down.
Reaching the top, I find a decrepit chair sitting in one corner. I pick it up and hurl it at River, who is nearly upon me again. The chair hits him square in the face, and he stumbles back.
I run toward the only source of light in the dark space. It leads me to a broken window. I don’t hesitate. I push through it, scratching my armin the process, but find a foothold outside, which allows me to shimmy along a narrow ledge.
River sticks his head out and claws at the air, trying to grab me. He throws the window open. Pieces of glass fall out and shatter.
I keep going, my back pressed against the wall as I take small shuffling steps. The next house over is only two stories tall. If I reach it, I can jump onto its roof.
River squeezes his considerable bulk through the window and steps onto the ledge. I move faster and nearly lose my balance. Glancing back once more, I see that he isn’t faring so well. He’s too big for the narrow overhang, and that’s slowing him down.
I finally make it to the end. Leaping sideways, I land on the other house. A couple of roof tiles come loose and clatter over their neighbors, making a racket. Whoever lives here likely just had the fright of their lives.
I climb, stepping gingerly over the tiles. I make it over the apex of the roof and swiftly approach the edge on the other side. This time there aren’t any trees to help me descend, but there are a few bushes below that will cushion my fall.
Carefully, I sit on the edge of the roof, letting my feet dangle. Twisting to take hold of the edge, I slide off. For a couple of seconds, I dangle in front of a second-floor window, but my fingers lose their grip, and I plummet, landing unceremoniously in the middle of what turns out to be a rosebush.
With a whimper, I attempt to disentangle myself from the thorny monster. My skirt rips in some places, and threads get yanked and stretched in others until I finally manage to break free.
I hear River above. A clay tile flies near my head and breaks to pieces on the ground. Limbs tingling with my energy-charged blood, I press my back to the wall and hurry alongside it until I reach the last house on the block and turn the corner.
I’m faced with an open road. Nowhere to hide that I can immediately see. I run, head turning right and left, trying to spot somewhere to conceal my presence. If I just keep running on this open street, River will easily catch me.
My hope has nearly been spent when I hear the trickle of water. I move in that direction and, behind a mound of grass, spot a drain. It is narrow, big enough for me, but not for River. The prospect of climbing inside isn’t palatable, but I’m out of alternatives. Ensconced in there, I can at least keep out of his reach, and who knows… maybe it leads to freedom.
I get closer. The stink of sewer hits my nose like a physical blow.
Gods! I can’t go in there.
But I have to. Holding my breath, I get on my hands and knees and crawl inside the dark, dank sewers. My gag reflex makes me convulse. My head hits the top of the pipe as I jerk. The suffocating stench of filth and decay assaults my senses, finally making me retch and choke on the putrid air. My fingers tremble as I navigate the slippery, muck-covered path. The echoing sounds of distant droplets and the scuttling of unseen creatures in the shadows intensify the dread that gnaws at my mind. As I creep deeper, I can’t help but wonder if escaping River is worth descending into this wretched underworld.
I keep pushing through the darkness, my hands and knees sinking into the thick, lumpy slush. Pushing my mind far away from this place, I imagine I’m crawling through a pleasant brook edged by sweet-smelling flowers.
When I’m far enough into the pipe, I pause and listen. I can’t look back. The space is too tight to do anything but move forward. There’s a trickle ahead, but I think I hear something behind me. I remain in place.
“Where the fuck did you go?” River’s voice is amplified inside the pipe. “Are you in there?”
Gods, please!
He grunts and curses and stomps.
“No. No way that fucking princess went in there.”
I hear retreating steps. He’s leaving. I remain frozen for several long minutes. He seems to be truly gone, but I can’t be sure. Making up my mind, I decide to keep moving forward. Eventually, I come to a fork with a shaft of moonlight cutting through its middle. I glance up and see a hole high above my head. I could climb out that way, but I’m afraid it’s too soon to leave the safety of the pipes.
Three other pipes shoot from this fork. I choose the widest and crawl, crawl, crawl. After ten minutes, I begin to worry. I’m about to turn back around when I spot light up ahead. I hurry forward, and at last, I come out on the other end. Making no noise, I get out of the pipe. I’m on high alert, expecting River to be here waiting for me. I’m not about to let my guard down. I have two very shrewd men after me. Everything is quiet, however.
