ROMERIA
We watch from behind a thick hedge as the glass doors to the ballroom open and children spill out, the older ones holding the youngers’ hands, Gracen corralling them in her gentle manner, her baby cocooned within a sling over her chest to free her hands. Mika trails behind her, babbling to an attractive young blond mortal woman who holds Lilou’s hand. Whoever she is, Gracen has entrusted her with guarding her kids.
“There are so many of them.” I don’t think I realized what four hundred children would look like. It’s almost half the army Lord Telor brought to Ulysede’s gates! “Is this insane?”
“Yes, but oddly usual for you, as I learned in Norcaster,” Jarek mocks from behind me. “I count three guards escorting them. I will have to kill them.”
“In front of the kids?” I cast a look over my shoulder. “Come on.”
“Aren’t you the one who wanted to set a room full of hay on fire with them in it?”
I throw an elbow back, earning a soft grunt. “I’ll admit, that was a risky plan. But I didn’t think I’d have an inside person.” Gracen’s idea is much better. That Atticus put her in charge and ordered the guards to comply earns him a point or two, though I can still never forgive him.
I gasp as another familiar face appears. “Dagny!” The seamstress marches along, prattling away. She has no clue this is anything other than a garden walk.
They turn onto the main path. In the far distance, I can just make out the clutter of guards near the east wing, watching. I hope none of them decides to step in, to question or to join.
Jarek curses. “That’s the long way.”
“It’s the most obvious one. As long as they don’t go into the maze, we’ll be fine. Come on.” Grabbing hold of his forearm, I let the familiar adrenaline wash over me. We cut through the garden, quiet and unseen as we follow them.
“It’s time to turn around!” the guard closest to Gracen barks.
Shit. We’re only halfway to the nymphaeum.
Gracen bites her lip, and I can almost see the wheels turning in her mind, looking for excuses to continue. “But they’re enjoying themselves so much.”
“The cedar labyrinth is ahead. We aren’t taking them that far.”
“A labyrinth?” Mika exclaims.
The blond servant shushes him and then grabs onto his hand as if afraid he might bolt for it.
“It has to be now.” Jarek draws two throwing daggers from his belt, shifting his weight as he prepares to step out from behind the hedge. “I have the two on the left, you take out the one on the right.”
“What?”
“Aim for his neck, as we practiced.”
“I didn’t practice hitting guards in the neck!” I hiss.
“Do your best.”
I glare at him. “There are children here. I’m not throwing a dagger.” Drawing on a thread of Aoife, I conjure a water arrow in front of us that will pierce the guard just as well.
“That works too. In three … two …”
A bell tolls. Not the slow and somber one that marks the hour. A rushed and furious clang, as if someone is swinging the rope as hard as they can. “What does that mean?”
Jarek curses. “The city is under attack.”
“By whom?” Oh no. “Is that us?” Did Gesine and the legionaries get caught down by the port? If Gesine unleashes what she’s capable of … I lose my grip on Aoife’s thread and the arrow hits the grass with a splash. “What do we do?”
“We have our own task to complete. They will manage.” Jarek steps out and, with strength and skill that seems impossible, he launches the daggers through the air, followed by a third. All three guards hit the ground.
Children scream.
“It’s okay!” I run as hard as I can toward them, my hands up, praying we can get control of everyone before they scatter. On impulse, I peel my mask off to reveal the face some of them might recognize.
“Your Highness!” Dagny exclaims, rushing toward me, throwing her arms around my stomach in a hug so tight. “I thought I might never see ya again!”
Watching the friendly seamstress embrace me seems to calm many of the children, while others stare, dumbfounded by how I changed faces.
Jarek sweeps in, collecting his daggers and stirring new fears. Some children begin to cry.
“We’re not here to hurt you. We’re going to get you back together with your parents,” I say over the noise. Eventually.