CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Laying face forward on the ground, Jane turned her head and saw that the arrow had missed Tom by a millimetre. Through a husky piece of fortune Tom had been in the process of stepping sideways when the arrow took flight. The arrow continued past Tom and sideswiped the captain’s thigh before continuing on into the long grass where it got lost.

The captain, who was trying to steal a horse (borrow it was what he was going to say a little later when the matter all came to light) was walking right behind Tom when the arrow came spearing past.

He yelled, ‘Buggar.’

He reacted instinctively and dropped to the ground, making a meaty thud as he hit the soil. He made a sound like a quiet roar as his right hand went to his thigh where the arrow had sliced past.

There was a whistle of another arrow in flight and Tom dropped to the ground just before this second arrow flew through the sphere of air where his head had been a moment before.

Trinket rolled so that she was partially on her side with a knee crooked up for support. She held her bow horizontal to the ground with its ends in large clumps of grass. She nocked an arrow and rolled her eyes sideways to look at Jane. Her lips made the shape of a blade, and she spoke with utter sarcasm.

‘Permission to return fire.’

Jane felt stupid after telling Trinket not to release an arrow a moment earlier. The idea of putting an arrow into a brightly dressed little man (named Fox) who looked harmless and sweet, seemed like a terrible idea. But, now that the man had sent an arrow across the river, Jane felt a titanic sized wrongness.

She should shut up.

Trinket put her green slit of an eye behind the arrow, held for the barest second, made a miniscule adjustment, then let the arrow fly.

The arrow disappeared into the mist on the far side of the river. The arrow missed the sprightly man. There was a sound of reed sliding on leather. Trinket sent another arrow, which also missed. Meanwhile Andrew had made it to the bow of the ship. He jumped across to the plateau atop the cliff. Mist swirled, blotting the figure of him.

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Trinket nocked her last arrow and pulled it tight, but didn’t release. The mist had thickened and now you couldn’t see Andrew or Fox.

For a moment there was silence.

The ship’s stern bumped and groaned and ploughed through the black soil, gouging out reeds and shrubs in large clumps. Finally the stern came free and swept out into the main flow of the river. Now the force of the flood wrenched the ship’s bow free of the cliffs, and the ship immediately rushed away. The bearded grogans, still chained to the thwarts, were smashing their bodies against the sides of the ship in an attempt to break free. This brutal sound of their terror was not something Jane would forget easily.

Her legs unfolding, Trinket sprung up from the grass. She hopped across and positioned herself behind the root ball of the fallen tree. She looked through the roots. The mist, which waxed and waned with the breeze, cleared enough to get a proper view across the river to the far cliffs. Fox and Andrew had disappeared from sight.

‘They have gone,’ said Trinket.

’Where?’ Asked Jane.

’They will go to the city of Coronet. That is the only path they can take.’

‘What happens then?’

‘Then the Emperor finds out that Trinket, the princess of Wyld Fell, is with Elion and that we are on our way to Coronet. The Emperor will seal up the city. We won’t be able to access the city via the service entry beside the shipping gate, which was my plan. The Emperor will swarm the entry with soldiers.’

Jane stood. The front of her dress was wet and covered with grass seeds and black dirt. She stepped sideways to stand with Trinket behind the root ball. Tom did the same.

The captain stood up, but didn’t hide. Wet and slightly angry he gazed at the river where his ship had disappeared. He crossed his arms. He had a look in his eyes of purposelessness and grief.

Then his eyes went slightly glazed, as new thoughts crowded in. He was already planning.

He looked at Tom and lowered his head, his chin tucking into his chest. Then he brought his head up, and said, ‘My Lord.’

Tom shook his head, he opened his mouth, Two bucky teeth went over the top of his lips. His freckles were bright red cold spots actress his cheeks. He didn’t speak.

The captain spoke to Tom. ‘I will help you but I will not go through the catacombs. You should urge the princess not to take that route.’

‘You aren’t invited to join us,’ said Trinket..

‘You need me though,’ said the captain. He bent to rub his palm over the blood spreading across his pants.

‘No,’ said Trinket and her triangle eyes locked down on the captain. ‘I don’t trust you. I don’t need you.’

‘You may not trust me … But what about Elion?’

Trinket and the captain both looked at Tom.

Tom said, ‘What is wrong with the catacombs?’

‘Do you not remember,’ said the Captain. ‘The silent children.’