Her mind raced through the years of Serin’s lessons, knowing she needed a solution and that it needed to present itself immediately or Aren was going to reach Nana’s before her and find her missing.
An idea sprung into her thoughts. Pulling out her knife, Lara sliced open a shallow wound on her forearm then tucked away the blade. Covering her fingers in blood, she carefully traced the outer rim of the door. Once dry, it wouldn’t be noticeable against the stone. But if sprayed with the right compound, it would react.
There was no time to do anything else.
Carefully closing the door, Lara flew down the stairs and pushed the door in the base shut. Then she was running as fast as she dared, her bare feet scraping against roots and rocks. But she couldn’t move this swiftly in her heavy Ithicanian boots while maintaining any level of silence.
Ahead, she picked out the faint glow of the jar Aren carried, and she slowed her speed, moving up as close behind them as she dared. She considered trying to pass them in the trees, but there was no chance of them not hearing her. Not in the dark, at this pace.
Nana’s house appeared ahead.
Think of a plan, she silently screamed at herself even as she watched Aren round the house. Open the door. He was back out in a flash shouting, “Where is she?”
Tugging on her boots, Lara cut into the trees, then stepped out into the clearing, walking through it toward Aren. “I’m right here, so quit yelling.”
He stared at her, as did his bodyguard and the guard tasked with watching the house. Nana chose that moment to fling open the door to the outhouse clad only in a nightdress and boots.
“What,” Aren demanded, “are you doing wandering the woods in the middle of the night?”
Serin’s voice echoed through her head: Most people lie to avoid embarrassment. Very few people lie to embarrass themselves, which inclines others to believe them.
Lara looked at the ground, knowing that the sweat running down her face and her ruddy complexion would only add truth to the lie. “I wasn’t feeling well, and the facilities were”—she gestured at Nana—“occupied.”
Aren turned to his grandmother. “Are you ill?”
“The shits. I’ll live.”
“It must’ve been something we ate.” Lara pressed a hand to her stomach as though it pained her. “Or perhaps some filth on those mice you made me touch.”
“Mice? You made her feed your snakes?” Shaking his head, Aren rounded on the guard. “Where the hell were you?”
“Here. I didn’t see her leave. I was watching.”
“Not very well.”
“I was trying to be discreet,” Lara snapped, kicking the toe of her boot into the dirt. “Now if you’re all finished gaping at me, I’d like to go back to sleep.”
Aren exhaled a long breath.
“What?” Lara folded her arms under her breasts and looked up at him.
“A fleet of thirty Amaridian ships is lurking off Ithicana’s coast. There’s a squall blowing in that might buy us some time, but Midwatch is under my command, and I need to get back to prepare our defenses.”
“They intend to raid?”
“Likely.” He exhaled. “You can come back with us or stay here with Nana for War Tides. Your choice.”
“I’ll go back to Midwatch.” There was no bloody way in hell she was spending another day with that awful woman. Never mind that judging from Nana’s narrow-eyed expression, the old woman wasn’t entirely fooled by her deception. No doubt she’d tie Lara to the bed every night and triple her guard. And because she needed to step forward with her plan to lure Aren in, Lara added, “I want to go with you.”
His brow furrowed, and he glanced away. “We can’t go through the bridge. There’s a merchant party on their way to Southwatch camped above this pier for the night, and we can’t get in without them seeing. It will have to be by boat.”
Lara swallowed the unease that burned in her stomach, hearing the rising winds. Control your fear, she commanded. There is much to be gained here if you keep your wits about you.
“I’ll manage,” she muttered.
Aren turned on Taryn, who was rubbing her temples. “Not your finest hour, soldier. Jor will deal with your punishment once we’re home.”
“Sorry, Your Grace,” Taryn said, and guilt briefly rose in Lara before she swallowed it away.
Aren led Lara by the hand through the darkness, Jor in the lead and the groggy Taryn behind, the other woman carrying something bulky that bumped against her shoulder as she ran.
The winds were rising higher by the second, but over them, the surf slamming against the cliff walls filled Lara’s ears, and her heart thundered riotously knowing they intended to sail upon it. Sweat rolled in beads down her back as they reached the cliff tops overlooking the sea, nothing visible in the blackness, the moon and stars obscured by clouds.
It began to rain.
A cold drizzle that soaked her hair and trickled down the back of her tunic as she watched the soldiers stationed on the island strain to lift what appeared to be an enormous wooden ladder up into the air. The end of it was attached to ropes, and it took eight of them to lower it over the edge of the cliff into the darkness below.
“There’s a large rock outcropping below,” Aren shouted into her ear. “We’ll climb down, then wade over to the islet where we have the boats moored. It’s low tide, but the water will still be up to your knees.”
“Let’s go!” Jor was on the ladder and climbing down toward the crashing sea below, Lia following him.
“I’ll go first. Then you, then Taryn.”
Lara nodded wordlessly, unable to speak around the chatter of her teeth. Aren swung onto the ladder and clambered down, but when Lara gripped the rungs, her fingers felt numb. Her arms and legs trembled, and it took all her willpower to descend. Down and down toward the water.
If they can do it, so can you. She repeated the chant, her lips moving silently, her hands slick with sweat, spray drenching her clothes as wave after wave hammered the outcropping below. Finally, Aren’s hands closed around her waist, steadying her as she stepped onto the slimy rocks. Taryn was down a moment later, and when she gave the call, there was a creak as the soldiers lifted the ladder back onto the island.
Lara could see nothing. Nothing. But all around her, water roared. One step in the wrong direction and she was done for. The thought had her dropping to her knees, her fingers clutching at the rocks.
“We don’t have time for you to crawl,” Aren shouted over the noise. “We’ll be in a far worse spot if we’re stuck out here when the tide turns.”
Her knees trembled as she rose, her breath coming in great gasping whooshes as she took one step, then two, allowing Aren to guide her.
“Jor’s marked the path.” Aren lifted her hand, using it to point, because she couldn’t so much as see his outline in the blackness.
There.
Smears of glowing algae were faintly visible every few paces. Her heart steadied, and she pressed forward, her confidence growing with each step.
“There’s about a ten foot stretch here that’s submerged. You’ll be up to your knees, but the current is strong, so hold on to me.”
“Damn you for making me do this.”