City of Mages

Chapter 28: Alara

With a despondent sigh, Alara leaned against the wall, her eyes closing.

***

Khuno, Quenti, and Micos left in the late morning. There was to be a ceremony prior to the fallen bruya's burial. They invited Alara, but she knew it was only out of politeness. No one wanted her there.

As they left, she saw two unknown guards outside the door. Their faces were set in a cold look of determination, though Alara didn't even acknowledge them as she closed the wool curtain at the threshold of the house and retreated into the bedroom. The air was finally warming up for the day, filtered sunlight stretching across the wood plank floor. She looked around, summoning a false sense of conviction, though the exhaustion from the night before muddled her thoughts.

She went over to the windows and peered down at the branches that stretched out below. How high up were they? She cursed herself for closing her eyes on the ride up all those weeks ago.

Taking in the room around her, she noted the scattering of sheets and blankets, the skeins of wool and clothes. Even if she tied everything together and pretended it would hold her, there wouldn't be enough material to get her down to the ground. Were there branches all the way down? Could she simply climb? She tried to imagine doing so in the dark of night and shuddered.

Maybe she was overreacting. If she just stayed in Lili's home, silent and unassuming, Mena would be back soon. Alara could have her memory erased and be on her way home.

Deep down, she knew that was wishful thinking. The air had changed within Arbol, and no matter what Quil'la said, the young magite had overstayed her welcome. The only question now was how she would leave.

Alara lost track of how much time she spent staring out the window, scheming her way out of this impossible problem. So consumed was she by her thoughts, she almost missed the flame that danced in the air between her palms.

Startled, she waved her hands, and the flame disappeared with a small puff of white smoke. She looked around, trying to figure out when and how she had snatched the flame. The only fire here was in the kitchen. Alara shuddered at the thought. This place was driving her crazy, and now she was picking up flames without realizing it. She could have caught something on fire or burned herself. Unconsciously, she ran a hand along the ridged skin of her cheek where her scar still stood out.

A bang in the other room made Alara jump, and she turned just in time to see Quenti and Lili burst through the door.

"What..." Alara fell silent when she saw Lili shaking her head. The bruya whispered something to Quenti and ducked back out.

"You need to leave."

Alara's stomach lurched at Quenti's sudden declaration. "Leave as in...?"

"Leave as in leave, stupid. You need to get out of Arbol. Today."

"But... is Mena back?"

"You can't wait for her. The bruyas talking. Zinita and others..." Quenti paused and gave an apologetic look. "They're making plans to kill you. With or without Quil'la's blessing."

Alara stumbled back a few steps, her legs weak as the blood rushed from her extremities. The copper taste of fear bit at her tongue, and she dropped down onto the sleeping pad. "Oh."

Just then, Quenti's head perked up, and she left the room, leaving Alara's mind whirling.

Moments later, Quenti and Lili ducked back in. Quenti's tunic bulged in an unnatural shape, and Lili glanced around suspiciously. When the bruya's eyes settled on the magite, she darted forward suddenly and wrapped Alara in a tight hug.

"Bye," she whispered under her breath before letting go and hurrying from the house.

"What's going on?"

"I told you. You're leaving." Quenti stepped farther into the room. With a grunt, she pulled out a long rope from under her tunic and it dropped onto the floor with a heavy thud.

"I might have stolen this from that bridge I was working on earlier. With all the chaos from the attack, I figure they won't miss it. At least not right away."

Alara's eyes went wide, realizing the implication of what Quenti was saying.

"El'dyo," Alara said. "You're not saying I have to climb down."

"You leave at dusk," Quenti said, her typical dry tone absent. "When the community dinner starts, there won't be many bruyas around. Lili's house is near the edge of the city, anyway, and no one will see you climbing."

"Climbing," Alara repeated, eyes focused on the window.

"With help," Quenti said, waving a hand at the rope that laid coiled in front of her.

"And if that's not long enough to reach the ground?"

"What kind of attitude is that?" Quenti said with a grin... a grin that fell away seconds later. "Okay, I honestly don't know if it is," she admitted. They both sat in silence, staring at the rope.

Quenti finally looked up, a spark in her eye. "If I stay up here, I can untie it when you reach the end. You can then retie it and climb the rest of the way down. Hopefully, it's at least long enough for that."

Alara gave a slow nod, the million ways this could go wrong swirling in her head.

"Won't you get in trouble?" Alara asked.

"Lili and Khuno are going to provide me with an alibi. I'll be at dinner." She winked. "You didn't know you had friends in the enemy's camp, did you?"

Alara knew it was a joke, but a warmth she hadn't felt in a very long time spread throughout her chest.

"Okay," she said. "Let's do this."