The Fickle Winds of Autumn

41. The Corridor

The forlorn gloom of the cell stifled Kira's thoughts.

It was hopeless - there was no way out, and the Observance would be this evening.

Her friends were doomed.

And it was all her fault - if they hadn't helped her escape from the slavers, they would never have been in this horrible situation.

Perhaps they should have just left her to perish in the crushing, burning shackles?

The familiar scratching-tapping sound of Harath's talons approached through the dim light.

But her steps seemed more hurried, more jittery than usual.

"Harath, is everything all right?" Kira asked.

Harath scuttled closer to the bars of the cell and lent her beak in.

"Be quiet!" she hushed. "Do not let the guards hear us. You are a good friend to me - I like this feeling - I have decided, I do not want you to die in the Observance tonight - I have thought of how you can escape - I will help you, but we must go now, yes?"

A nervous excitement pulsed through Kira's body; her bewildered, grateful fingers gripped the cell bars.

Did Harath really mean it?

Was there truly a glimmering hope of getting out?

"You'll help me?" she whispered.

"Yes," Harath replied. "You were right - I can not let the others rule my destiny for me - it is time to do something for myself. Besides, am I not still queen? Wait while I unlock the door."

Harath disappeared into the deep shadows of the cave.

Kira rubbed her happy, reeling thumbs into the bars.

Could she truly escape?

Was it some sort of hopeful dream?

Or even a trick?

What about the guards?

How would they get down from the mountain?

The door clicked lightly and Harath returned.

"Quickly Kira, my friend! Come now! We must go if you want to live!"

Harath hissed through the dim light.

Kira held her tense breath and glanced towards the corridor as she pushed at the heavy wooden lattice of the cell door. The slightest sound might alert the eagle-keen ears of the guards - but it swung open silently and invited her out.

"Quickly now!" Harath urged her, as she turned towards the corridor at the far side of the cave.

Kira dashed back to the dark shadows of her cell.

"What are you doing?" Harath hissed in an alarmed tone. "There is no time! We must leave now!"

"I can't just leave my friends here," Kira said. "We've got to get them out too, somehow."

She knelt and shook Aldwyn's limp frame violently.

"Aldwyn! Aldwyn! You must wake up!"

The rushing adrenaline thudded through her body - the guards could return at any moment - this was her one chance, the chance she had hoped for - but she could not leave her friends - not after they had been so kind to her.

Her anxious eyes flicked across the cave to the corridor - an approaching silhouette of a guard would mean disaster, and the cruel cell door would slam shut again before she even had the chance to get out through it - but she couldn't just leave the others - she had to save them.