Haladras

Fifteen

Grim was roughly escorted out of the room, while Skylar remained behind, unable to leave without dismissal. As he wondered how he was going to extricate himself from this unexpected turn of events, a voice like the sound of air freezing faintly disturbed the silence.

"Follow him," it hissed.

A moment later, two other shadows emerged from the opposite corner, floated across the room, and vanished through the door.

* * *

He must warn Grim. Whoever―or whatever―those things were, they made Skylar's stomach form a knot just to think of them lurking close behind Grim. But where had he gone? How long Skylar had to stand guard in the governor's office, he did not know. Hours. The surly sergeant had finally had enough and sent Skylar back to the barracks.

Once outside the citadel, and out of sight of the guards at the gate, Skylar turned down a side street and backtracked to where he had deposited his clothes. He soon found the alleyway, but saw no sign of the soldiers he'd left passed out in the street. Skylar smiled to himself as he thought about the soldier explaining to his superior why his suit was missing.

Quickly, Skylar shed the heavy armor and dumped it behind a metal bin in the alley. Perhaps the soldier would come back to look for it in the morning. Then he donned his clothes, wrapped his cloak around his body, and set off toward the city gates.

The full weight of exhaustion from lack of sleep bore down on him as he walked. If he hadn't felt such an urgent need to find Grim, he would have fallen asleep on the street.

He knew nowhere else to go but back. If Grim were still within the city walls, he had no way to know where. He might hunt for days. And what of the two shadows stalking Grim? Skylar shivered at the thought, and increased his stride. He simply must find Grim.

For all his desire, though, he struggled to keep up a strong pace. He had not slept since the night before their encounter with the Mauwik. How long ago that seemed.

Footfall sounded on the street behind him. Skylar's senses quickened at the sound. Another soldier? The footfall was too light. Who then? The black shadows? Not wanting to find out, he turned down a side street and disappeared into the shadows. A voice made him hesitate.

"Sir...Sir," it called out as loud as it dared. It was almost the voice of a child.

Whirling around, Skylar found a small figure running up to him, arm upraised, waving. As the figure came closer, Skylar saw that it was a boy, several years younger than himself. He was breathing heavily, but spoke as quickly as he could.

"Please, Sir," he said in a mere whisper. "I'm to have you follow me."

"Follow you? Who are you? Who gave you instructions to fetch me?"

"Please, Sir," pleaded the boy, as though his life depended on Skylar, "you must come. He who bid me fetch you says that you are looking for him."

Grim? Skylar considered the possibility, then warily said, "Take me to him."

The boy led Skylar through such a maze of streets and alleyways that he began to grow suspicious. Where was this little urchin taking him? And why the circuitous route? After a dizzying number of turns, Skylar felt certain they were merely tracing circles around the city.

"Where is this man of yours?" asked Skylar at last. But the boy only replied, "Please, Sir," and motioned for him to keep following.

Finally the boy stopped at an alleyway door. He gently tapped on the door several times. After several seconds, the door creaked open. No light spilled out into the alley. Only a subtle difference between shades of blackness indicated the door was open. A large figure loomed before them.