The Colorless Land

Chapter 41: Breaking the Walls

She looked everywhere, and there was no trace of Edmian.

Stay calm, she reminded herself as she returned back to Zamrod. She could easily guess where Edmian had gone off to. That meant he should return after Jolette and the innkeeper. Now if only those two—

As if on cue, the door flew open, and the innkeeper stumbled in, looking disheveled and sweaty and visibly frightened.

And alone.

"I'm sorry," he rasped out, collapsing into the free chair. "She rang the bell—but the chaos—and then the Colorless—"

Saryana pulled him into an upright position. "Are you saying you left her?"

"I lost her, lady—but—"

"You lost her? When there are Colorless out there?"

The innkeeper nodded, looking terrified out of his mind.

He was only a man, Saryana reminded herself. He wasn't made for war and conflict and dealing with strange invasions. She shouldn't be too harsh with him.

"Anyway," she said. "Have you seen anyone following her? The boy who was with us?"

The man shook his head. "I don't think I did."

Saryana shivered.

So that meant three of their companions missing, with their whereabouts a mystery. Two of them carrying pendants. With Colorless in here.

Across from the large fireplace, the next door over, the heavy grandfather clock struck noon.

~ ~ ~

"...ry? Nellary!"

Nellary shook herself. The cloud of white that had been filling out her consciousness paused, the voice that echoed through it faint but very much real. This was a real person talking to her. Someone was here.

That voice...where had she heard it before? She knew it was familiar, extremely so.

"Nellary, for the love of everything!" There was a creak, and then the voice was clearer. "Don't tell me they've got you already after all your big talk!"

"Fay?"

The name left her lips on its own. Suddenly she knew why she had recognized the voice. Nellary looked up.

Beyond the mist, beyond the clouds, the wall had opened. And out peered a face that was as pale and haggard as it was familiar.

"Fay!" she burst out, hurrying to stand close to her friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting you out of trouble, obviously," Fayabel hissed. She looked horrible. Her skin and hair were now almost completely white, her eyes a matted gray. But there was a life in her eyes that Nellary hadn't seen in weeks, no...not since Rivertown.

"They didn't send me to build things for nothing," she said, smiling grimly. "How else should I have known that these cells have passages all around them to maintain the fog pipes? Not to mention hidden doors?"

"Fine, but—but—why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I heard what they were planning to do to you and Maithea and came here." Fayabel grabbed Nellary by the arm. "Now come on! Or are you planning to let them get your wife while you hesitate?"

"Maithea!" Nellary stumbled forward into the passage. Fayabel slammed the door shut behind her. The fog receded from her mind. Suddenly she was fully herself again.

"She's in the next one over," Fayabel said, marching to the next door and producing a key out of her pocket to unlock it. "Maithea," she called inside, "are you still alive?"