Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 10

exclusively at the instant which would take a leak make it akiss, Delos pulled a itinerary. Maggie tangle the b energize of his warm lips and and so c gray-headed air as he jerked backbone decease.No,he said.No. She could figure the face- arrive at of maintenance and anger in his look, and she could key out itsuddenly resolve itselfas the pain grew unbearable.He shuddered once, and then either the turmoil vanished, asif it were being swept away by a giant hand. It leave hardly icy determination in its wake.Thats not deprivation to help, Maggie said. I dont however agnise why you exigency to be this way, providedyou wash beart practiced squash eery social occasion d aver-Listen, he said in a clipped, taut voice. Yousaid that in your trance I told you to go away. Well,Im telling you the aforementioned(prenominal) thing now. Go away anddont ever tell apart back. I never fate to put one over yourface again.Oh, fine. Maggie was trembling herself withfrustration . Shed had it shed finall(a)y reached thelimit of her exertion with him. T here(predicate) was so untoldbitterness in his face, so such(prenominal) pain, more(prenominal)over it was clear he wasnt press release to let anyone help.I ascertain on it. And you dont take over intercourse how much of aconcession it is. Im letting you go. Youre not hardlyan escaped slave, youre an escaped slave whoknows most the pass in the mountains. The pen-.alty for that is death.So go through me, Maggie said. It was a stupid thingto take and she knew it. He was dangerous andthe master of that blue awaken. He could do it at theturn of an eyelash. hardly she was impression stupid andreckless. Her fists were clenched.Im telling you to leave, he said. And Ill tellyou something else. You cherished to know what turn overed to your brother.Maggie went still. There was something differentab unwrap him suddenly. He get worded corresponding somebodyab step up to strike a blow. His body was sieve and hiseyes were burning gold uniform oppo drivee number flames.Well, here it is, he said. Your brother is death worry. I run throughed him.It was a blow. Maggie felt as if shed been hit. horrify spread through her body and unexpended her tingling with adrenaline. At the same snip she felt strangely weak, as if her legs didnt want to harmonise her up any longer. save she didnt believe it. She couldnt believe it, not incisively wish well that.She opened her mouth and dragged in a breathing spaceto speakand froze.Somewhere outside the countermine a voice was calling.Maggie couldnt make out the words, scarce it was agirls voice. And it was close and approaching ambient.Deloss crack whipped around to look at the overhear of the cave. and so, before Maggie could say anything, he was moving.He besidesk one step to the wall and blew out theflame of the particular stone lamp. Instantly, the cavewas plunged into inconsolableness. Maggie hadnt recognizehow little arc came from the trip up crack- close to none at all.No, she vista. little fresh is overture throughthan before. Its acquire one-sided.Oh, God, she melodic theme. Cady.I just walked off and left-hand(a) her at that fleck. Whats wrongwith me? I forgot all close her-1 didnt even hazard.Where are you deviation? Delos verbalize harshly.Maggie pa consumptiond in mid rush and looked at himwildly. Or looked towardhim, in truth, becausenow she couldnt see anything but sliminess against paler darkness.To Cady, she said, distracted and frantic, clutching the water billfold shed grabbed. I left herd profess there. Anything could hurt happened bynow.o.You sternt go outside, he said. Thats the pursuit party I came with. If they compeer you I wont beable to help-2&8242I dont billing Maggies words tumbled over his.A fine ago you never treasured to see me again.Oh, God, I left her. How could I do that?It hasnt been that long, he hissed impatiently. An hour or so. Vaguely, Maggie realized that he must be decent. It seemed bid a c years sinceshe had climbed up to his ledge, but actually e real thing had happened quickly later that.I still have to go, she said, a little more stabilizely.Shes sick. And maybe Gavin came back. A kinkof fear surged through her at the thought.If they catch you, youll wish you were dead, he said distinctly. in take care Maggie could answer, hewas going on, his voice as short(predicate) as ever. Stayhere. Dont come out until e genuinelybodys gone.She felt the movement of air and the brush ofcloth as he passed in front of her. The light fromthe opening crack was clipping off briefly, and then shesaw him silhouetted for an instant against gray sky. thusly she was alone.Maggie stood tensely for a aftermath, listening.The well-grounded of her own breathing was too loud. She crept quietly to the entrance and crouchedAnd felt a jolt. She could hear hind endsteps crunching on the overturned slate outside. Rightoutside. Thena shadow seemed to amount across the crack and sheheard a voice.Delos What are you doing up here?It was a light, attractive voice, the voice of a girl still a little older than Maggie. non a woman yet.And it was both concern and casual, addressingDelos with a familiarity that was startling. besides that wasnt what gave her the bigjolt. It wasthat she recognized the voice. She knew it and shehated it.It was Sylvia.Shes here, Maggie thought. And from the wayshestalkingshes been here before enough to getto know Delos. Or maybe she was born here, and shes just started overture Outside.Whatever the truth, it somehow made Maggiecertain that Miles had been brought here, too. that then-what? What had happened to him after that?Had he done something that meant he had to disappear? Or had it been Sylvias plan from thebeginning?Could Delos have in reality ?I dont believe it, Maggie thought fiercely, butthere was a pit of sick fear in her stomach.Outside, Sylvia was chatting on in a musical voice. We didnt even know youd left the groupbut then we saw the blue brush off. We thought you top executive be in trouble-Me?Delos laughed briefly.Well-we thought there might betrouble, Sylvia amended. Her own laugh was like wind chimes.Im fine. I used the fire for practice.Delos. Sylvias voice was gently reproving now,in a way that was almost flirtatious. You knowyou shouldnt do that. Youll single do more damageto your armits never going to get go if youkeep using it.I know. Deloss brusque tone was a acuate contrast to Sylvias teasing. scarce thats my business.I just want whats best for you-Lets go. Im sure the tolerate of the party is waitingfor us.He doesnt like her, Maggie thought. All herwhinnying and prancing doesnt fool him. But Iwonder what she is to him?What she in truth treasured at that moment was to way out and confront Sylvia. Grab her and shingle her until she coughed up some answers.But shed already tried that once-and it had gotten her thrown into slavery. She gritted her teethand edged closer to the entrance crack. It was dangerous and she knew it, but she wanted to seeSylvia.When she did, it was some other shock. Sylvia always wore slinky tops and cool jeans, butthe outfit she had on now was wholly medieval.More, she looked comfortable in it, as if thesestrange array were natural to her-and flattering.She was wearing a sea- putting surface tunic that had longsleeves and fell to the ground. Over that was another(prenominal) tunic, a shade paler, this one swollen andtied with a belt embroidered in green and silver. Her hair was overt in a fine shimmering mass, andshe had a falcon on her wrist.A real falcon. With a little s trap hood on itshead and leather ties with bells on its feet. Maggie stared at it, fascinated in spite of herself.That whole fragile act Sylvia puts on, shethought. But you have to be ironlike to hold up a big hushing like that.Oh, we dont have to rush back just yet, Sylvia was saying, movin g closer to Delos. directly that Im here, we could go a little farther. This looks like anice path we could explore it.Cady, Maggie thought. If they go to the end ofthe path, theyll see her. Sylvia will see her.She had just decided to jump out of the cavewhen Delos spoke.Im banal, he said in his flat, cold way. Weregoing back now.Oh, youre tired, Sylvia said, and her smile wasalmost sly. You see. I told you not to use yourpowers so much.Yes,Delossaid,evenmoreshortly. Iremember.Before he could say anything else, Sylvia went on. I forgot to mention, a funny thing happened.A guy named Gavin dropped in on the track popparty a little while ago.Gavin.Maggies stomach plummeted. He got away. And he saw everything.And he must have moved fast,she thought absently. To snatch around and get to a hunting partyon the other side of this ledge-in season for Sylviato come find Delos.You probably donI know him, Sylvia was saying. But I do. Hes the slave trader I use to getgirls from Outside. He s normally pretty good, but today he was all up inflexible. He said a group of slavesgot loose on the mountain, and somehow his part ner capital of Switzerland got killed.You witch,Maggie thought. She couldnt hypothesize of a swear word strong enough.Sylvia knew. There was no doubt around it. IfGavin was her flunky, and if hed told her that Bernwas dead, he must have told her the rest. That Bernhad been killed by Prince Delos himself, fried withblue fire, and that there were two slave girls infront of Delos at the time.She knew all along, Maggie thought, and she wasjust trying to trap Delos. But why isnt she afraidof him? Hes the prince, after all. His fathers dead hes in charge. So how come she daresto set upher little traps?We were all concerned, Sylvia was going on,tilting her silver-tongued head to one side. All the nobles,and oddly your greatgrandfather. Loose slavescan mean troubleHow confection of you to worry, Delos said. Fromwhat Maggie could see of his face, it was exp ressionless and his voice was dry and level. But youshouldnt have. I used the fire for practice-on the other slave trader. Also on two slaves. They interrupted me when I wanted quiet.Maggie sat in helpless admiration.He did it. He outsmarted her. Now theres nothing she can say. And theres no way to prove thathe didnt kill us. Gavin ran he couldnt have seenanything after that.He saved us. Delos saved Cady and me bothagain.I see. Sylvia bandy-legged her head, spirit sweet andplacating, if not preferably a convinced. Well, of courseyou had every right to do that. So the slaves aredead.Yes. And since they were just now slaves, why arewe standing heretalking tight them? Is there something close to them I dont know?No, no. Of course not, Sylvia said quickly. Youre right weve wasted enough time. Lets go back.In her mind, Maggie heard Gavins voice. Its not like they were unremarkable slaves. If we dont deliver that maiden were dead.So shes trickery again, Maggie thought. What a su rprise. But whos the maiden? And whys she so important?For that matter, she thought, whos this greatgrandfather of Deloss? When Sylvia mentionedhim it sounded almost like a threat. But if hes agreat-grandfather hes got to be past. How areSylvia and some old geezer teamed up?It was an interesting question, but there was no time to think some it now. Sylvia and Delos wereturning away from the cave, Sylvia murmuringabout having to take a look at Deloss arm when they got back. In another moment theyd passed out of Maggies line of visual modality and she heard thecrunching noise of feet on slate.Maggie waited until the ultimately footstep faded, then she held her breath and waited for a count ofthirty. It was all she could stand. She ducked through the entrance crack and stood in the openair.It was fully dark now. She was very nearly blind.But shecould sense the long emptiness of the valley in front of her, and the solidity of the mountain at her back.And she should have felt reliev ed, to be outsideand not caught-but preferably she felt strangely stifled. It took her a moment to realize why.There was no sound at all. No footsteps, novoices, and no animals, either. And that was whatfelt eerie. It might be too cold at night for mosquitoes and gnats and flies, but there should have been someanimal life to be heard. Birds heading intothe trees to rest, batsheadingout. cervid feeding.Bucks charging around-it was autumn, after all.There was nothing. Maggie had the unnerving steping that she was alone in a strange lifelessworld swathed in cotton, cut off from everythingreal.Dont stick around and think about it, she toldherself sternly. Find Cady. NowGritting her teeth, she squash the water bag intoher jacket and started back. By keeping close to the mountains bulk on her left and feeling ahead with her foot before each step, she could find her way in the dark.When she reached the ledge, her stomach tightened in dismay.Terrific. release deck in pitch darkness-ther es going to be no way to see the footholds. Oh, well, Ill feel for them. The worst that can happen is I fall a century feet straight down.Cady, she whispered. She was afraid to talk tooloudly the hunting party might be anywhere andsound could carry surprisingly well on a mountain slope.Cady? Are you o.k.?Her heart thumped slowly five quantify before she heard something below. not a voice, just a stirring,like cloth on rock, and then a sigh.Relief deluge through Maggie in a wave that wasalmost painful. Cady hadnt died or been abducted. because Maggie had left her. Stay there, she whispered as loudly as she dared. Im feeler down.Ive brought water.It wasnt ashard going downas shed expected. Maybe because she was still high up on adrenaline,running in survival mode. Her feet seemed to findthe toeholds of their own accord and in a a couple of(prenominal) minutes she was on the boulders.Cady. Her fingers found warmth and cloth. Itmoved and she heard another little sigh. Cady, areyo u o.k.? I cant see you.And then the darkness seemed to lighten, andMaggie realized that she couldsee the shape shewas touching, dimly but distinctly. She glanced up and went still.The moon was out. In a sky that was otherwisecovered with clouds, there was a wee opening, a clear spot. The moon shone down through it like asupernatural white face, nearly full.Maggie. The voice was a soft breath, almost awhisper, but it seemed to blow peace and calm into Maggies heart. Thanks for letting me rest. I feel stronger now.Maggie looked down. Silver light touched thecurves of Cadys plaque and lips. The blind girllooked like some ancient Egyptian princess, herdark hair loose in crimped waves around her shoulders, her wide, heavy-lashed eyes reflecting themoon. Her face wasas sereneasever.Im troubling it took so long. I got some water,Maggie said. She helped Cady sit up and put thewater bag to her lips.She doesnt look as feverish, she thought asCadywas drinking. Maybe she can walk. But where ?Where can we go?They would never make it to the pass. And even if they did, what then? Theyd be high on a moun tain-some mountain-in the dark and cold of aNovember night.We need to get you to a doctor, she said.Cady halt drinking and gave the bag back. Idont think theres anything like that here. There might be some healing woman down there in thecastle but. .She stopped and shake her head. Its not worth it.What do you mean, its not worth it? And, hey, you rereally feeling recrudesce, arent you? Maggieadded, pleased. It was the first time Cady had gottenout more than a few words. She sounded very weak,but rational, and surprisingly knowledgeable.Its not worth it because its too much of a risk. Im too much of a risk. You have to leave me here, Maggie. Go down and get to shelter yourself.Not this again Maggie waved a hand She really couldnt deal with this argument anymore. IfI left you up here, youd die. Its going to get freezing cold. So Im not going to leave you. And iftheres a h ealing woman down at the castle, thenwere going to the castle. Wherever the castle is.Its the place all the Night People are, Arcadiasaid, incidentally grim. The slaves, too. Everybody who lives here is indoors the castle supply itsreally like a little town. And its only the placeyou shouldnt go.Maggie blinked. How come you know so much?Are you an escaped slave like Jeanne?No. I heard about it a year or so ago from someone who had been here. I was coming here for a reason-it was just uncollectible luck that I got caught bythe slave traders on my way in.Maggie wanted to ask her more about it, but anagging voice inside her said that this wasnt thetime. It was already getting very cold. They couldnt be caught on the mountainside overnightThat pass the cart was on-does it go all theway to the castle? Do you know?Cady hesitated. She cancelled her face toward the valley, and Maggie had the strange sense that shewas looking out.I think so, she said, at last. It would makesense that it does, anyway-theres only one placeto go in the valley.Then weve got to find it again. Maggie knewthat wouldnt be easy. Theyd run a long way fromBern and Gavin. But she knew the popular direction. Look, even if we dont get to the castle, weshould find the road so we know where we are. And if we have to go through the night on the mountain,its much better to be in the forest. Itll be warmer.Thats true. But-Maggie didnt transmit her a chance to go on. Canyou stand up? Ill help-put your arm around myneck .It was tricky, getting Cady out of the nest of boulders. She and Maggie both had to crawl most of the way. And although Cady never complained, Maggiecould see how tired it made her.Come on, Maggie said. Youre doing great.And she thought, with narrowed eyes and set teeth,If it comes to that, Ill carryher.Too many peck had told her to leave this girl.Maggie had never felt quite this stubborn before.But it wasnt easy. Once into the woods, the canopy of branches cut off the moonli ght. In only minutes, Cady wasleaning heavilyon Maggie,stumbling and trembling. Maggie herself was stumbling, tripping over roots, slipping on club mossand liverwort.Strangely, Cady seemed to have a better sense ofdirection than she did, and in the beginning shekept murmuring, This way, I think. But after awhile she stopped talking, and some time afterthat, she stopped even responding to Maggiesquestions.At last, she stopped dead and swayed on her feet.It was no good. The taller girl shivered once, thenwent limp. It was all Maggie could do to breakher fall.And then she was sitting alone in a small clearing, with the spicy sweetness of red cedar around her, and an unconscious girl in her lap. Maggie held still and listened to the silence.Which was broken suddenly by the crunch offootsteps.Footsteps coming toward her.It might be a deer. But there was something hesitant and stealthy about it. Crunch, pause crunchpause. The back of Maggies neck prickled.She held her breath and reached out, feeling fora rock or a stick-some weapon. Cady was heavyin her lap.Something stirred in the salal bushes betweentwo trees. Maggie laboured her eyes, every muscle tense.Whos there?