The Map Maker's Daughter Page 12

  Crying and exhausted Sharra fell into a fitful sleep. She was woken by a shout of laughter outside the door. She opened her eyes to find the weak patch on sunlight on her prison floor had changed to moonlight.

  ‘It’s a grand idea, my lady, but I don’t see how your mother would approve.’

  ‘The door is locked, isn’t it?’ said Jayne. ‘She can hardly build a ladder out of straw and climb out of a tiny window. Besides, I know my mother would be interested in hearing any barrack room gossip that you might bring back from the Silverton men. She’d pay for that.’

  ‘C’mon, Jed.’ A second male voice. ‘She’s secure enough. There’s bound to be extra food in the kitchens and the maids from the other Holds’ll be wanting to make merry while their Lords and Ladies dance.’

  ‘I suppose it’s not like we’d be disobeying Lord Camden.’

  ‘Exactly, I believe Lord Camden has specifically asked not to be told anything about this situation. But the choice is yours, gentlemen, I thought I’d just mention that a certain Silverton wench has been asking for one of you. Goodnight.’

  Sharra heard Jayne walk away, her shoes tapping on the stone. The guards murmured between themselves for a while and then she heard the sound of them retreating. Sharra ran to the door and pulled. It was firmly secured. What could she do? A door was only a piece of wood fastened in a wall. It had weak points. Her fingers found a sturdy lock. She traced the outline. Where were the hinges? There was nothing. She realised the hinges were on the other side. Whoever had designed this prison had done it well. She sank back to the ground. Why had Jayne bothered to send the guards away? A cold dread crept over her. Had she been sending away witnesses rather than seeking to help Sharra? Had she done it only for her mother to return with a knife?

  There was a faint scratch at the lock and the door began to creak open. Sharra retreated till her back was against the far wall. She scrabbled at the wall with her fingers, hoping to pry loose a stone to defend herself, but the walls were hard and smooth.

  A figure emerged from the gloom carrying a lantern in one hand and her shoes in the other.

  ‘Jayne!’

  Jayne closed the door swiftly behind her. She thrust her shoes at Sharra. ‘Here. They’re the best I can do. I couldn’t take anything that looked suspicious. But I’ve got you money. You can buy what you need once you’re away from here . . . This Maven, do you trust him?’

  ‘No. Yes. I don’t like him, but I trust him.’

  Jayne put down the lantern and embraced Sharra heedless of the dirt against her clothes. ‘I wish things were like before,’ she whispered into Sharra’s ear.

  ‘Aren’t you coming with me?’

  Jayne stepped back and shook her head. ‘They’d come after me. Camden is pretending he only knows someone brought in your necklace. He’s claiming he hasn’t seen you.’

  ‘He can’t order his men after me.’

  ‘But I’m different. I’m Gory’s and Gory is his cousin. He would have to act. If you go alone you stand a chance.’

  ‘But, Ivory! The guards will tell her you sent them away. She’ll be furious.’

  ‘If the guards have any sense they’ll deny all knowledge any of this happened. But even if they do tell her she is still my mother. She’ll be angry. She will send more assassins after you, but she won’t harm me. She is still my mother. Besides, Gory would protect me. In his own way he is fond of me.’

  ‘I can’t leave you behind!’

  ‘I made a bad bargain and I have to live with that.’

  ‘You don’t!’ Sharra grasped Jayne’s hands imploringly. ‘Come with me. Father will protect us.’

  ‘You’ve always been strong, Sharra. And fearless. I’m not like you. Good luck, little sister. I’ve done all I can. I would only put you in more danger. Maven’s in the East Wall. Do you know where that is?’

  ‘I can find it.’

  ‘Ask the maids if you get lost. No one takes any notice of them.’

  ‘But what if he won’t help me?’

  ‘Sharra, if . . .’ She swallowed. ‘If Camden was prepared to take advantage of you arriving here unescorted do you think they’re going to let the only witness live?’

  Sharra went ghost white. ‘But he is nothing to do with all this!’

  ‘I know. But Milton’s standing for election has infuriated Camden as never before. It is close to out and out war between the Holds. So far he has listened to my mother’s entreaties to act softly.’

  ‘You mean to use assassins,’ spat Sharra.

  ‘Not to act openly against Milton. He cannot risk leaving witnesses alive.’

  ‘He could be dead already!’

  ‘Then you must hurry.’

  ‘Wait! I need to know about my mother and your father – your real father. What happened?’

  ‘If you want to save Maven there is no more time,’ answered Jayne and before Sharra could protest was gone and leaving only a faint trail of her scent in the air.

  She could no longer trust Camden. Could no longer trust anyone.

  Except Maven.

  She opened the door.

  The corridor was full of shadows. It was lit by torches every few feet, but the scarcity of windows kept it dark. So much the better. The door out into the courtyard was small. It was also unlocked, but it creaked horribly. Sharra gave up trying to open it quietly and pushed hard. A blast of frosty night air hit her full in the face stealing her breath.

  She bolted into the shadow of the walls. It would only take her a few minutes to get to the East wall if she ran across the courtyard, but she might be seen. Dimly, she could hear sounds of merriment.

  It felt as if eternity was passing as she inched her way around the walls. Above, the second moon hung full and bright in the sky. She reached the corner tower of what she was fairly sure was the East Wall. The door was shabbier than the one she had come out of. One hinge hung crooked and the door moved gently in the breeze. She slipped inside. Strangely the corridors were wider here. The flagstones larger.

  This was definitely the servants’ area. Corridor after corridor led off with doors on each side. Sharra opened one at random. To her horror she found herself in a small, plain chamber with a bed and a table. Fortunately it was empty. She sank down onto the one chair and tried to force herself to think. This side of the Hold was enormous. She would never find him. The suspicion crossed her mind that Jayne had, for her own reasons, sent her on a fool’s quest.

  Then she heard footsteps outside. She opened the door a crack and saw a figure walking away. It was carrying a tray. She was about to call out when the figure stopped outside a door. The man set the tray on the floor. Then he rolled up his sleeve and checked something on his arm. The lamplight glinted off metal. He had a knife.

  Sharra shrank back into the room. There was a knocking sound from down the corridor.

  ‘Yes?’ came Maven’s voice.

  ‘Your supper, sir.’

  ‘Come in.’

  Sharra threw back the door and pelted down the corridor. She burst into Maven’s room. ‘He’s got a dagger up his sleeve!’ she cried panting hard. ‘I saw it.’

  Maven and the man stared at her. The man was still holding the tray. Maven half rose from his seat by the fire. ‘What are you talking abou–’ he began. The assassin chose this moment to drop the tray. He lunged at Maven, releasing the knife with a quick shake of his arm.

  But Maven was quick too. He grabbed a stick from the fire and brandished the lit end in the assassin’s face. Startled, the man stumbled backwards into Sharra. She flung out her arms to ward him off. The man half twisted as he fell reaching out towards her. Without thinking Sharra kicked out. To her surprise she connected with his leg. It folded beneath him. An expression of total surprise crossed the assassin’s face as he found himself falling backwards. His head hit the edge of the hearth with a sickening thunk. The man gave a half cough, half choke. Spittle dribbled out of his mouth and then he was still. A thin crimson ribbon snaked out
from under his head across the stone floor. Sharra froze. He was looking straight at her, but his eyes were empty.

  ‘Come on!’ Maven tugged her arm. ‘We have to go.’

  ‘I’ve killed him,’ said Sharra in a hollow voice.

  ‘I know,’ responded Maven pulling her out the door. ‘I’ll say thank you later.’

  Chapter Nine

  Maven grabbed a torch from the wall, pulled her from the room and towed her towards an old door at the end of the corridor. He put his boot to the lock and the door swung open in a cloud of cobwebs and dust. He hustled Sharra through and pulled the door closed behind him.

  ‘Always good to know the exits in a strange place.’ Maven held the torch high above his head. It flickered shadows across his worried face. ‘With luck we’ll have a while before they realise what has happened. C’mon. One of the maids told me there was a rat’s nest of passages in these walls. There has to be a way out.’

  He gave her a slight push. Sharra stumbled forward. They moved on in silence for a while. Thoughts poured through her mind, whirling and tumbling and making little sense. Her whole body felt like it belonged to someone else. She couldn’t be here. This couldn’t be happening.

  Something ran over her foot. Sharra leapt backwards and into Maven, who staggered, but managed to keep them both upright.

  ‘What are you doing?’ he demanded.

  ‘Rat.’

  Maven lowered the torch. Ahead of them in the shadows reflected more than one pair of glowing yellow eyes.

  ‘We can’t go down there.’ Sharra shuddered.

  ‘We can’t go back.’ He walked off swinging the torch before him. The rats scattered in the face of the fire. Sharra followed close behind.

  It was cold in the tunnel. The light from the torch pooled closely around them. The rats appeared to have retreated, but every now and then out of the corner of her eye Sharra would catch the glint of eyes in the darkness. Apart from the sound of their footfalls and the occasional fizz of the torch burning webs, it was quiet. Too quiet. The air smelled old, heavy and full of dust.

  ‘There’s no way out, is there? We’re doing to die here and no one will ever know what happened to us.’

  ‘I’m not ready to die yet.’

  Maven began to swing the torch slowly from side to side. As he held it to his left it guttered violently and almost went out.

  ‘Careful!’ said Sharra.

  Maven ignored her and thrust the torch forward. There was a crackle and a hiss as the cobwebs burnt away revealing an opening in the wall.

  Maven stepped through. Following, Sharra found herself in a much smaller turning passageway. It sloped gently upwards. Somewhere ahead of them water dripped. The air smelled fresher.

  A sudden rush of wind and the torch died. Darkness engulfed them. Without thinking Sharra reached out and clutched at Maven’s arm. ‘Wait,’ he commanded. Gradually their eyes adjusted and they could see a silver light streaming through the passage and the faint outline of some steps.

  ‘Now, we should hurry. I didn’t hear anyone behind us, but, once they find him, it won’t take them long to realise we must have used these passages to escape.’

  The steps were wet and slippery. They smelled unpleasantly of old fish. A cool breeze brushed their faces as finally they emerged out under the stars and moons. One moon hanging gibbous and metallic, appearing close enough to touch. To her great relief Sharra saw they were in the middle of nowhere. It was a little hollow. A forgotten stream wound along a pebbly riverbed and idly overflowed down the steps. Ahead lay rolling green land, scattered sparsely by trees.

  Maven took her by the shoulder. It was strange to feel his touch. He turned her round. The tunnel’s exit had opened out at the base of a great hill. Above them Camden Hold towered huge and very close in the darkness. They were on the opposite side of the main entrance.

  ‘We’re safe,’ said Sharra.

  ‘Not yet.’

  Maven hunched over and made his way quickly towards the first patch of forest. Eyes wide, Sharra followed. Maven didn’t stop there, but kept going, zigzagging across the land and making the most of the natural cover. Eventually, when Sharra’s spine felt as if it would never straighten again, he stopped in a close wooded copse. Maven sat down heavily with his back against a tree. Sharra collapsed beside him.

  ‘I can’t go any further.’

  ‘Then this will have to do. They can’t send trackers after us at night. Our only worry is if they use dogs. How badly do they want you?’

  ‘Badly, but Jayne, my sister, who set me free, said they’d want to do it quietly.’

  ‘Your assassins again.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ve never heard of ones that see in the dark.’ He set about making camp. Sharra rose unsteadily to her feet. Maven impatiently motioned to her to sit down. ‘I can manage.’

  Later as she huddled by their tiny fire, Maven put his cloak around her shoulders over her own.

  The woods were full of shadows. Moonlight glittered through the branches and the trees sheltered them from the worst of the wind. The sap in one of the sticks in the fire caught, showering sparks up into the air. In the sudden flare of light Sharra caught sight of Maven’s face frowning, concerned and sad.

  ‘I’m sorry for all this.’

  ‘We need to decide what we’re going to do.’

  ‘You’re going to help me?’

  ‘I appreciate you saved my life, but I suspect my own would not have been in danger if I had not rescued you earlier – and compounded this act by escorting you into your enemy’s stronghold.’

  ‘I said I was sorry. I didn’t think Camden would imprison me.’

  Maven rubbed both his hands over his face. ‘I have a mission.’

  ‘To murder. I know,’ retorted Sharra. ‘As someone who has just done that I tell you it doesn’t make you feel good.’

  Maven’s expression softened slightly. ‘That was an accident. I’ve no doubt he would have turned his knife on you if he had succeeded in killing me. There’s no blame attached to you.’

  Sharra snorted. ‘I imagine his employer might feel differently.’

  ‘Camden?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Have you spent your life tumbling from one disaster to another or is this a new phase?’

  Sharra looked into Maven’s eyes and made a decision. ‘Jayne, my sister, was right. You’re the only one I can trust.’ So she told him her story. All of it, except the Map she had altered in the library. The relief of sharing was immense. Maven listened without interrupting. When she ran out of words he asked, ‘This man at Camden, the one you killed, that wasn’t Dale?’

  Sharra shook her head.

  ‘So there’s more than one assassin involved here and it seems likely this Dale is a Milton man if he’s related to the farmer’s wife. Do you believe what she told you that your mother killed her husband?’

  ‘If it’s true it explains why she hates me so much. I used to think it was because my father loved my mother better. Apparently I look very like her.’

  ‘Jealousy and revenge. That’s a heady mixture.’

  ‘But why now?’ A voice inside her head whispered, you know, it’s because of the Map, but out loud she said, ‘Jayne said Ivory and Camden were furious that my father is returning to Central Archive.’

  ‘I know little of Map Maker politics and care even less.’

  ‘I don’t know much myself,’ admitted Sharra.

  ‘Could your father also want you dead? There’s no point trying to reach him if he does.”

  ‘No.’

  ‘Definitely no?’

  Sharra flushed with embarrassment. ‘I know you’ll find this difficult to believe, but I can sense strong emotions. Not all the time. Not from everyone.’

  ‘But you can from me? You are a witch.’

  ‘No, I’m not. But I can sense them from my father. Sometimes from Ivory. Once from you. I think it works best when I’m with someone I’ve known for a long time, or have s
ome kind of bond or their feelings are very strong.’ She faulted under Maven’s gaze. ‘I knew you wouldn’t believe me.’

  ‘Oh, I believe you all right. Not all the so-called talentless are as talentless as the Holds believe.’

  ‘You?’

  ‘No, but I’ve known others. I’ll thank you to stay out of my head.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I’m serious, Sharra. I need your word.’

  ‘I can’t always help it.’

  ‘Promise me you won’t try at least. You owe me that.’

  ‘I promise.’

  An uncomfortable silence descended. Sharra slumped forward wrapping her arms around her knees.

  ‘What do you think we should do next?’ asked Maven

  ‘I thought you might help me get home – to Milton?’

  ‘Our last trip to a Hold was such a great success!’

  ‘My father would help us.’

  Maven sighed. ‘You want to go back to Milton Hold where Ivory is Senior Dame Mother to escape the assassins you think she hired? Tell me, when you fell off that horse as a child, did you land on your head?’

  Maven piled a few more sticks around the fire. ‘Keen as I am to end our journey together I would find it difficult to hand you over to people I thought might kill you.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘They might kill me too,’ finished Maven.

  They sat watching the fire flickering. ‘Are you really going to hang someone?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Why?’

  Maven stood up quickly taking his cloak with him. ‘I’m tired. I need to rest. If we must talk more it will have to wait until morning.’

  Sharra wrapped her cloak more tightly around her and snuggled down into the Molin branches. Their recently cut stems smelled sweet. It was a scent supposed to lull you to sleep, but Sharra stayed awake for a long time, her mind racing as she listened to the regular breathing of Maven. But try as she might she could find no way out of their troubles and eventually her tired mind wound down into sleep.

  Then came the dream. Sharra ran. Behind footsteps thudded faster and faster. Closer and closer. She tripped and fell. Her assailant bore down upon her. It wasn’t Dale. It was the man she had killed.