Read Online Fire and Thorns 00.7: King's Guard by Rae Carson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rae Carson
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obsessive cataloguing of the tower,” Fernando grumbles.
I nod. “We can’t give Lord Solvaño the opportunity to smuggle her away.”
“This might require force,” Lucio says, in his most menacing voice. I’m glad he’s on our side.
“Or bribes,” Miria says. “It’s easier to bribe a fearful servant than a happy one. I think I know where to start.”
“We’ll be ready for both, if needed.”
“Will we just walk out the front door with her?” Fernando asks. “If Solvaño has her locked up, he has a reason. He’ll use his guards to stop us.”
“We’re going to need a lot of bribes,” Lucio says.
“When we get her out of the tower, we’ll sneak her along the ramparts to the wall on the harbor side. That’s only a fifteen-foot drop.”
“You can’t drop her that far!” Miria says.
“We’ll lower her with a rope. We’ll have the horses there, with an extra mount for her, and then we’ll ride out of the city and back to Brisadulce. We’ll be there before Lord Solvaño knows we’re gone.”
Everyone thinks about this for a minute.
“I don’t have any better ideas,” Fernando says.
“It could work,” Lucio says.
“It could work if we had enough money on hand to bribe servants and guards, buy rope and other supplies, and purchase a horse,” Miria says. “That will cost us a small fortune that we don’t have.”
I think of the plaque Aracely gave me, the one that would give me a chance to start over again if I don’t make the Guard.
“I have a small fortune,” I say.
Three sets of eyebrows raise, but no one doubts me.
Buying things with jewels instead of coin is problematic; everyone thinks you’re a criminal, and everyone overcharges. Nevertheless, by sunset we have everything set. Fernando and Lucio wait below the wall with five horses and supplies. I wait in my room, a coiled rope inside my shirt, a loose cloak over my shoulders. I trace the letters of my now-ruined plaque. Harsh winds, rough seas, still hearts.
Miria arrives with a nervous serving girl, the awkward spy who waited on us the first day. We have paid her enough money that she can leave the city and find work elsewhere. Miria has promised her an interview at the royal palace if our plan succeeds.
“Thank you for helping us,” I say.
“She was always nice to me. It’s not right, what he did” is her answer.
“What did he do?” I ask.
“You’ll see soon enough, if you’re successful.” She turns away. “If you’re not, it’s my life if I tell.”
Though I press her, she will not say more.
With the servant girl in the lead, we hurry through the halls and into the tower. Our bribes have made the place eerily silent. There is only the crackling of our torches, the wind whistling against cracked mortar, and the surf pounding relentlessly below. Still, I listen hard for footsteps or the creak of armor. We could not possibly bribe the entire household, and those we did bribe can’t risk being absent from their posts for long.
We wind up the tower stairs and into a storage room. I remember sketching this one. During the day, light filters in as sickly green, for the glass of the window is fogged over with brine and gull droppings.
The servant girl pushes aside an empty crate, revealing a door. No, it’s more like a hatch, which we will have to stoop to pass.
“Wait until I leave before you use it,” she says. “I mean to be far away.”
“Of course,” I say. “And thank you.”
She turns to go, but Miria grabs her arm. “Wait. Who among Solvaño’s staff knows about this place and who is kept here?”
“I don’t know. Not many.” The girl tries to jerk her arm away.
“Give me your best guess,” Miria orders.
“The guard captain, me, the kitchen master. Only those of us who keep watch or prepare and bring food. And none of us are allowed to go inside. My orders were to open the door, slide the food tray inside, and close it right away. Now please let me go.”
“How
I nod. “We can’t give Lord Solvaño the opportunity to smuggle her away.”
“This might require force,” Lucio says, in his most menacing voice. I’m glad he’s on our side.
“Or bribes,” Miria says. “It’s easier to bribe a fearful servant than a happy one. I think I know where to start.”
“We’ll be ready for both, if needed.”
“Will we just walk out the front door with her?” Fernando asks. “If Solvaño has her locked up, he has a reason. He’ll use his guards to stop us.”
“We’re going to need a lot of bribes,” Lucio says.
“When we get her out of the tower, we’ll sneak her along the ramparts to the wall on the harbor side. That’s only a fifteen-foot drop.”
“You can’t drop her that far!” Miria says.
“We’ll lower her with a rope. We’ll have the horses there, with an extra mount for her, and then we’ll ride out of the city and back to Brisadulce. We’ll be there before Lord Solvaño knows we’re gone.”
Everyone thinks about this for a minute.
“I don’t have any better ideas,” Fernando says.
“It could work,” Lucio says.
“It could work if we had enough money on hand to bribe servants and guards, buy rope and other supplies, and purchase a horse,” Miria says. “That will cost us a small fortune that we don’t have.”
I think of the plaque Aracely gave me, the one that would give me a chance to start over again if I don’t make the Guard.
“I have a small fortune,” I say.
Three sets of eyebrows raise, but no one doubts me.
Buying things with jewels instead of coin is problematic; everyone thinks you’re a criminal, and everyone overcharges. Nevertheless, by sunset we have everything set. Fernando and Lucio wait below the wall with five horses and supplies. I wait in my room, a coiled rope inside my shirt, a loose cloak over my shoulders. I trace the letters of my now-ruined plaque. Harsh winds, rough seas, still hearts.
Miria arrives with a nervous serving girl, the awkward spy who waited on us the first day. We have paid her enough money that she can leave the city and find work elsewhere. Miria has promised her an interview at the royal palace if our plan succeeds.
“Thank you for helping us,” I say.
“She was always nice to me. It’s not right, what he did” is her answer.
“What did he do?” I ask.
“You’ll see soon enough, if you’re successful.” She turns away. “If you’re not, it’s my life if I tell.”
Though I press her, she will not say more.
With the servant girl in the lead, we hurry through the halls and into the tower. Our bribes have made the place eerily silent. There is only the crackling of our torches, the wind whistling against cracked mortar, and the surf pounding relentlessly below. Still, I listen hard for footsteps or the creak of armor. We could not possibly bribe the entire household, and those we did bribe can’t risk being absent from their posts for long.
We wind up the tower stairs and into a storage room. I remember sketching this one. During the day, light filters in as sickly green, for the glass of the window is fogged over with brine and gull droppings.
The servant girl pushes aside an empty crate, revealing a door. No, it’s more like a hatch, which we will have to stoop to pass.
“Wait until I leave before you use it,” she says. “I mean to be far away.”
“Of course,” I say. “And thank you.”
She turns to go, but Miria grabs her arm. “Wait. Who among Solvaño’s staff knows about this place and who is kept here?”
“I don’t know. Not many.” The girl tries to jerk her arm away.
“Give me your best guess,” Miria orders.
“The guard captain, me, the kitchen master. Only those of us who keep watch or prepare and bring food. And none of us are allowed to go inside. My orders were to open the door, slide the food tray inside, and close it right away. Now please let me go.”
“How
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