Frost Arch (33 page)

“Jack, it’s dangerous in there at night.” I whispered.

The sound of several people arguing and yelling spilled onto the grounds and carried through the air as though they were right on top of us.

“She came out here with the Healer kid!” One shrill woman’s voice sounded from far away, “I saw them run through the kitchen, Master.”

“Are you sure it was her, Master?” Charles’ worried voice piped up.

“Yes, yes! The new maid with the long, black hair. The Fire-Mage!” The Masters’ voice shook with rage.

“Where did they go?” A man’s voice questioned.

I looked at Jack fearfully as we hid behind the stables, on the edge of the forest.

“Why did she do it, Master?” a familiar voice asked.

“Camryn.” Jack whispered, “She’s not in the stables.”

I bit my lip and listened harder to the approaching footsteps crunching through the snow.

“Never you mind, woman.” The Master hissed to Camryn.

“You really should get that seen to, sir. You’re bleeding everywhere!” Charles’ fretted.

“Shut up Charles’ for god’s sake!” the Master snapped, “Now I want everyone to split up and find the little witch, and bring her to me!”

I was shaking from head to foot, my legs like jelly. Jack tugged on my coat and nodded silently in the direction of the woods. It seemed danger lay both ways, but right now I was more eager to go into the forest, than be found by Sebastian Forsythe.

Jack took my cold, sweaty hand in his big, warm one and pulled me into the dense black trees. I felt as though we had vanished instantly. We crept quietly, trying our hardest not to make a noise or break a twig for fear that the echo would lead our hunters to us. The snow crunched lightly under our footsteps as we tiptoed deeper into the woods. I could barely see a foot in front of myself and stumbled a few times, but Jack’s grip kept me from falling to the floor. After about a minute the voices from the grounds faded away, and could barely be heard. Somewhere above a crow cawed from a skeleton tree making me jump a little. Looking up I saw the bird staring down at us. I shivered and clutched my coat tighter to my skin, my pale blue uniform dress flapping around my ankles revealing my snow covered boots.

“Listen.” Jack said stopping and closing his eyes.

I held my breath and stood very still, straining to hear.

Somewhere in the distance I heard Camryn shouting. She sounded very far away.

“I think I see her! Master! She ran east into the woods!”

“Quick men! Into those tree’s!” Sebastian barked.

I saw Jack smile, “She’s leading them away.” He whispered.

I heaved a sigh, “For a moment I thought she might really be looking for us. How does she know which direction we really went in?”

“I think she assumed we’d go west into the woods, because once you make it through to the opposite side you come out in the slums of Frost Arch.”

“The slums?” I whispered as we began creeping through the woods again, zigzagging through the density of trees, my hand still clutched in Jack’s.

“It’s not pleasant there.” Jack admitted in a hushed voice, “It’s full of half humans and beggars, but we can pass through there and should come out at the opposite side of Frost Arch.”

“I’ve never been past the Marketplace.” I admitted.

“It’s okay. I know my way around.”

“Where am I going to go Jack? I can’t leave the city until I find Hawthorne.”

“I’m going to make you safe first, then we will worry about him, ok?”

I mumbled under my breath and continued to follow Jack. Every now and then I would hear a crow caw, as though it were stalking us. It was incredibly eerie and creepy in the forest, but I ignored that as we trundled on.

It felt like we had walked for a good hour, and I was shivering violently, and my entire face was numb. Jack seemed okay. Only when the sound of my chattering teeth met his ears did he realise I was freezing.

“Sorry.” He apologised, wrapping one arm around me, “Not far now.”

“I-I-I-I-I-I’m fine.” I managed to stutter.

“I forgot you weren’t used to the cold.”

“You’re going to get fired. They know you are helping me.”

Jack shrugged, “I’ll find some excuse.”

I fell silent and watched my feet as we walked. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it, but I thought the tree’s were finally beginning to thin out.

“Almost there.” He promised.

I didn’t know about Jack but I was absolutely exhausted after this action packed day.

“Where am I going to go?” I whispered.

“Don’t worry.” Jack insisted, “I have a plan.”

After another couple of minutes the tree’s thinned noticeably and we came to a clearing of mushy, dirty snow as though hundreds of people had trampled over it during the day.

“During the day this space is full of people, selling god knows what.” Jack muttered.

“Like a marketplace?” I asked.

“A Black Market.” He smirked.

I edged around what looked like a blood splatter in the snow.

“Is it dangerous in this part of Frost Arch?” I asked.

Jack shrugged, “We’re safer here than at the manor.”

We walked across the clearing to the opposite side where many tiny, dilapidated, run down, homes sat on top of each other, with sheets and cardboard for doors and windows. I could hear babies crying inside, people arguing, and dogs barking. I cringed into Jack’s side and he held me close as we passed through the poorest part of Frost Arch. The half-humans. Scum in the eyes of Mages, forced to live in poverty or slavery. Many people huddled around a fire which had been lit in the lid of a trash can. They glared at us reproachfully as we walked by. I feared that I might actually get stabbed by a complete stranger for no good reason at all.

“Almost.” Jack whispered reassuringly out of the corner of his mouth.

A man from the fire yelled something at us, but it was incoherent and it only made us walk faster.

“I feel so useless without my Power.” I grumbled, “I wouldn’t be so bloody scared if I had a way to protect myself.”

“I’m here.” Jack frowned.

“Great, what are you going to do? Heal them to death?” I whispered sarcastically.

Jack frowned, “I’m trying to help you.”

“Sorry.” I muttered.

Several minutes passed and we came to a more promising looking place. There were streets and shops which I had never seen before. There were no people around because it was so late, and all the shops were closed, but at the end of the road there was a light shining in a tavern.

“Is that where we are going?” I asked Jack.

“Yes.” I nodded, relinquishing his hold on me, “The Inn is always open, and they have rooms.”

“What if the Master comes looking for me?”

“The owner of the Inn is a very secretive man, so he won’t give you away, don’t worry. His name is Samuel Bludvok.”

“What if they bribe him?” I fretted.

“Trust me, Bludvok is a tough piece of work. He hates the rich gits who pretty much run the city. He’d rather run the Forsythe and Arthfael family through with a blade than take their dirty money.”

“I hope you’re right.”

We approached the Inn at a fast pace, dying to get out of the cold. The flickering light in the window looked very cosy and welcoming. A sign above the door read ‘Bludvok’s’.

When we entered a bell above the door clanged, announcing that we had arrived. Behind a bar was a big, burly man over six and a half feet tall, with enormous arms and a wide chest. He had a mop of thick blonde hair with a receding hairline. His nose was slightly crooked, suggesting it had most likely been broken in a fight before.

Jack led me towards the bar and I looked around the room. To the right there was a mass of bar stools and tables. This area was empty except for a lone man with short, curly hair, drinking a pint with his back to me. To the left was a flight of stairs which presumably led up to a number of rooms where I could stay a couple of nights if needed.

Samuel Bludvok watched us approach, and I was quite intimidated as he towered over us.

“Hello.” Jack said in a rather strong, deep voice. Testosterone, I presumed. “I was wondering if my friend here could book a single room for a couple of nights.”

Samuel Bludvok’s eyes slid from Jack to me as he looked me up and down, “She cannot ask for herself?” He said in a strange accent which I did not recognise.

Jack nudged me.

“Hello.” I said in a very small voice.

Samuel Bludvok cracked a smile showing a large gap in between his font teeth.

“Okay.” He shrugged, and I recognised his accent as German, “The lady may take a room. What about you, boy?”

“No, not for me.” Jack shook his head.

I snapped my attention to him, “You’re not staying with me?” I breathed.

“I can’t.” Jack whispered apologetically, “I have to go back to the manor before they start a man-hunt for me too.”

“You are in trouble?” Samuel Bludvok butt in.

I bit my lip and looked at the large man fearfully. Would he deny me a room because of what he had just heard?

“We’re ok.” Jack sighed turning back to me. He rummaged around in his pockets and handed me a pouch of coins, which rattled merrily.

“Jack, what-?” I began.

“Just take it.” He said closing my hand around it, “I’ll be back to see you tomorrow, okay?”

I looked at the money half heartedly then nodded, “Don’t keep me waiting.” I mumbled.

Jack smiled and kissed my forehead before waving at Samuel Bludvok and dashing from the Inn. I turned to the owner, sighed and noticed moisture in my eyes. I sniffed it back and rummaged through the coin sack.

“How much do I owe you?” I asked Bludvok.

He looked me up and down before sighing, “Just five gold coins for you.” He decided.

I handed over the appropriate amount of money, “I may stay more than one night. I’ll let you know tomorrow.” I mumbled.

“Are you sure you are all right, Miss?” Bludvok said seriously in his thick German accent.

I nodded, my throat tightening as I held back tears. I was such a cry baby lately.

“Do you think you could … pretend you never saw me? Please?” I asked in a weak voice.

It seemed Bludvok had a soft spot for fragile, emotional girls for he nodded silently and seemingly understood that I was indeed in a spot of trouble.

“I shall take you to your room, Miss.” He said, stepping around the bar and flicking through a ring of keys. I heard a bar stool slide across the stone floor behind me so I turned around and found the curly haired man who was drinking a pint, staring at me from his table. He was oddly familiar.

“I know you.” He squinted at me from across the room.

“Excuse me?” I said, rather alarmed. Who could possibly know me here?

“Yeah, yeah. I do know you!” He said getting up from his stool and staggering towards me. He was obviously slightly intoxicated.

“Careful.” Bludvok said to the man, “I don’t want to kick you out, Stone.”

The name rung a bell. A distant memory.

“You don’t remember me?” Stone said, rather disappointed.

“Never was very lucky with the ladies.” Bludvok smirked, though I thought that Stone was a very good looking lad indeed.

“You’re familiar.” I said slowly.

Stone grinned and I suddenly remembered.

“I work at the Gates of Frost Arch.” He said proudly, puffing his chest out.

“You escorted me to the Power Seer.” I recalled.

“See, she does remember me, Sam!” Stone said excitedly to Bludvok.

I forced a small smile and looked to Samuel Bludvok, waiting for him to take me to my room. He noticed my awkwardness and cleared his throat loudly.

“No funny business, yes?” He stared at Stone, “I’ll be right back.”

Toby Stone nodded and gave me an enthusiastic wave as I followed Bludvok up the wooden stairs to the left. Usually when I was in an unfamiliar place such as this I would worry about accidentally burning it down, but today was not such a case. I had no Power therefore I couldn’t ignite anything here. It was depressing. How ironic that I had wished to be rid of my Power, and only now that it was gone did I realise how much I depended on it. Irony, I scowled.

We went up two flights of stairs before we walked along a hall and stopped outside a little wooden door with the number six on it.

“This is your room.” Bludvok told me, “Here is your key.”

He handed me the little brass key which I pocketed.

“Thank you.” I said, “Please, don’t tell anyone I’m here. My friend Jack who was with me, it’s okay to let him up to my room though.”

“Of course, Miss.” Bludvok nodded and gave a little bow. It seemed he could tell something was very wrong, for I was certain he was never this polite with others.

Samuel Bludvok left and I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder before putting my key in the lock and opening the door. It was a small room, but cosy looking. Everything was a lovely rustic wood, and it was very warm inside. I heaved a sigh and placed my rucksack on the bed, before sitting down and placing my face in my hands. I really had made a mess of things.