SLAM.
His back struck the wall. Pain flashed over him, stealing his breath. He hung limp, unable to move, and focused on the fighting below. Amazing that no one had seen or heard him.
"Your Highness?" Elk called from above.
Hands gripped under Achan's arms and pulled. His too-tight boots scraped up the stone wall. His body slipped over the parapet. He lay on his back on the sentry walk, staring at the black sky, sucking in long breaths of icy air.
Elk leaned over him, his wispy beard tickling Achan's chin. "Are you well, Your Highness?"
Achan nodded and rolled onto his hands and knees. He sat back and pulled his hook off the cable, barely able to see where the other end of the rope attached to the parapet atop the Pillar. "That's very high."
Elk laughed. "I cannot believe I did it either. Climb down the rope to-wait. Here comes Kurtz. Help me steady this."
Achan gripped the cable, which was already quite taut. Kurtz hung like a dead man, and for a moment, Achan feared something horrible had happened with the shadow on the roof. The cable sank awfully low with Kurtz's weight. About halfway down, Kurtz kicked a leg out, trying to spin, no doubt.
Sir Gavin Lukos.
Achan opened the connection at once. Where are you?
Almost up the south tower, with Sir Kenton on my heels. Where are you?
Kurtz's weight slowed him to a stop before he hit the wall. Elk reached out to pull him the last few feet.
I'm on the outer sentry wall with Elk and Kurtz.
Praise Arman. You three return to Stormwatch. Get a start on us.
Achan and Elk helped pull Kurtz over the parapet. Not until I see you on this wall.
This is not a negotiation. You might be the prince, but you cannot argue when it comes to your safety. Go. We'll be right behind.
Achan closed his mind and stood. The rope jerked sideways and nearly tripped him.
Elk reached for it. "Help me!"
Achan and Kurtz grabbed the rope and held it steady. Sir Caleb soared backwards, his short, frizzy hair billowing out to reveal a bald spot.
Like Achan, Sir Caleb's remained backwards, though with three sets of hands extended to catch him, he didn't hit hard.
Sir Caleb panted, his face pink. "Achan, down you go. Kurtz, go back to Stormwatch with him and wait for us."
"Is Sir Gavin coming?" Achan asked.
"He said he was almost to the roof and to go."
"You should've waited for him," Achan said. "What if he needed help?"
"He said Sir Kenton and his men were chasing him. My waiting would only have slowed down our escape. Now when he gets to the cable, he simply needs to come."
"Time to go, eh?" Kurtz snaked one arm around Achan's waist and carried him to the outer edge where the rope dangled to the ground. Inko and Verdot stood holding the end.
"Will any of you be coming down finally?" Inko asked.
Achan lowered himself over the edge. He tried to walk down the wall, but his boots had no traction on the icy stone. So he went hand over hand for a moment, then slid the rest of the way, thankful for the leather gloves.
Inko caught him at the bottom and shoved him to the dogsled. Kurtz hit the ground seconds later, then Elk. The two men hurried to the sled. Elk took the reins. "Sit, Your Highness. Kurtz, run with me."
Elk said, "Hike!" He and Kurtz ran and pushed the sled over the snow. The dogs took off.
Achan watched Ice Island as they slid into the darkness, barely able to glimpse the rope stretched between the Pillar and the outer wall before it faded from sight.
They arrived at Stormwatch and waited. Sir Gavin didn't answer Achan's knocks, so he called out to Inko instead.
I'm approaching Stormwatch now.
What about Sir Gavin?
He was hitting his head on the wall, but is breathing.
The second sled arrived. Sir Caleb, face drawn, jumped from the bed and pulled Sir Gavin limply to his feet.
Achan ran forward to help. He positioned himself under Sir Gavin's arm and supported the weight on his right side. "What happened?"
Sir Caleb started toward the horses. "He struck his head on the wall."
Inko untied Sir Gavin's horse. "Be helping us to be boosting Gavin up."
Achan panted under Sir Gavin's weight. The knight could not ride alone. "Inko, take Scout. I'll ride with Sir Gavin."
Achan handed Sir Gavin's arm off to Elk and mounted Sir Gavin's horse. Elk, Sir Caleb, and Verdot lifted Sir Gavin up. Achan grabbed him under the arms and pulled while Elk pushed Sir Gavin's leg over. Achan settled the knight onto the saddle in front of him and held him in his arms.
Sir Gavin? Don't leave us, now.
The men all mounted the horses. Achan itched to ride, to get Sir Gavin to a bed to rest, but Sir Caleb spoke. "Thank you, Verdot, for helping us."
Verdot nodded. "It does not repay my mistakes."
"Your mistakes are in the past."
"I do not deserve such mercy, Caleb."
"Neither did most the men in the Prodotez, eh? But the prince pardoned their crimes, he did," Kurtz said.
"And I pardon you as well," Achan said.
Verdot's face glowed crimson in the wavering torchlight. He bowed to Achan. "Best of blessings, Your Highness."
Achan nodded.
Sir Caleb looked to Elk. "To the Ivory Spit. Do you remember the way?"
"Like I remember my own name," Kurtz said.
Sir Caleb nodded. "We'll split up then. You two take the east gate, Inko and Achan come with me."
"I will be riding with Kurtz," Inko said. "Three and three are being more favored numbers than two and four."
"Fine." Sir Caleb nudged his horse toward the distant lights of Tsaftown. "Stable your horses, then come to the room with a stag on the door. Do not stop in the tavern, Kurtz."
"Wouldn't dream of it, eh?" Kurtz said. "Not without a bath first."
29
The warmth of their room in The Ivory Spit hit Achan like a word from Arman. He and Sir Caleb laid Sir Gavin on the bed by the fireplace. Sir Gavin moaned but did not open his eyes.
Sparrow poked his head in through the adjoining door. "Praise Arman! I feared you were-what has happened?"
"I'm not certain," Sir Caleb said. "He hit his head, I know."
Sparrow's green eyes flitted over Sir Gavin and the boy darted back into his room.
Achan fell to his rear before the fire, pulled off the too-tight boots, and stretched his toes. He held his pink, stinging fingers toward the flames.
Sparrow scampered back into the room with his satchel.
"What do you see?" Sir Caleb said.
"His leg is bleeding," Sparrow said. "Could you go to the tavern and see if they have any clean linen we could purchase?"
Sir Caleb shot back out the door.
Achan examined Sir Gavin's trousers. They were soaked from the snow, like everyone else's. How did Sparrow see-
"Help me get his clothing off," Sparrow said. "I shall need water too. There is a kettle on the hearth in the other room."
Achan jumped up, darted for the door, then jerked back to help Sparrow with Sir Gavin's clothes. Balls of snow and ice clinging to the fur tunic had started to melt, dripping water onto the bedspread. Achan draped the tunic over one of the chairs and came back to Sir Gavin's side. The man was lethargic, eyes partially open, mouth gaping.