[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
..Fool s errand anyway.Why Korr thinks we ll find that fugitive after all these months.They were looking for Gabe.A month ago, I d taken a gamble and given Korr information in order to gain access to his roomsand find the key that we needed to decode my da s old journals.I had told him that I d seen Gabe inthe Frost.That tidbit of knowledge must have been enough to motivate him to keep looking after he dgiven up for months.And now he had his soldiers tramping around, poking through the snow,searching.what if they found footprints? What if they caught a glimpse of me, or one of the others?I needed to warn Ivy, and anyone else who regularly made a trek through the Frost, lest theyaccidentally stumble across the enemy.The soldiers moved on, and this time I let them go.I counted to fifty slowly in my head, and whenall was silent once more, I headed back toward Echlos.~I reached Echlos with the box in tow and descended the staircases to the lowest level where we dmade our home.As the corridors echoed with my footsteps, someone stirred from a shadowy corner.Ipaused, apprehensive, until I recognized the face.It was Jullia, Everiss s sister.Like Ivy, sheoccasionally made the trek out to visit us and bring news and food, but she never came alone.Mysister must be here, too. Lia, she said, relief filling her voice as she realized it was me. I d forgotten the way down.I mglad you showed up. She stepped into the light, and her long gray cloak fluttered like a moth s wing. Where s Ivy?Jullia bit her lip. She had something to do in the forest, she said.She told me to go on alone, andthat she d catch up. I saw Farther soldiers in the Frost not half an hour ago.Did you know they were making daylightexpeditions this far?Jullia s eyes widened. Soldiers? Outside the Cages? Raine has said nothing about it to thetownsfolk.Are they.? She dropped her voice. Are they looking for you?I shook my head.She didn t know much about Gabe, really, and I wasn t going to volunteer thatinformation. They re looking for fugitives.We reached the main rooms.Arla sat cross-legged before a small fire, cooking whatever disgustinggruel we were going to choke down for dinner.Juniper was by the cots, telling stories to entertain thetwo youngest fugitives, a girl and boy who rarely spoke.My heart softened a little as I looked at them,but I didn t stop.I went straight to Jonn s table and set the box on top of our da s miscellaneouspapers that he was forever sifting through, looking for the answers to all his questions. Lia, he said in annoyance. Don t put that here. He tugged one of the sheets of paper out fromunder it. I found it in the ruins of Borde s lab, I said.Jonn paused at the mention of Borde.After a quick glance in my direction to confirm that I wasn tjoking, he set down the paper and turned his full attention to the box. What s inside? Not sure.I couldn t get it open.But whatever it is, it seems to still be in good condition.He fiddled with the latch, but it wouldn t give. Hmmm.Gabe joined us and leaned over the table with interest. What s that? I found it in Borde s old laboratory.We can t seem to get it open. Break it open? he suggested.I shook my head. Not a good idea. What s inside might be fragile, Jonn murmured.He ran his fingers down the sides and over thelid.After a few moments of probing, he sat back and sighed. Whatever it is, someone has taken agreat deal of care to make sure it s protected.Everiss and Jullia joined us, their arms linked.I looked around to see if Ivy had arrived yet, but Ididn t spot her among the cooking fires, or near the cot-tents, or at the little walled-off area of shelveswhere we d gathered all the various old books and papers from the room for the fugitives to amusethemselves with when they became too bored. Where s Ivy? Jonn asked. I don t know, Jullia said, her voice whisper-soft as she detected the note of concern in his voice. She said it was nothing, a side trip.Nothing could mean all sorts of things when it came to Ivy a winterberry bush, a bird with abroken wing, a wounded fawn [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]