Two horses were already out of their stalls and saddled, their reins wrapped loosely round a post. Gailus freed the nearer set and passed it to Alvantes, who led his new mount out into the courtyard. The second Gailus handed to me.
Did that mean I'd been included in Alvantes's escape plan? That however he'd secured his freedom, he'd intended to take me along with him? If so, I wasn't about to get sentimental. It wasn't as if I'd needed any help. Well, not except for the locked door, anyway… and maybe the guard… and…
My steed was good enough to divert me with a shrill snort. He was eyeing me nervously. No doubt it was a novel and unwelcome experience to be dragged from his stall in the middle of the night. I stroked his nose and whispered a few soothing words in his ear while I led him outside.
Alvantes swung into the saddle and I did likewise. My horse took a couple of quick sidesteps and then settled.
'Thank you, Gailus,' Alvantes said. 'Take care.'
The senator smiled, an expression more sinister than mirthful in the lamplight. 'I'm a politician. I'm always careful.'
We set out at a trot, heading back towards the gatehouse. I tried to assure myself that being on horseback made my disguise more convincing. Perhaps it did — but only fractionally. I was still wearing an ill-fitting uniform, I doubted my riding style would have passed muster, and speaking more than a couple of words would reveal my Castovalian accent. All told, if the urge to panic had retreated for the moment, it hadn't gone far.
Trying to distract myself, I hissed at Alvantes the most pressing of the many questions I had. 'I take it you had nothing to do with the dead guard then?'
Alvantes started. 'What? Where?'
'At the bottom of the staircase.' My brain filled in another gap in the events of the last few minutes. 'If you'd turned right instead of going straight on, you might have tripped over him.'
'That spells trouble.'
'A dead body spells trouble? With those deductive skills, I can see how you flew up the ranks to guardcaptain.'
Alvantes dropped his voice to a tremor. 'Quiet. Slow down.'
He reined his mount to a steady walk. I followed suit, though the reduced speed only heightened my unease. The darkness in the mouth of the gatehouse was all-consuming. As we broke the threshold, my breath snagged. Thanks to the decline, all I could see amidst the thick gloom was a half circle of dim light far ahead — as though I were staring out the throat of some great monster.
'Late business?' The words came from nowhere and hung like phantoms. I couldn't say for sure if they were meant as challenge or polite inquiry. To me they seemed an accusation coughed up by the dark itself.
Fortunately, Alvantes's nerve was stronger than mine. 'So it appears,' he said. 'And us supposed to be on day watch.'
To stay in character, I yawned exaggeratedly. That, at least, I could do without giving away my accent.
'Could be a worse night for it,' pointed out the disembodied voice.
'There's that,' Alvantes agreed.
When no further inanities materialised from the gloom, I heard Alvantes urge his horse to a walk. Once more, I followed his lead.
Seconds later, we were in the open air once more.
Here were the gardens, clambering in elegant tiers to either side of the wide concourse, split in turn by islands of tilting palms and ornate fountains that still chuckled to themselves despite the hour. If anything, the countless stepped beds of flowerbeds smelled more fragrantly than they had in the day. The way the night muted their colours into endless shades of blue gave them a simple elegance they'd lacked in sunlight.
Less pleasant were the silhouettes of guards patrolling the parapets. Of course, it made sense that the defences would grow more vigorous as we neared the exit. On the other hand, it made equal sense that the further we got, the more likely anyone seeing us would assume we were meant to be there.
'Keep slow,' hissed Alvantes.
This time, I didn't need to be told. A little of my courage had come back. We'd gotten farther than I'd have imagined possible. If I could keep my head, I might have a chance — well, to keep my head, for a while longer anyway.
It didn't take us long to reach the second gatehouse. My eyes had grown better adjusted by then. I could just make out the dim forms of two guards waiting within the entrance. One greeted us with a disinterested 'Evening,' which Alvantes returned in the same tone.
Two more guards waited at the far end. They acknowledged us with a nod.
We were through.
The final courtyard was, if possible, even bigger than those we'd already passed through. Various buildings clustered round its edges, and a few even had plots of cultivated ground attached, as though someone had caught up a village and scattered it like dice against the walls. I guessed these must be homes of craftsmen and farmers whose goods were in constant demand at the palace.
The guards upon the walls were even more numerous than those above the gardens. Yet they barely deigned to notice us. I felt almost courageous. I'd been right. The fact that we'd made it this far and were heading out rather than in was enough to shield us from suspicion. One more courtyard, one more gate, and we were free.
'Keep steady,' muttered Alvantes. 'Follow my lead.'
'I get it.'
'But if I say go…'
'I get it.'
Growing more and more accustomed to our assumed identities, we walked our horses across the vast expanse of paved ground as though it were natural as breathing for us to be there. Only as we drew near the last gatehouse did my nerves begin to trouble me again. For unlike the previous sets of gates, these were closed. There was no way we were getting past without a confrontation.
This time, Alvantes initiated it. With impressive feigned confidence, he called, 'Gates open, ho.'
There was a small room built into the walls next to the gate. It had its own door, and even a narrow window. A tall guard stepped out and asked, 'Late errand?'
'For the stablemaster. Says if he doesn't get some liniment for his back he'll have to close up and take the whole day off. Where we'll find it at this hour is anyone's guess.'
'Sounds about right for old Pieto.' The guard motioned through the small window. An instant later, a hidden mechanism began to rattle and grind. The gates parted, and split by slow degrees. A sliver of city grew in their absence.
Strange to think I'd been awed by the wonders of the palace only a few hours ago. Now, that growing shard of nocturnal street seemed a thousand times more beautiful. Watching it, my heart swelled with joy.
'You two new here then?'
Exuberance turned leaden in my chest.
'He is,' said Alvantes. 'I just don't have a memorable face.'
It sounded convincing. But I couldn't see the guard's expression. He still had his hand raised. He could halt the opening gates at any moment.
'What did you say your names were again?'
'Go!' cried Alvantes. At the same time, he spurred his mount forward.
I didn't need to be told twice.
Alvantes made it through the opening with the barest clearance. The noise of the gate mechanism had changed, assumed a deeper, more grinding pitch. Even as my horse surged forward, I realised with horror that the gap was no longer widening. In fact, it was contracting.
Time warped. Somehow, the gates were closing with unfeasible speed, whereas my horse was plunging through treacle. I tried to scream something motivating, but no sound came. I could feel the animal wanting to shy, lest he dash his brains out on the reinforced wood. I lashed his side with my heels. He gained speed — but we were still too slow. Alvantes, ahead, seemed an impossible distance away. The street might have belonged to another world.
My mount's head entered the waning breach. Forced to commit, he surged again. A flash of fire washed my
