“Or you could join a troupe of travelling players,” suggested Alistair. “That’s always been my dream.”
“I’ll think about it,” said Kaetha with a smile.
“In any case, there’s enough money to keep you going for a long while,” said Gwyn. “Just keep it safe.”
“I wish I could see you to the ship,” said Aedan.
“I will,” said Mairi.
Donnan stepped forward. “And me.”
“I could go with you too.” After catching Kaetha’s eye, Gwyn’s gaze fell to the floor. “If you like,” she added. “Make sure you get there safely.”
“Too many might draw attention though,” said Aedan.
“And I’ll have Tam,” said Kaetha. “He can be hidden at the same time as watching out for us.”
Gwyn nodded. “Of course.”
Kaetha hugged everyone, trying not to cry as she said her farewells. Upon reaching the door that led to the alleyway, she unconsciously touched her sleeve, beneath which sat the stones, secure in their copper bands.
“Ready?” said Donnan.
“Aye.”
She, Mairi, Donnan and Tam left The Star, winding through the dark streets, down to Orach Bay.
“Look,” whispered Tam.
The glimmer of a lantern came nearer.
“What if he’s a Bluecap?” said Mairi.
“Shh. Tam, you should hide.” Kaetha knew it was too late for the rest of them to hide from the man who approached, so she tried to sound confident, as if it was perfectly normal for them to be on the docks at that hour. “Good evening,” she said.
The man grunted. “What you doing here?”
“My master has a shipment of goods waiting to leave the country. He sent us to make sure no one steals from it,” said Kaetha.
“Oh, aye? Which ship?”
“The Tide Turner,” she said. It was, in fact, the only ship in port which she knew the name of.
“What’s the shipment?”
Kaetha hesistated.
“Chickens,” said Donnan.
“Gwyn Trylenn sent you?” said the man.
“Aye.” Kaetha felt a wave of relief. “You’re Abel Mercier?”
“You’re lucky I am. Bloody chickens?” he exclaimed. “If I’d have been a Bluecap you wouldn’t have got far with bloody chickens. You were better off letting the lass do the talking, lad.”
“Sorry,” said Donnan.
Abel grunted again. “Come on then. Follow me.” He took them to where his ship was moored. It was too dark to see it, but Kaetha heard it creaking gently, water lapping at its sides. “You must stay below deck until I fetch you. Crew are at the inn tonight, along with a couple of other passengers but people will be about before dawn. You need to stay hidden.”
“We will,” said Donnan.
Kaetha turned to him. “We?”
“Here’s enough money for me too,” he said, handing Abel a purse which, by the sound of it, was fat with coins.
“Only expected to have one to smuggle out,” said Abel.
“One more won’t make much difference,” said Donnan.
“Where did you get the money?” Kaetha asked.
“Alistair. You didn’t think I was going to let you go off to Angaul on your own, did you?”
“But Donnan, you can’t come, it might be dangerous,” she said. “Mairi, tell him.”
“I think,” said Mairi, “that this plan is better. I know you have Tam but I’d much rather that Donnan was with you too.”
“Come here a moment,” said Kaetha and she pulled Donnan out of earshot of the others. “Donnan, I need to go alone. You see, I’m not just escaping. I’ve thought about it. I’ve decided I’m not going off to an easier life. I’m going to find Rhona. I’m going to use what power I have to serve and support her. Svelrik cannot continue to rule.” Unconsciously she made her hands into fists. “I want to persuade her to come and take back her throne. With my magic, I might be able to help her. Only with her ready to take the throne can we defeat him, get the Water stone, end his power and put the right power in place.”
“You said ‘we’.” From his tone of voice, she could tell that he was smiling.
“I meant—”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” he said. “Or we’ll do the best we can at any rate.”
“But I don’t want to put you in danger.”
“You need to stop feeling responsible for me. It’s my choice. We’re doing this together.”
“I don’t know what it would take to scare you off.”
“To be honest, I think you’re scarier than the prospect of a battle for the throne.”
She laughed. “Come on then. We shouldn’t linger.”
When they returned to the others, Kaetha hugged Mairi again. “Tam will walk you back,” she said, raising her voice a little to make sure that Tam heard her, wherever he was. She knew that he would have no difficulty in finding his way back to the ship and hiding himself somewhere on board. “Goodbye, Mairi.”
“A fair wind to your sails.” Mairi held Kaetha’s face and kissed her forehead. “I’ll miss you.”
“And I you.”
“Look after each other,” Mairi said as she hugged Donnan.
Abel looked up suddenly.
“Is someone there?” asked Kaetha.
Abel held up a finger and was silent for several moments. “We’re fine,” he said, eventually, though Kaetha thought that she saw a movement in the shadows too. “Hurry now, this way.” He led Kaetha and Donnan to the ship. “Watch your step.”
They followed the bobbing light of his lantern across the deck, through a door and down a flight of steps into the hold. They negotiated their way between barrels and crates, breathing in the musty fragrances of hides and fleeces.
“Here.” Abel held his lantern before a narrow gap between high stacked crates. “Squeeze through there and don’t come out until I tell you to.”
When they were both in the dark hiding place, they listened to the sound of his footsteps as
