Page 13 of Forged in Fading

Ylva’s green eyes narrowed. “I suppose that does sound like Noma. Poor woman, forced to spend what little time she has left in this terrible place. I have no doubt she is ready to leave this world and join her daughter.” She sniffled. “Noma always took care of each of us like one of her own and made our lives somewhat bearable. If she chose to help you, I will too. What do you need?”

Armed with a new set of servant’s clothes beneath a pile of rags in the bucket that held more uses than Alvara had ever imagined, she followed Aurilena down the stairwell to the dungeon. The female’s Valonian magic must’ve only affected her appearance and not her voice, because she hadn’t spoken since they entered. Alvara kept her head down and face obscured as they descended into the dank depths of the palace and bowed to the guard at the bottom, who eyed Aurilena with suspicion.

“Aren’t you on patrol outside? What in Elamara’s name are you doing down here?”

Alvara peered around Aurilena’s illusioned bulky frame. “The king requested I tend to the elf’s wounds to see if a healer is needed. He wants to continue to use him against the Himren female. Sir,” she added hastily.

The guard’s palm landed a hot, stinging blow to her cheek. “Don’t speak unless spoken to, human filth. Get on with it.”

Alvara rubbed her face and narrowly avoided another slap from the male standing watch outside Pyry’s cell. The elves here were certainly not improving her opinion of Ela.

Aurilena shoved her into the cell, a little more roughly than strictly necessary, and closed the door behind them. Alvara may have placed too much trust in two elves she had just met, but the mere mention of her sister’s name had erased any doubts, and she had no other choice if she wanted to help Pyry.

Noma clasped her chained hands over her mouth. “What you doing here?”

“Getting Pyry out.” He remained unmoving, slumped against the wall. Alvara pulled his tattered shirt over his head and replaced it with the brown tunic she had brought with her, though she paused before removing his trousers. Pyry’s proper soul would fade from pure humiliation.

“Why you waiting?” Noma said and snatched them from her hands. While the woman switched out his pants, Alvara pulled the small bottle Ylva had given her from her apron pocket and poured the liquor over his fresh clothes. She would give anything for a swig right now.

He didn’t exactly look like a battered human, his elven beauty made that impossible, but it was better than nothing. She mussed his hair, pulling the golden locks over his face and ears in an unkempt mess he would have despised.

He left you alone with your grief and didn’t look back. No, she would still hate herself for what she was about to do. Alvara slapped Pyry as hard as she could and winced at the tingling in her hand.

He flinched awake. “What in the…?” he mumbled, and Alvara’s eyes misted at the sound of his infuriating voice.

She lifted the liquid to his lips. “Drink this. We’re escaping.” The pain must have truly been abhorrent, because he drained it in seconds, the most she had ever seen him drink.

It was time.

Alvara turned to Noma. “We need—” Her throat tightened. “We need you to follow us out of the cell and distract them long enough for us to make it to the stairwell. I know I’m asking everything⁠—”

Noma lifted a hand. “I understand. Live well.”

Alvara hooked Pyry’s arm around her shoulders and looked to Aurilena, who nodded. One glance down at Alvara’s body confirmed that the illusion had worked, and she and Pyry would remain invisible as long as Aurilena’s magic held.

Aurilena rapped a knuckle on the door, and they waited in deafening silence for the sound of footsteps. When the guard answered a few moments later, Alvara dragged Pyry with her out of the cell unnoticed, while Aurilena and Noma followed close behind. Alvara allowed herself one glimpse back at the human who had saved their lives, and Noma grinned back with more life than she had witnessed so far in any of the servants in the palace.

Without warning, the woman jammed her knee in the nearest guard’s groin, and his grunt of pain sparked chaos in the dungeon hall.

That was one way to do it.

The diversion was just what they needed. Aurilena wrapped her arm around Pyry’s invisible waist and helped Alvara tow him as quickly as they could toward the stairs. Alvara’s muscles screamed with each step, but she didn’t allow it to slow her down until they reached the top landing.

Aurilena removed her arm from Pyry’s side along with her illusions, and they all slowed to a stroll. Alvara forced neutrality into her face as she walked and Pyry stumbled, weighing heavier with each passing second. This wasn’t the time to give in to the fear that waited on her shoulder, fangs out and ready to sip from what little courage she had left.

“Found him passed out. Drinking again,” she said to a guard as they passed, who wrinkled his nose and waved her on. Apparently Ylva had spoken the truth when she said liquor was one of the only ways the servants could forget the misery of this place, even for a short time.

Shouts rang out from the dungeon below, and they hurried toward the servants’ entrance as fast as they dared. No time to stop now. The guards’ bellows only grew louder. Alvara looked to Aurilena for help, whose lips set into a firm line.

“I’ll illusion all of us. Then we run.” Aurilena shouldered Pyry’s other side, and all three of them disappeared from view as they bolted toward their only exit. Alvara couldn’t hear anything above her heartbeat pounding in her ears. They pushed through bewildered servants and finally tore the door open to the world outside.

Alvara fought back tears as the morning sunlight caressed her skin. Vitharen must have truly been on their side considering how quickly they had made it out of that awful place.

Aurilena’s illusions disappeared, while Kat created a hasty stone and earth barricade in front of the door with her Nyrian magic to slow any pursuit by the guards. Then she thankfully took on the task of helping Pyry walk, giving Alvara’s exhausted muscles a much-needed reprieve.

“He needs a healer before we can travel,” Alvara said. He wouldn’t last an hour in the saddle in his condition, let alone make it home.

“I know where we can go!” The loud volume of Kat’s bright voice almost startled Alvara out of her wits.