Engines of Alchemancy (The Alchemancer Book One)

Chapter 6. Escape

AARON CAME ALERT THE MOMENT the skiff stopped. They were outside Norwynne, run aground in a quagmire made when the floodwaters had surged and then retreated. Just yesterday, the area might have been meadow, pasture, or plowed farmland. Now, Aaron saw a land salted and bracken.

The eslar jumped from the craft without a word. Aaron, moving slower, attempted to stand, but he only set the skiff rocking and nearly lost his balance before Ensel Rhe yanked him out bodily. Mud oozed between his toes as he sank to his knees in the muck. While Master Rhe reached into the boat, Aaron stood in silence, watching him and shivering. Master Rhe hoisted a pack over one shoulder, then he put a foot on the skiff and pushed it away. They both watched it drift away before Master Rhe led the both of them to higher—and drier—ground.

Once out of the mud, Aaron attempted to slough the filth from his legs and feet. It was a futile distraction from the breeze that set his teeth chattering. Soaked through, he knew he'd little hope of getting his clothes dry until the sun came up. Even then it depended on the cloud cover, which as of now had diminished only enough to let the barest of moonlight through. With sunrise hours away still, Aaron was just resigning himself to frigid misery when Master Rhe reached into his pack and tossed him a bundle of clothing. Aaron promptly unraveled a dry tunic and a thin but serviceable cloak. He had his wet tunic exchanged for the dry one and the cloak around his shoulders in moments. He rolled his wet laboratory vest up, mindful of keeping its stoppered vials, all of which appeared intact, safe. He'd put it back on once it dried. Aaron uttered a thank you to the eslar, but Master Rhe paid him no heed as he busied himself carving a shallow depression into the ground with the toe of his boot. He gestured for Aaron to toss his wet tunic in, then he covered it with dirt and leaves. Then he did the unexpected, drawing a knife and pointing its tip at Aaron. Rising alarm vanished as the eslar flipped the blade to present the handle.

"Here," he said. "Take this."

He unfastened the knife's sheath from his belt and, when Aaron did nothing more than stare at the naked blade, plunged the knife into the sheath and again held it out. Aaron still did nothing but stare.

"You'll need a weapon," Master Rhe said, "to protect yourself."

Finally, Aaron took it. He felt like he should draw the blade, to test its balance and examine its workmanship. That was what a soldier or mercenary would do. But he was neither. He inserted the sheath under his belt and, again, murmured a thank you. Then, before his courage failed him, he asked, "Have you any shoes?"

The eslar's gaze went to Aaron's feet, which were pale with cold where muck still clung to them. Ensel Rhe shook his head. "No. You'll have to make do." Then he hoisted his pack to his shoulder and walked away from the floodwaters and Norwynne.

"Wait!"

Master Rhe stopped and turned back to Aaron.

"Where are you going?" Aaron asked.

He jammed a thumb over one shoulder. "This way."

"But what is that way?"

"That is not important right now. We need to get as far from the keep as possible. The dwarves will be looking for us."

"But...we can't just leave! There's folk that need our help."

"There is nothing either of us can do for them. They are on their own, as are we. Now, let's go." Without looking to see if Aaron followed, the eslar set off, disappearing into the dark.

At first, Aaron stayed put. Glancing in the direction of Norwynne, he eyed the skiff, which had gotten caught in the mud and not gone far. He looked past it, into the dark. Somewhere out there were dwarves who, for reasons unknown, wanted to kill him. Going back would be foolish. Suicidal, even. Yet was fleeing any less? Aside from some outlying farms and a smattering of mills, there was nothing around Norwynne for leagues. Unless Master Rhe meant to hole up in one of those, Aaron had no idea where they were going. He could either stay here alone in the dark and find no answers at all, or follow Master Rhe in hopes he would tell him what he knew. He chose the latter. Aaron had many questions, but he also saw the logic in the eslar's words. Get to safety first, then worry about the rest. Except there was one question he wanted answered now.