Fugitive of the Sky

Chapter Twenty-Five: Unwanted Expedition

Fear gave him wings and he caught up to Tampul as he jumped off the roof. He recklessly threw himself down and landed hard, tumbling onto his knees. Tampul barely noticed him, face alight as he loaded his slingshot and disappeared between the houses. Natan tried to get up and groaned. His legs didn't want to bend, still stunned from his impact with the ground. How had Tampul managed to get up and run off?

Come on. Do it. Natan pushed back to a sitting position and levered himself up. His knees screamed. Hopefully they weren't too bruised. He waited a few seconds more and followed Tampul, trying not to limp.

It's no use, his thoughts whispered. Tampul will have found her already, then your fight is up. He'd recognize the slave girl and put two and two together. Who knows what he'd do then? Tampul already had a grudge since he'd killed Notir. In his weakened state he wasn't sure how long he'd last against Tampul in a fight, even if he didn't have a blade. Probably not long enough for everyone else to arrive. Even then, Tampul could blab the truth to everyone and he'd be as good as dead anyway.

It was hopeless.

Getting the girl back had always been a long shot anyway. He'd just have to stiffen his back and prepare for the worst.

But when he found Tampul, the Larkwing girl wasn't there. "I'm sure th' Larkwin' fell here," he growled, scratching his head. "It must still be able t' fly away or somethin'. Search th' ground until th' others get here! I'm goin' t' check if it's flyin'." With a grunt, he climbed back onto a house.

A man leaned out the window as the clay crumbled, terrified and indignant. "Watch where you're goin'!" He shook his fist at Tampul, but made no move to stop him. Turning to Natan, he took one look at his clothes and sneered. "Find th' filthy Larkwin' an' get out of here. This isn't your part of th' city." Pulling himself back in, he slammed the curtain shut.

Natan covertly glanced at all the other houses on the street. Also shut tight. Good. If this was anything like last time, the Larkwing girl would be hiding, not flying. He needed to find her and get her to stay hidden until he could smuggle her back. More lies and dangerous acting. If only Maru hadn't driven her to escape. He was sick and tired of covering up other people's problems. Deceiving Trot Lithah had been enough stress for a lifetime. And, of course, Firot had partially seen through it, which had led to this whole mess in the first place.

He softly stepped up the street, peering in the shadows between houses. They were much more haphazardly built here and sagged in all directions, cracks patched with drying clay, leaving all sorts of nooks and crannies for a small girl to hide. Natan growled. If they were going to pile clay up without firing it and let their houses lean and crumble, they could have at least planned to build their houses together. One solid row would be much faster to search than this stinking half-formed warren. It'd keep them warmer in winter too.

The sound of shouts and running feet approached. Oh no, the mob was catching up. Natan left the empty street and tried the alley next to it. Unscrupulous households apparently used it as a sewer and Natan put his sleeve over his nose. No wonder the other street had smelled. He searched it as quickly as he dared, avoiding the flies on the soggy feces and backing out. Disgusting. He wiped his boots at the entrance.

There were definitely people in the area now, shouting directions and searching the streets. A couple more inhabitants yelled insults and slammed their doors. He was running out of time. If the Larkwing girl was hiding here, she'd be found out sooner or later. With all the ruckus half the fighting men of the city were up in arms looking for her.

Someone he didn't recognize hailed him from the next street. "Anythin' in there?"

"No," he called back.