Annifer

Chapter 10: Lost

I ran down the road as far as the white house and turned right like Poppy had said.

Healing the rabbit had left me drained, dizzy and nauseous. I was trying not to think how much worse I'd feel if I'd just healed a very ill human being. Soon out of breath, I slowed to a fast walk. I took the prayers out of my pocket and tried to memorize them as I walked, repeating the strange words over and over, hoping they'd stick in my brain.

I'd been walking for quite a while. Where's the Three Pigs Tavern? It must be up here somewhere, I should have seen it by now.

I pirouetted on the spot, taking in my surroundings. Nothing looked familiar. The street was potted and full of holes. The houses on either side that leaned in towards each other were taller and more dilapidated. Tiles were missing from the roofs, windows were broken. It didn't make sense. I'd turned right at the white house, like I was supposed to . . .

Oh God! I was supposed to turn right on the way out but on the way back I should have reversed it and gone left.

I quickly changed direction and made to hurry back the way I'd come. It was then that I saw him. He lurked in the shadows of a doorway — tall and thickset with long matted hair and black eyes under bushy eyebrows. A livid scar ran across one cheek from the bridge of his nose to his ear. On the other cheek I could just make out a tattoo of a spider. Lip curling in a sneer, he eyed my basket greedily. Slowly he reached into his belt. I saw the glint of a metal blade. Terror shot through me and I ran.

Heart hammering in my chest, legs pounding the cobbles for all they were worth, I ran. Heavy footsteps behind me, getting closer. I swung right into a small dark alleyway. This part of Merlax was like a maze, narrow streets tunnelled off in all directions. I kept running and running, turning and turning, the basket clutched to my chest. I ran until I was gasping for breath, my muscles shaking, down one unfamiliar street after another. I ran until I couldn't run anymore. Chest heaving, heart in my mouth, I collapsed against a wall. I held my breath and listened. The footsteps were gone. Thank God! I'd lost him. I dropped the basket beside me and sank to the ground.

Yes, I'd lost him but now I was also completely lost — somewhere in the shady district of Merlax where the streets smelt of rotten fruit and the buildings were so tall I couldn't see any landmarks. There was no one about to ask and after my last encounter, I was too scared to knock at one of the doors and ask for directions. I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my temples. Panting, I breathed in the fetid air and tried to focus.

Something touched my leg. I jumped out of my skin. A small furry head was rubbing against my shin and I could hear purring.

"Sasha!" I had never been happier to see those green eyes, that little black face. I scooped her up and held her tightly. She purred louder and pressed her head against my chin. "I'm lost, Sash!" I whispered in her ear. "You know the way back to the castle, I'll follow you." I set her down on the cobbled street.

Somehow understanding me, she trotted off, her tail high in the air and turned into one of the alleyways. I followed her as she turned left, then right, then right again. At the end of one of the alleyways was a wall, about as high as my chest. My cat jumped onto it and looked back at me, enquiringly. I sighed and set the basket on top of the wall while I hitched up my skirt and clambered inelegantly over it. "This is easier for you than me, cat." When I jumped down on the other side I saw we'd made it as far as the marketplace. What a relief!

"Thank you, Sash, You saved me!" I stroked her soft head. "I know the way from here."

When I got to the castle gates there were even more guards than before but in my cloak with my basket, I slipped through unsuspected. If I washed and dressed quickly, I'd get to dinner late but not so late it would raise eyebrows. The east door was always open during the day in summer and the staircase to my tower was just inside it to the right. I walked through the door and instantly backed straight out again.

The red-haired guard from my dancing lessons was standing, blocking the entrance to my tower. He'd obviously not been given the afternoon off after all. Oh God! What to do now? If I kept my hood up indoors and pretended to be Poppy, he'd be suspicious. If I put it down he'd recognize me. I looked at the ground, thinking fast.

My eyes wandered to one of the rose beds and all at once an idea came. I bent down and picked up a stone about the size of a hen's egg. On the wall of the corridor  opposite my tower, a window looked out onto the central courtyard. After all those Wednesday mornings practising archery with Kris, I was a good shot. I pulled back my elbow, took aim and threw. There was a loud crash and the sound of broken glass. Just as I'd planned, the guard ran over to the window to see what had happened. While he was gone from his post, I slipped inside, turned into the tower and sprinted up the stairs. At the top, I rapped on the door.

"Open up, Poppy! It's me!" I whispered. I heard her unbolt the door from the inside and when she swung it open, I clapped my hand to my mouth so the guard wouldn't hear me snort with laughter. She was wearing that dreadful pink dress with the bows and what looked like the entire contents of my jewellery box: three tiaras, at least a dozen necklaces, rings on each finger and so many bracelets, I was surprised she'd managed to lift her arm to open the door. I suppose I should have been annoyed but in truth, the dress looked much better on her than it did on me and after all I was wearing her clothes.

"No time for that Poppy. I'm late for dinner."

"What happened, Annie?" she asked as she unclasped the necklaces and wrestled her way out of the pink dress. "Is the herb lady going to come here? Is she going to save Kris?"

"No, she isn't but we have a plan so you don't need to worry anymore. Now get your clothes on quickly and get downstairs before Cook sends out a search party."

I took the phial, chalk and prayers out of the cloak pocket and hid them safely under my pillow. I washed quickly and threw on the first dress that came to hand, a yellow lacy one. My bun had fallen out long ago. I tried to brush my hair but it was such a tangled mess, I gave up and tied it back into a bun, hoping no one would notice. After all that running, my feet were sore and swollen. I took one look at the shoes that matched my dress, yellow and pointy-toed with silver buckles and a small heel, and decided against them. I pulled the scuffed green ones back on again.

Sorry, Poppy!

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