The Memory of Darkness (on hold until October)

16 - Boundaries

Arianna sat on the edge of the bed, gripping the blanket either side of her, eyes fixed on the window. The white disc of the moon seemed to mock her. Why are you just sitting there? Do something. Run! You saw him; he's damaged, possibly weakened. He said that he'd recover. Don't give him time for that. Go now!

She rose to her feet, before looking down at her ruined nightdress. This was no time for vanity, besides, there was nothing to change into. Her boots were still on her feet, and they at least seemed to have escaped the worst of her bloodshed.

How much blood did I lose? No forget about that. You're alive. However he did it, you're alive. And it's time to leave.

She picked up the cloak from the floor, fastening it across her shoulders. It would provide warmth and camouflage, assuming she was able to leave the building at all. No, this was no time for negative thoughts. She was rather skilled at leaving buildings, why should this one be any different?

Probably because it was the dwelling of a Necromancer of uncertain mortality. Her instincts suggested that he would have more than a few bolts and latches. What about lackeys or minions? Sword wielding skeletons in ragged clothing, just like in that ridiculous book?

"Let's hope not," she whispered, not fancying her chances against such creatures without the use of her powers. Summoning every ounce of her courage, she tried the door, her heart sinking when it refused to budge.

"Window it is, then," she sighed. Only the lower panel of the window could open, and looked just wide enough for her to fit through. She leaned out, looking down at a drop of around fifteen feet down to a stone terrace. Steps led down from the terrace to a garden, the sight of which made her gasp. It was full of flowers in bloom. Each of the flowers gave off a subtle glow, the effect beautiful but unnerving. "That explains the rose he gave me," she whispered.

Beyond the castle, a moonlit expanse of forest stretched for a distance that she couldn't guess. Wherever she was appeared to be in the foothills of a mountain range, the mountains themselves loomed in the distance ahead of her, the moon seeming to rest between two of the peaks.

"This isn't Kyrvell," she said, softly. "I know that much."

There didn't appear to be a way of holding onto the wall on the way down, so she would have to improvise. Stripping the bed of its sheets and blankets, she tied them together to form a rope of sorts, securing one end to a bedpost. The bed itself was large and heavy, refusing to budge when she tried pushing it. Hopefully, it and her knots would hold for long enough to reach the ground safely.

She threw the bedding rope out of the window. It stopped a few feet from the terrace, but that was more than enough. Climbing out, she used the rope to descend to the ground, trembling with relief as her feet touched the smooth stone.

Good. Now what?

Arianna ran down the steps into the garden, ducking behind a low wall to be out of view of the castle. Risking a look around, she noticed that there were doors leading back into the castle. These were obviously not an option. At the far end of the garden a small gate was built into the high wall, partially concealed by ivy. She didn't know where it led, but it had to be worth a try.

The garden was threaded with gravel pathways, but for the sake of stealth she avoided these, staying on the grass or flower beds, if necessary. She pushed back a veil of greenery from the gate, and tried the handle, finding it locked.

She pushed against the gate in frustration, before leaning against it, contemplating defeat. Her eye was caught by a glint of metal amongst the ivy, and she realised with delight that it belonged to a key, hanging from a hook on the wall.