Hearts in Zenith (Four Husbands and a Lover)

9. Help from an Unexpected Source

If wishes were horses, I'd be riding with the Deadhead Company instead of swimming in the canal with garbage. I didn't fight the current. I pointed downstream and pushed with my hands and feet like a frog. Like a frog who has a heron chasing after her.

The pressure of the water above me increased with every stroke. My lungs burned. But I waited till the darkness edged away the sight from my bulging eyes. Then I swam up towards the bonfire of sunset. It was so bright that evening, I could see it even through the layers of water. It was a deadly gamble to push myself to the boundary of unconsciousness, but I trusted my body to go on even in that state. If I was anything, I was stubborn. Way too stubborn to drown in a gutter.

With a titanic effort of will, I resisted the temptation to jump out of my watery near-grave in the manner of a dolphin.

My head bobbed up to the surface as gently as could be. I didn't glance back over my shoulder, losing precious moments. Either the assassin was still after me, and I was dead, or she gave up, and I must flee.

I swam further downstream, feasting on stinky air. Even if the water of the canal would have been cleaner than a pure boy's tears, I would have still preferred to breathe this air into my lungs. I was getting tired of water.

When I could barely move with exhaustion, I peeled off my sandals and tied them around my waist. That done, I flipped over to my back, let the water carry me, and took stock of my surroundings.

The sunset burned itself out fast, the way the brightest things do. Yansara was yet to spill Their stars and moon onto the velvet of the sky. The shouts of the Watch and their many helpers died down. The twilight descended on Palmyr, violet and silent, apart from the distant murmur of the surf.

The peace felt deceptive to my agitated heart. Ironically, there was only one place in the world where I would sleep soundly tonight. I thought of it some more, while I let the canal's outflow carry me into the Gulf. Then, with a resigned sigh, I turned to face the Gala's Rock.

The tide was coming in.

It pushed me towards my goal, but it didn't do it like a tender beast of legends. It tossed me toward the Rock with homicidal fury. Before it tore me away and did it again, I grabbed at the tresses of seaweed. Its grip on the stone was far tighter than that of any spoiled plant on land in its soft dirt. The tough thing held, as I coiled it around my wrists to rest a moment, then I climbed.

My shoulder, where the shuriken nicked me, stung worse than my throat and lungs. It screamed, but I bit my lips and went up.

The cliff wasn't tall—only a few human heights, but in time of peace, they didn't expect anyone to penetrate the Temple from the sea-side, given that its doors stood open from sunrise to sunset. And if they were mad enough to try, they probably needed Gala's succor more than anyone else.

I made it to the place where the Temple wall took over from the bedrock. The sea-wind pitted it enough to provide enough holds for my desperate fingers and toes. The helpful statues of Mansoora, They of the Wind, Rain and Life with Their court of water-dwelling creatures stood guard on top of the wall. As expected, no beings of flesh-and-blood joined them in their vigil.

I grabbed one of the stone tritons by the tail and surveyed the temple ground from up high.

My heart gave a quick lurch when I spotted a blanket on the library roof and a lit lantern. Kozima must be fighting off his youthful moods. Other than that, two acolytes went inside to sing to Gala, and two emerged. There would be guards by the gates, but I counted on them to be snoozing. It was the days, with all the worshipers pouring in, that were busy for them.

My shoulder gave out half-way down the wall. I slithered down, grabbing holds to slow down my fall. I scraped my belly badly, but my legs were fine. I used them to run to Anastasia's medical store. If I were lucky, I would find something to help my shoulder.