Machine of Fire and Blood

TWO

Elden led them up the narrow, crumbling stone staircase, his two guards trailing behind them. The air grew cooler with each step they took away from the fires below. And although with each step, Calaithe felt herself grow lighter, the pain in her heart also got tighter. The staircase opened into the servants quarters, and two more guards were posted on either side of the archway that topped the staircase. They bowed their heads slightly to Elden as he passed. The servant's quarters were made up of a series of long, spiraling hallways and a large, dark kitchen. Several narrow staircases led up from the hallways, connected to different parts of the house above. The best part, however, were the small windows than were scattered along the hallway, too high to reach and too small to climb out of, but just large enough to let small streams of light into the otherwise dingey basement. It was more than they got down in the furnace chamber.

Elden moved swiftly along the corridors toward one of the larger staircases. He led them up once again, this time exiting onto the main floor of the house. They were at the back of the Manor now, the section where the food deliveries would come in and where the most trusted servants like the family butler and the Missus' lady in waiting were housed.

"I'm sure you can understand why I'm taking you through the back door of the Manor. My father deems it inappropriate that those that once worked for us use the front."

There was a shadow on Elden's face for a moment, but Calaithe blinked and it was gone. They reached the back door to the Manor. Calaithe and Kade and been through it before, during their monthly trips outside. She knew that beyond it lay a mostly unused yard. It had grass and high, stone walls encircling its borders, and that was about it. The front yard was where they kept the extensive gardens and fruit trees. Out where the townsfolk below could see it and envy it. What Calaithe really cared about was what lay beyond the large, wrought iron gate that led from the backyard and opened up to the driveway that ran along the side of the Manor, and down into the street beyond. She was ready to see the outside world. She couldn't remember what it looked like.

Elden led them outside, across the grass, and stopped at the gate.

"Well, this is as far as I go. The rest is up to you."

Calaithe looked at Kade. It was hard to tell, but she could have sworn he looked pale beneath the filth that covered his face. She held her hand out to him and he slipped his fingers between hers. Elden pushed open the large gate. Despite the sun, which always burned her eyes whenever she came outside, she took a long look at what lay beyond the gate. She could see the massive town spread out below the Manor. From here, the people milling about in the streets looked miniscule, insignificant. She couldn't wait to be one of them. As she and Kade stepped forward, Elden cleared his throat.

"Can I give you a word of warning?" he asked, stepping away from his waiting guards.

Calaithe glanced back at him.

"First of all, hide that bag," he said, jerking his chin toward the coin, "and guard it well. The pickpockets in the city are skilled. Don't let anyone brush up against you. Second, I'd wash up as soon as possible if I were you. You don't want people to mistake you for vagrants. Vagrants are seen as rather... disposable to the people down there. Finally just... just be careful out there. Hyward—hell, the world—can be a nasty place."

Calaithe glanced back at the sprawling town of Hyward below. Suddenly, it seemed darker, more sinister. She tucked the coin bag into the inner pocket of the light, leather jacket she wore. Although the furnace chamber was almost unbearably hot, it was better to wear long sleeves to protect her skin and be a little overheated than to go sleeveless and risk endless burns and cuts that would likely get infected down in the chamber.