The Final Strife

Anoor leaned on the back of the door catching her breath.

“That was the easiest bit,” Anoor said.

“I guess.”

“Come on, we haven’t got long.”

They made it down to the tunnels beneath the Keep. Sylah had rarely used them, as she was often still training with Anoor during the tidewind. The red runelamp that lit their path reminded Sylah of the Intestines in the Dredge. Her thoughts turned to Loot and soured. When was he going to cash in his favor?

Her eyes caught on a shape engraved into the stone below the lamp. “Is that a rune?”

“Yes, good spot.” Anoor had her teacher’s voice on. “That rune is featured in a few places around the Keep…in the older buildings.” She stroked it with her finger. “It never fades, never crumbles…and yet we have no idea what it does. There’s no blood in the grooves either. It’s like the clock in the cloisters, written in runes we don’t recognize. They’re not featured in the Book of Blood. And no one can replicate it.”

“Don’t you think that’s strange?”

Anoor frowned. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

Sylah’s fingers ran over the engraving.

“I wonder who drew them.”

Someone moved in the darkness behind them. Sylah spun on her heel, searching through the shadows. The face that emerged was ethereal. A Ghosting.

“Oh, hello.” Anoor’s body relaxed, her shoulders drawing down and the air pushing out of her in a whoosh.

The Ghosting paused, their gaze shifted between the two of them, confused at being addressed. They had a basket of laundry between their arms.

“Sorry, please don’t let us stop you,” Sylah said with a placating hand toward the tunnel behind them.

A furtive glance, prey being freed by a predator. Sylah smiled with what she hoped was reassurance. The Ghosting moved on, faster than was really necessary.

“Phew, thought we were going to be caught then.” Anoor held a hand to her chest.

“We still might be; we need a reason why we’re out here in the dark.”

They stood still, both thinking.

“We’re going for a late-night snack.”

“The kitchens are behind us,” Sylah replied dryly.

“Okay, how about we are going to visit my mother?”

“Really? You want her involved?”

“I could say I had a nightmare, and I needed my mother.”

They both burst out laughing, the lie so ludicrous it brought tears to Sylah’s eyes.

“Let’s just say we’re out for a walk. You couldn’t sleep, okay?” Sylah said, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand.

Anoor nodded.

They continued on down the tunnel, Anoor leading the way as the tidewind rattled above them.

“It’s three floors above, past the court and the warden offices. There might be a couple of officers patrolling.”

“Do you think you can get past them by batting your eyelashes?” Sylah asked, her voice low as they climbed the stairs out of the tunnels.