The next month seemed interminably long. No matter where she was or what she was doing, all she could think of was Number Four. She couldn't imagine anything so awful as being shut up in a hole in the ground.
Practically buried alive.
Finally, in need of a diversion, she begged her mother to let Magny spend the night. Her mother was usually reluctant, but this time she agreed.
Ashlynne was sure it was only because her mother and father were going to be away at a counsel meeting most of the evening.
She looked up when Magny tossed the book she'd been reading aside.
"Well, that was dull," Magny exclaimed. "What shall we do?"
Ashlynne yawned. "I'm tired. I was thinking of going to bed."
"Bed! But it's still early. And your parents won't be home for hours. We can't go to bed."
Ashlynne rolled over onto her stomach. "Well, what do you want to do?"
Magny bounced off the mattress, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "How brave are you?"
"I'm not, Mag, you know that, so whatever you're planning, just forget it."
"Honestly, Ashlynne, you lead the most dull, boring life of anyone I know."
She wanted to argue, but she couldn't. It was true. Her life was boring.
Routine. Regimented.
"Come on, Lynnie, you know you're dying to."
"All right, Magny, what am I dying to do?"
"Go swimming."
"What's so daring about that? I swim all the time."
"In the ocean."
Ashlynne's eyes widened. "You want to go swimming down there now? Tonight?"
Magny nodded vigorously. "The moons are full. It's a beautiful night. The water won't be too cold. Come on, let's do it."
Ashlynne bit down on her lower lip, her better judgment warring with the desire to do something wild and crazy. "All right. You can wear one of my bathing suits. Do you want the red or the yellow?"
"Neither, silly."
"You don't mean???"
Magny grinned. "You've got it. Let's go."
Like two thieves in the night, they crept down the stairs. Old Carday was in the living room. She had fallen asleep watching a vid. Like two schoolgirls playing hooky, Ashlynne and Magny slipped out the front door, ran down the path and out the side gate.
It was, indeed, a beautiful night. The twin moons hung low in the sky, bathing the landscape in a pale amber glow. Moonlight shimmered and
danced on the water, sparkling like millions of tiny golden lights.
Magny dropped her towel on the sand and began to undress.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ashlynne glanced up and down the beach. To the right, she could see the outline of the mine; far to the left began the tree line that marked the edge of the jungle.
"You're not going to back out on me now, are you?"
Ashlynne took a deep breath. "No, I'm not," she said, and before she could lose her nerve, she undressed.
She shrieked as a wave broke over her, then she dove into the water. She had never gone swimming in the ocean at night before, never gone swimming in the nude before, and it felt wonderful, deliciously wicked. She swam for several minutes, then floated on her back. Overhead, a million stars lit the sky as Brell chased Riasna. Would he ever catch her? she wondered.
"Oh, Magny," she exclaimed, "this was a terrific idea."
"Of course! Have I ever had any other kind?"
With a laugh, Ashlynne dove into the water again, amazed at how different it felt to swim wearing nothing at all. She shrieked as something slippery brushed against her leg, images of sea monsters jumping into her mind, but it was only a piece of sea kelp.
They swam and splashed until they were breathless, then sat on the shore, wrapped up in their towels.
Ashlynne gazed out at the dark green water, thinking how beautiful it was bathed in the moons' light, and how much she would miss this place when she was living on Trellis.
"Hey, Lynnie, got any adventure left in your soul?"
"Why?" she asked suspiciously. "What do you want to do now?"
"Why, go visit Number Four, of course," Magny said with a wink and a grin.
Ashlynne stared at her. "Are you crazy?"
"Maybe," Magny replied with a wave of her hand. "Well, do you want to?"
"Of course not," Ashlynne replied, but she was dressing as she spoke, her heart pounding, not at the very real possibility of getting caught, but at the thought of seeing Number Four again.
She began to have second thoughts as they drew closer to the mine. Her father would be furious, her mother appalled.
"Mag," she whispered, "I don't think this is such a good idea."
"Sure it is. Be careful, don't step in that hole."
Ashlynne followed Magny across the bridge, all her senses alert, She jumped when one or the boards creaked, the noise sounding like thunder in her ears, gave a little shriek when a night bird flew in front of her face.
"Lynnie, be quiet!"
"Sorry." Ashlynne glanced over her shoulder. "What if we get caught?"
"We'll just say I forgot something at home and we came down to get it."
Magny turned right, skirting the edge of the compound, until they drew near the squat cells that housed the prisoners.
"This is silly," Ashlynne said, looking around. "We won't be able to see him anyway. There's no light in the hut."
Magny whirled around to face her. "And just how do you know that,
Lynnie?"
Mouth agape, Ashlynne stared at her friend.
"Well?" Magny tapped her foot on the ground. "I'm waiting."
"I-I-I don't know. I'm just guessing. I mean, do they have lights in the huts?"
"Ashlynne Myrafloures, tell me the truth! You've been down here before, haven't you? When?"
"You won't tell?"
"Of course not."
"It was when my parents went to Partha the last time. I forgot you were gone, too, and I decided to come down for a visit."
"Go on."
"Well, I decided as long as I was here, I'd look around. I went to look in the cells, and. I saw Number Four. It was right after he was brought here. He was wounded, remember? I heard him moaning and I made Dagan open the door for me."
Magny grinned at her. "Dagan thinks you're pretty, you know."
"What? Don't be silly."
"Go on," Magny urged, "what happened?"
"Nothing. He opened the door and I treated Number Four's wound and then I left."
"You call that nothing? Why didn't you ever tell me this before?"
"Why do you think?"
Magny laughed softly. "I think you're a lot braver than you think you are, my Lady Myrafloures, that's what I think. Come on."
Like thieves in the night, they crept along until they reached Number Four's cell.
"All right, we're here. Can we go home now?" Ashlynne whispered.
"Of course not. We look inside."
"Tell me again why we're doing this?"
"Because you think he's handsome. Go on, you go first."
Ashlynne rolled her eyes. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner they could go back home. Taking a deep breath, she stood on tiptoe and peeked in the barred opening, and found herself staring into Number Four's face, which was clearly visible in the moons' light.
With a gasp, she jumped back, and bumped into Magny.
"He's awake!" Ashlynne exclaimed, and turning on her heel, she ran for the bridge, and didn't stop running until she was on the other side.
Magny joined her a moment later. For a minute, they just stared at each other, and then Magny burst out laughing.
"It's not funny!" Ashlynne said, and knew she would never forget the look of bitter despair on Number Four's face, or the way it had turned to anger when he saw her staring at him. As if he were an animal in a cage.
The laughter died on Magny s lips when she saw the expression on Ashlynne's face. "Are you crying?"
Ashlynne wiped the tears from her eyes. "No, of course not. Can we go home now?"