Undertow: an MM romantic fantasy adventure by Rachel Ember

Author:Rachel Ember [Ember, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-17T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

The crowds made way for the protectors as they marched Zoral and Aron toward the stairs. Aron kept trying to catch Zoral’s eye, but there was a protector between them, and it was impossible.

Aron suspected Zoral’s docility was an act. He wished they’d set up a shorthand communication, like the creedless had in the Leeside Tower. If a fish said it looked like it might rain, that meant the port keeper was in a foul mood. If spotted a school of minnows, there was extra food in the galley.

They reached the landing and found a different kind of chaos in the main level of the tower.

While in the upper levels, people had seemed intent on rushing down, here people were choking the ladder to the entrance doors, intent on getting inside. Protectors were posted throughout the enormous room, haphazardly waving torches and belting out instructions, doing little to contain the chaos, but at least providing some light.

Outside the doors, the night sky was overcast. Not even a star shined. Aron might as well have been staring out over open water; he could see only darkness.

The protector in the lead of their party grabbed the arm of another of his creed who was hastening up the stairs as they came down. “What happened?” he asked the harried-looking woman, whose torch was burning low.

“We still don’t know,” she murmured with a quick glance toward Zoral and Aron, like she didn’t think they should be speaking within earshot of non-protectors.

Her fellow protector released her. “You’d best get up there. You’d think they’d seen a flying shark.” He looked from the torch in her hand to the one in his. “Here, take mine. It has more life in it. You’ll need it more than I will.”

She nodded shortly, then continued to plod up the stairs with the brighter torch held aloft.

“Make haste,” the protector snapped at Zoral and Aron over his shoulder, and hustled toward the doors. They had to pause for the crowd to subside enough that they could reach the first rung of the ladder. “You two go first, and don’t try anything brave.” He waved Zoral’s knife pointedly.

Zoral started down the rungs with Aron right behind him. Aron mimicked Zoral and leaned his side against the ladder, using one arm to more easily navigate the frantic people below and around him desperately clawing their way up as he went down.

The protectors started down directly after them. Aron stole as many glances at Zoral as he dared, wondering if they could seize the few seconds’ advantage they’d have when they reached the base of the ladder before their escorts. They could break and run—try to get lost in the crowd. He was still considering the logistics when he heard a muted cry from above him. Reacting on instinct, he plastered himself tightly to the ladder just in time to avoid being bashed in the head by the body of one of the protectors as it tumbled past him.

A moment later, the other protector fell in a similar fashion.

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