A Secret of Birds & Bone by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Author:Kiran Millwood Hargrave [Millwood Hargrave, Kiran]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chicken House
Published: 2020-09-30T18:30:00+00:00

Sofia braced herself, lowering her body as gently as she could, but still she landed with a jarring thud on her injured ankle.

‘Are you really all right?’ murmured Ermin. He was watching her closely. She nodded, impatiently wiping away tears. She reached up to close the grate, but Ghino bucked Ermin off. ‘No! The first rule—’

She shook him off. ‘Don’t be stupid,’ she hissed. ‘They’ll catch up. What is wrong with you?’ She drew the grate closed until it clicked and locked into place. ‘Come on.’

They stood before the dark maw of a riverbed, and somewhere there was the faint sound of rushing water, though the water round their ankles was stale and moving sluggishly. Sofia’s whole body felt tingly now, the warmth of her blood fighting the chill of the tunnel.

Sofia wished they could light their lamp but the voices were becoming distinct now, grunts as many boots hit the cavern above them. The glow from the lamps washed through the grate and Sofia and Ermin drew Ghino deeper into the shadows.

‘Well?’

Sofia held her breath. That was a woman’s voice – Sister Rosa’s voice, this time Sofia was certain of it. ‘No sign of anyone, Capitana Rosa,’ replied a guard.

Ermin clutched Sofia’s hand, mouthing, Capitana?

Inching out of the shadows, Sofia peered up through the grate. Sister Rosa stood at the edge of the saint’s spring high above. Sofia could see her clearly this time, but she was no longer dressed in a nun’s habit.

Sister Rosa wore a fitted, belted silver tunic and the trousers Sofia had seen when she had climbed into the cart. But this was not the strangest thing – Sister Rosa carried a sword in a scabbard that hung from a knotted belt at her waist. A guard’s sword.

Sofia’s head span. She had been right in thinking there was something suspicious about this woman. Sister Rosa was not a nun at all.

She was a soldier.

‘I definitely heard something,’ said Capitana Rosa. ‘Water, and voices.’

‘There’s water dripping from the walls,’ said the guard, longing clear in his voice. ‘It must be the hidden river—’

‘I’m well aware of that, you oaf—’ Capitana Rosa broke off, and Sofia heard astonishment in her voice. ‘Look at this. Saint’s Spring. What is this place?’

They had obviously never been here before, so how had they reached it now? Sofia groaned inwardly. The open rockfall. This was Ghino’s fault. She shrank back as the lamp was held over the empty pool. Ice entered Capitana Rosa’s voice. ‘What’s that, at the bottom?’

‘I’m not sure, Capitana Rosa.’ The guard whistled and they heard a crack of wings as his magpie took off from his shoulder, landing a few moments later on the grate with a dull clink. It tapped at the grate with its beak and Corvith trembled, burrowing deeper into Sofia’s arms.

‘It’s definitely something, Capitana,’ said the guard.

‘Definitely something.’ The woman’s voice was scathing. ‘How clever. You’d better check what exactly.’

There was a shout, and the sound of air moving fast through clothing. Sofia stifled a gasp as she realized Capitana Rosa had pushed the guard into the empty spring.

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