CHAPTER 358: TERRIBLE PLANS AND WORSE COMPANY

The guard change happened at exactly the same time every night. Third moon position, when the shadows stretched longest.

[Predictable idiots.]

Sirah crouched behind the supply tent, watching the sentries swap positions. The new ones always took a few minutes to settle, sharing gossip about who was fucking who before actually paying attention to their jobs.

"Ready?" she whispered.

Corvo nodded frantically. His whole body trembled like a leaf in a storm.

"If you throw up on me, I’m leaving you behind."

"I won’t! I promise!"

[He’s definitely going to throw up.]

The sentries laughed at something, backs turned. Now or never.

Sirah grabbed Corvo’s arm and pulled him into the shadows. They moved between tents, following a path she’d walked a thousand times. Past the weapons cache, around the healing tent, through the narrow gap between the commander’s quarters and the latrine pit.

Her phantom hand ached with each step.

"Blood Sister—"

"Shut up."

They froze as voices approached. Two warriors, drunk and stumbling.

"—told her she squeals like a pig and she actually thanked me—"

The warriors passed, oblivious. Sirah counted to ten before moving again.

[This is insane.]

She was betraying everything. Her clan. Her brothers and sisters in blood. For what? A chance to see red eyes that probably wouldn’t even remember her name?

They reached the outer perimeter. The forest waited, dark and full of promise.

"There’s a patrol path twenty yards out," she whispered. "They circle every half hour. We go after they pass."

"How do you know all this?"

"Because I designed the fucking patrol routes."

Corvo’s eyes widened.

[Yeah, that’s right. I’m betraying my own security measures.]

The patrol passed exactly when she knew it would. Six warriors, bored and careless. Why be alert? Nothing ever happened on night patrol.

"Now."

They slipped into the forest. Every snapping twig sounded like thunder. Every shadow could hide disaster.

But no one came.

[Too easy. This is too easy.]

Maybe the gods wanted to see how this stupidity played out. Or maybe everyone was too drunk to notice their Blood Sister had vanished with the prisoner.

They’d figure it out by morning. By then, she’d better be far enough away that tracking her would be more trouble than it was worth.

Two hours later, Corvo finally threw up.

"I told you not to—"

"Sorry!" He wiped his mouth, embarrassed. "It’s just... I thought I was going to die. And now I’m escaping with the woman who captured me, and nothing makes sense anymore."

[Join the club.]

"Keep walking."

They followed a deer trail she’d used for raids. The moons provided just enough light to avoid the worst obstacles.

"So..." Corvo stumbled over a root. "What happens when we reach Syux territory?"

"You get me that meeting."

"Right, but... they’ll kill you. The soldiers. Soon as they see you."

Sirah grabbed his collar, lifting him off his feet with her one good hand.

"Then you better convince them not to. Because if they kill me, I’ll take your head off and fuck your skull before I die."

His face went pale.

"That’s... physically impossible."

"Want to test that theory?"

"No! No, I’ll... I’ll figure something out!"

She dropped him. He scrambled back to his feet, keeping more distance between them now.

[Good. Fear keeps people motivated.]

"Actually," Corvo said after a few minutes of blessed silence, "going to the soldiers would be stupid anyway. They’d arrest you, interrogate you, probably execute you before I could even send a message."

"Your point?"

"We need to go directly to someone with authority. Someone who could guarantee your safety."

"Like who?"

Corvo chewed his lip.

"The queen?"

Sirah stopped walking.

[The queen. Of fucking Syux.]

"You want me to walk up to the Queen of Syux and ask for a meeting with her friend?"

"Not walk up to her! But I could... my uncle has connections. He delivers supplies to the palace. Maybe he could get word to her?"

"Your merchant uncle can get an audience with the queen."

"He’s very successful!"

[I’m following a boy whose best plan involves his ’very successful’ uncle.]

But what else did she have? She’d already burned every bridge behind her. Might as well see how much further this insanity could go.

"Fine. We try your uncle."

"Really?"

"Unless you have a better idea?"

He shook his head quickly.

They kept walking. The forest gradually thinned, familiar landmarks fading into unknown territory.

[I don’t even care about the queen.]

That was the stupidest part. She had no political agenda. No grand plan. Just the desperate need to see Melisa again. To what? Apologize? Beg? Try to explain that she’d meant it to be different?

[Pathetic.]

"Can I ask something?" Corvo ventured.

"No."

"Why her? There must be thousands of nim. Why risk everything for—"

Sirah’s fist connected with a tree. The bark split. Pain shot up her arm.

"I said no questions."

"Right. Sorry."

[Why her?]

Because she’d been different. Because she’d looked at Sirah like an equal, not a master. Because for a few brief moments, when Melisa had been beneath her, around her, it had felt like...

"We should reach the border by dawn," she said. "After that, you better pray your uncle is as connected as you think."

"He is! You’ll see!"

They walked in silence for a while. Then:

"What will you say to her? When you see her?"

Sirah didn’t answer. She didn’t know.

"I mean, ’sorry I kidnapped you’ seems like a rough opener—"

"Do you ever shut up?"

"When I’m terrified, I talk. It’s a problem."

"I’ll say that’s a problem."

More walking. More silence. Then:

"She really is famous, you know. The stories they tell—"

"I don’t want to hear stories."

"But—"

"I want to hear them from her."

That shut him up. For about five minutes.

"Your hand. Does it hurt?"

[Every fucking second.]

"No."

"Oh. Good."

The sky started lightening in the east. Soon they’d be in Syux territory. Enemy territory, for her.

[What am I doing?]

Throwing away everything for a chance. Not even a guarantee. Just a chance.

"There," Corvo pointed. "That’s the border marker."

A stone pillar, worn by weather but still standing. The edge of everything she’d known.

Sirah stepped past it without hesitation.

[No going back now.]

"Welcome to Syux, technically," Corvo said weakly. "Please don’t kill anyone."

"No promises."

They kept walking. The forest here looked the same, but felt different. Enemy trees. Enemy dirt. Enemy air.

All for a pair of red eyes that haunted her dreams.

"My uncle lives in Riverton. It’s about a day’s walk from here."

"Then we better keep moving."

"Right. Um. Blood Sister?"

"What now?"

"Thank you. For saving me."

[I didn’t save you. I used you.]

"Just remember our deal."

"I will! I promise!"