Kate jumped from the bed, knocking Atiya to the floor. “Was I away long?”

  Atiya got to her feet and dusted herself off. "Longer than I wanted to wait, but when our 'brother' left he said to give you as much time as you needed to contact Tyreth. Did you find her?"

  "She wasn't there," Kate stated. She wasn’t going to say anything about seeing Corvan until she could talk to Tyreth about those seeds. It looked like Corvan was in a lot of trouble and people would only judge him for it. “Where did our brother go?” she asked.

  "He said we needed a backup plan and went to find some things he required. I gave him the sword to protect himself."

  Atiya had pulled the heavy table over to block the door and Kate put a hand on it. "I think we should go find him. I don't want to just sit here waiting for the soldiers to arrive."

  A rhythmic rap on the door startled her.

  "He’s back." Atiya said, then shoved the table to one side.

  The grey-eyed man rushed into the room, a thick bundle of sticks under one arm.

  Atiya shut the door behind him. "What do we need the fire sticks for?"

  The man was already kneeling on the floor, tying the sticks together with a cord. He glanced up at Kate. "Did you contact Tyreth?"

  Kate crouched beside him. "She wasn't there. I think she might be out looking for Corvan."

  He nodded and looked to Atiya. "When you went down to the main hall, did you notice the pile of rocks across from where this passage comes out? The large stone blocks from the work they are doing there."

  "Yes. That is where I hid when I was checking out the front gate." Atiya smiled then mimicked the brother’s voice. "You can't go out that way. It's too well guarded."

  "It won't be for long,” he said, shaking his head slightly while smiling at Atiya’s mockery. “You and Kate will go hide in behind those blocks. When the soldiers come here to take you to the counterpart ceremony, opening this door will trip the bomb I am making, and the explosion will bring everyone running. That will be your chance to sneak out the front gate and get away. We must get you, and the master medallion, as far away from the rebel leader as possible.”

  He looked to Kate. “Once you are out the gate, do not take the main trail that leads to the river. Turn to the left and go along the narrow track on the side of the cavern - but watch out for falling rock. This is going to be a massive blast that will likely take out part of the cavern wall." Bending over the sticks he began to weave a thin grey vine in and out of the bundle. "Once you reach the city wall, follow it along until you find the round culvert I told Atiya about."

  "Where will you be?" Atiya asked.

  "I will stay behind to barricade the door and set off the explosion."

  Atiya stepped in closer. "I cannot allow you to destroy yourself to save us. It is against the code of the sisters."

  He raised his eyebrows and gave her a slight smile. "But I am only a brother."

  "It does not matter. I will not leave you here alone."

  He finished tying the cord, stood, and put his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry about me, Atiya. I will go out the window and will move to the side of the cliff face before the fire sticks explode." As he turned to the window Kate heard him mutter, "At least that's the plan."

  Atiya began to protest, and he turned back to her. "It will be all right. I climbed up the cliff to get in the window, so I know the way back down. I will meet you on the path along the wall."

  "If you are not blown to bits," Atiya retorted.

  "It is a chance we must take." He put his hand to Kate's cheek. "It is critical for you to get through to Tyreth at the palace.” He looked into her eyes. “Do not come back for me, even if I do not meet up with you below the city wall. Do you promise me?"

  His hand was warm and his eyes full of compassion. Kate found herself nodding before she fully comprehended what he was asking.

  Opening the door, he peered down the hall. "It's time for you to leave. The soldiers will come as soon as the horn signals the first meal of the day." He stood to the side as Atiya and Kate ducked under his arm and into the hall.

  Atiya stopped between his arms to hug him. "You are the best brother I've ever had." She grinned at him. "And that's not because you are the only brother I've ever had."

  "Wait a minute." He unbuckled the short sword from around his waist. "No self-respecting sister should be without a sword."

  "But you might need it." Atiya protested.

  Wrapping it around her waist, he cinched it up. "A sword would only be in my way as I climb the wall." He paused, pulled a medallion from around his neck, then looped it around Atiya's. "I also want you to carry this for me. I can't let the rebel leader get his hands on any of the seven, it would lead him directly to Kate and any others who are now on the council. Consider it as my pledge to you that we will meet again so you can give it back to me." He tried to smile but Kate could see the concern on his face.

  Atiya nodded gravely, then turned away, walking briskly past Kate and down the slope of the narrow tunnel.

  Kate turned to follow Atiya but the man placed a hand on her shoulder. As she turned back, he reached both his arms around her and hugged her close. "Please be careful, Kate. We need you." He whispered in her ear before letting her go. He smiled down at her, then shut himself inside the room.

  Kate ran to catch up with Atiya. It was reassuring to know someone truly cared about what happened to her. Right now, Corvan certainly didn't. The thought hit home and a deep bitterness toward him welled up. She considered banishing the thoughts and thinking more positively about him, but no, he deserved to be disliked for the way he was treating her. Why should she bother with him if he was only interested in Tyreth and eating more of those seeds he loved so much?

  Atiya stopped and held up her hand. Just ahead, the passage entered into a wider hall. It appeared to be empty. From their vantage point, Atiya pointed to a jumble of large boulders across the way, grabbed Kate’s hand and pulled her into the open area. Halfway across they were both startled as a horn sounded. Sprinting the rest of the way, they dodged in behind the boulders and crouched down.

  A rush of feet came from all directions and in a moment the hall filled with men jostling for position as they tramped into the gloom at the far end. Two of them pulled into a niche on the other side of the largest stone block. Kate could have reached through a gap and touched their heels.

  "Stupid fools. Hurrying along like a pack of rats when they know full well its gruel yet again," one of them said quietly.

  "Our Cor-Van has promised that once we are inside the city there will be food enough for all."

  "Yeah, right, food for all who are not killed in the attack. He's not the best at planning battles." The man paused. "Or maybe he is, for fewer men surviving the attack will mean more of the best food for himself and his friends."

  "Shut your mouth,” the other man hissed. “If someone hears you, we will both be executed. You for talking and me for listening. Who knows, maybe time his plan will work out. He says the priest is on our side and will make sure the city gate is open and unguarded."

  "I'll believe it when I see it. on. Come on, let's get in line. I don't want to die on an empty stomach."

  The two men left, and Kate peered out between the rocks. The crowd was thinning out and she caught a glimpse of soldiers moving against the flow and marching up the incline toward the bedroom they had just left.

  "Are they in for a surprise," Atiya commented dryly in Kate’s ear.

  "Will they die when those sticks explode?" Kate whispered.

  "Whatever happens serves them right. They were going to murder you, remember?"

  Kate frowned. It was true but they were just soldiers obeying orders. It was a brutal way to die.

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  Atiya gave a little giggle. "Those two are about to find out what an explosive temper you can have." She poked Kate's shoulder. "We'd better duck down as low as we can. The blast will come out of that tunnel and straight towards us."

  Kate crouched just as a voice spoke behind them. "So, what do we have here? Deserters? Get out of there and join the ranks. No one is exempt from this mission."

  Kate glanced over her shoulder at a man standing in the gap next to the cavern wall. Atiya caught her eye and tapped the hilt of her sword.

  "Come on." The soldier gestured. "I don't have all day." Kate stood slowly to her feet and stepped in front of Atiya to give her room to draw her sword.

  As she looked up at the soldier, his eyes widened. "How did you. . ."

  The ground shook violently as a blast of dirt and dust shot out of the tunnel they came from. Kate dropped down by Atiya, Horns sounded and men were shouting from both ends of the hall. Kate looked to where the soldier had been standing but a cloud of dust rolled around the blocks, obscuring everything.

  Pushing past Kate, Atiya grabbed Kate's hand, pulled her to her feet, and led her out into the main corridor and downward along the wall. Muted voices were all around them in the dust filled air. Kate coughed and pulled her cloak up over her mouth and nose. Someone slammed into her and she almost lost Atiya's hand in the confusion.

  The air began to clear as they made it out the entrance to the cave, then clambered off to one side over a pile of loose rocks that rolled underfoot. Someone cried out overhead, then a huge slab of granite crashed just behind them and Atiya pulled her along even faster.

  Climbing higher, they soon found themselves on a narrow track jammed up tight against the cavern wall. Kate shook herself free of Atiya’s grip and glanced back. Below them men ran about beneath a cloud of dust rolling in the still air from the mouth of the rebel cave. Shouts were ringing out amidst a confusion of shadows and torches.

  Atiya stepped in close beside her but she was looking above the entrance at a ragged hole punched out of the cavern wall. Rocks of various sizes were still falling from the face to the rubble below.

  "Can you see him?" Kate asked anxiously.

  Atiya clenched her jaw and shook her head. "If he is alive, he will meet us at the place he spoke of.”

  Atiya climbed higher along the track at the base of the wall and Kate followed. "Will the soldiers come after us?"

  "No. He made it appear like we died in the explosion along with the soldiers."

  "What about the one that saw us in the hall?"

  Atiya shrugged. "Hopefully a huge rock fell on his head."

  Kate glanced behind them as they climbed higher and the sounds at the shattered gate below grew faint. "At least they won't be attacking the palace tonight."

  "Don't count on it,” Atiya shot back. “Their leader might be crazy, but he isn't stupid. Now he will likely tell his followers that palace spies killed Tyreth to keep her from her plan to join with him. He might use that to urge his men to attack Kadir immediately."

  "Then I need to contact Tyreth right away so she can warn the city and make sure the gate is not left open."

  "Don't you need to be in a bed?"

  "Any spot that is closed in and dark should work, as long as I am not disturbed."

  Atiya stopped and pointed down along the wall surrounding the city. "Then the place my brother asked us to meet him will be good. Do you see those smaller pointy roof buildings just behind the city wall? There in the smaller circle."

  Kate nodded.

  "That is the priest's section in the City of the Dead, it's where that deep ravine comes up to the wall. Our brother told me there is a small round water outlet in the ravine below the wall. He wanted us to wait there, and then he would show us the way into the city."

  "It should be dark enough in there. I can try to return to the chamber while we wait for him to catch up with us."

  Atiya shook her head firmly and looked back toward the rebel base. "I'm not going with you. I am going back to find him." She looked to Kate, a serious look on her young face. “He might be injured and need help. We will join you there just as soon as I find him."

  Kate was about to argue but the look on Atiya’s face confirmed it would be futile. "Please be careful, Atiya. Remember you carry his medallion, and he trusted you to keep it away from the rebels."

  Atiya gave a quick nod and turned away.

  Kate watched her go, then continued along the track to where it met the city wall. She followed the wall along until she came to the ravine Atiya had pointed out. The steep valley forced the narrow path to cut away from the base of the city wall, then across a crude bridge without any railings. Walking out on the bridge, Kate lowered herself over the edge, then used the bridge supports to work herself down to the bottom of the ravine. Whatever was in the air in this place seemed to be steadily increasing her physical strength.

  After pushing through the dense, fernlike vegetation at the bottom of the gully, she reached the wall and found the round water culvert the grey-eyed man had described. Thankfully it was a good deal larger than the hole the lizard had cut back in Corvan's cellar. Pulling out her medallion to light the way, Kate crawled inside.

  A short distance ahead the tubelike structure came up against the large foundation blocks of the city wall. Sweeping the medallion over the walls she discovered a star shaped indentation on the top corner of one near the bottom. Pulling the chain out of the way she fit her medallion into the spot. A sharp click was followed by a deep rumble as the block beside her slid up and out of the way. Since Atiya was carrying the brother’s medallion, they would be able to follow.

  Just inside, her light revealed a steep set of stairs. Kate stood to her feet and put one foot on the first step.

  The door behind her dropped with a soft thunk. Shining her light around she located another star cut into this side of the stone door. She should be able to escape if this were a dead end. Cautiously she ascended the stairway to a small landing at the top. Three blank walls greeted her but one to her left was smoother than the rest. At a gentle push, it sprang away and slid an inch to the right. Grasping the thin slab, she pushed it halfway open and stepped into the space beyond, her medallion lighting the way.

  The larger room was empty except for a raised platform in the center and a set of stone doors to her right. There was the usual round keyhole in one of the doors, but the medallion had no effect on the door. Kate stooped to peer through the keyhole and found herself looking down the center of a marbled plaza to a gate at the far end. Small buildings lined both sides. To the left were ones with the pointed roofs she had seen from up the trail up by the cavern wall. It appeared she had made it back into the city but could not get out and meet Tyreth, at least in person.

  Standing in the darkness before the locked door, she closed her eyes, touched the center of the medallion, and thought about going to the council chamber.

  An overhead light came on and she opened her eyes. She was back in the anteroom. Opening the chamber door, she peered inside. A soft grey mist flowed out of the shattered door. Goosebumps rose on Kate's arms as the ghostly tendrils reached toward her door. A cold breeze swept around the room and pulled the mist back into the dark opening. Taking a deep breath Kate stepped inside. This time the band of light around the perimeter of the room came on, but they did not penetrate the haze hanging beyond the broken door.

  Across the way, the star on the door where Corvan had appeared before was glowing. Kate ran over and touched the door. As it shimmered away, Kate jumped back. A masked face towered over her; blue veins pulsing up a thin neck. The mouth below the mask opened, revealing a glistening blue tongue.

  "Is that you, Kate?" the masked person asked.

  A white hand lifted toward her and stopped at the opening of the door. Powder blue fingernails tipped each of the bony fingers.

  Kate took another step back. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

  "It's me, Corvan." The figure spread out its long arms. "Don't forget this chamber makes us look different. You look different this time too."

  Kate looked down to discover that her dress was no longer brilliant white. The material was thicker and didn't fit her well. The bottom hem was stained like she had been walking through the mud and sooty streaks climbed up toward her waist through its coarse folds. She knew right away what had changed, she was angry at Corvan and did not like him or have any desire to help him anymore.

  "Kate. I can prove it's me. Ask me anything only I would know."

  Kate avoided looking at the hideous person standing before her as searched for a positive memory. All that came to mind were the mean things he had said and done.

  "I can think of something," the person inside the anteroom said. "Do you remember the time we were watching the stars out at the castle rock? A coyote barked nearby and scared you. I held your hand. Do you remember that?"

  Kate did not lift her eyes from the ground. It was Corvan and she did remember that time, but she did not want to admit it. Why should she let him get close again so he could hurt her more in the future? She shook her head and small holes appeared at the bottom of her dress, as if invisible moths were feasting on the fabric. Kate lifted her eyes to see if Corvan was noticing but he wasn't looking at her dress. His mask had vanished, and the blue veins had faded. Corvan’s sad eyers were searching her face.

  Kate shook her head at him as the anger came rushing back. "So what if I was the first girl you held hands with, who was the first girl you kissed?"

  His eyes glistened. "It was someone else."

  "Yes, it was someone else,” Kate said, looking away from him. “It was Atiya and while you were kissing her you were actually thinking about kissing Tyreth."

  "Where did you hear that?” Corvan asked sharply. “You can't believe everything you . . ."

  Kate turned to leave. She wasn’t going to stay and listen to anymore of his excuses.

  "Please don't go, Kate. I'm sorry."

  Kate stopped but did not turn around. She could hear his sorrow and also his fear. "I don't want to talk about it,” she said. “I need to go now."

  "Will you come back and meet me here again? I'm in trouble. I need your help. Please, Kate."

  The humility in his voice brought her up short. If he was willing to admit he needed help, maybe there was hope for him after all.

  She slowly turned to face him, but his room was empty. Someone must have woken him up and pulled him away from the anteroom.

  Closing his door, she wiped a hand across her eyes. She shouldn’t have been so cold to him, but the intense pain from her past kept trying to overcome her resolve to be kind to him, even when she wasn’t sure he could be trusted.

  The lights around the chamber flickered and dimmed. Kate moved toward her own anteroom. A gray mist slithered back out of the broken door and circled around the edges of the room toward her.

  Kate ran into her anteroom, the mist grabbing at her ankles as she stumbled inside. Instantly she was back in the square stone room in the graveyard of Kadir, still running, stumbling, then falling against the doors. One side sprang open, and she tripped over the threshold to tumble down a short flight of stairs into an open space.

  Jumping to her feet, she looked about, but the courtyard was empty and the small buildings on both sides were dark. The one she just fell out of was the largest building in the plaza and more ornate than the rest. Carved over the door was the word, "Morgan."

  As she walked back up the stairs towards the building, the door she just fallen through closed with a soft thump that echoed through the plaza behind her.