Page 64 of Moonmarked

When I turned to the guards again, I did my best to keep my face soft and neutral. “Would you mind giving me a moment?” I whispered. “I just need a moment of privacy.Please.”

At that point I’d get on my knees and beg because I was sure the guards wouldn’t buy it. And they hesitated at first, exchanged a quick look among one another, but by some miracle, the one in the middle gave me a curt nod.

A nod—to sayyes.To sayokay.They would let me have a moment, after all.

“Thank you,” I said, a bit breathless.

The next moment I was walking alone, faster the deeper into the maze of trees and hedges I went. I still had no idea where Rune or the forges were, but by God, I was going to find him. And when the guards could no longer see me through the hedges, I began to run.

The thought that they might have alarms here, or animals, or anything else that would be able to track me or set off some kind of notice when I started running occurred to me, but my legs didn’t stop. I went all around the maze of hedges, sure I’d find the edge of the gardens eventually. I’d seen it from the gazebo—and I could see the gazebo from here as well, when I looked up. It looked so strange, like it was floating on air, the narrow bridge that connected it to the side of the palace barely visible in the dark.

Then I reached a dead end.

A small cottage type of building was on the right, the lights off, and a big concrete wall on its side that seemed to stretch all around the hedges to where I couldn’t see. I hadn’t noticed this from the gazebo, but I walked along itanyway, trying not to panic. Trying to tell myself that this place was big,huge,and it was going to take a little while to get out of the garden before I found my way to the other side of the palace.

But I didn’t get to walk more than another few minutes before I heard the footsteps coming from the other side.

My limbs froze instantly. The image of the guards coming for me, grabbing me and dragging me back inside the palace took over my mind. My heart pounded in my ears and the voices in my head screamed at me torun.

Except I couldn’t move my fucking feet at all until the footsteps were right around the corner, and…

Two women dressed in the same dresses as the three chambermaids who’d been in my room earlier appeared in front of me.

Holy fuck, how am I still standing?

They, too, froze when they saw me, their wide golden eyes scrolling down my body, their lips turning into frowns.

Breathe, Nilah, breathe!

“H-hello.”

Sweat on my shaking hands. I swallowed hard and pushed back my shoulders, and thought of Betty, my best friend. She could switch personalities within a heartbeat like nobody’s business when needed, and if I pretended to be her, maybe I could, too.

“Who are you, girl? And where did you get those clothes?” the woman on the right said and raised a hand that glowed a second before a ball of golden light chased away the dark around us.

“I’m…I-I-I’m looking for Poppy,” I blurted. “For Poppy and Pippa and Pera. They told me to meet them at the forges, but I’m afraid I’m lost. It’s my first day in the palace.”

Thelie flowed easily, maybe because I knew that this was my only chance. I wasn’t going toattackanyone here where I had no clue exactly who could see me, and what would happen to me if they witnessed me doing magic. No—lying was my only chance.

“An apprentice?” said the one on the left.

Yes, yes, apprentice!But…

“Wearing high-born clothes?” The ball of light in the other woman’s hand grew bigger as she inspected me, her suspicion as bright as her magic.

“Please, I’m not supposed to be late,” I said, desperate now for real, because if those soldiers found me… “Just tell me where the forges are. I could lose my job.”

“You poor thing,” said the one on the left.

“Poorthief,you mean,” the other muttered.

“Oh, let her go, Edith. Can’t you see she’s scared?” said her friend with a wave of her hand. “Go find Poppy, girl. Just go through the east garden”—she pointed to her left—“and past the old stables and the servant’s wing. From there, just follow the smoke and you’ll find the field.”

Stables, servant’s wing, smoke.“Thank youso much!” I said and did the most senseless thing—went and kissed her on the cheek.

The woman laughed while her friend muttered curse words under her breath, but neither stopped me when I picked up running toward where they’d come from. Rune was so close I could feel him now, and electricity charged under my skin, and I hadn’t run faster since I was with Maera in the woods, being chased by those sorcerers.

When I finally made it past the garden, the palace was right there in the corner of my eye, and I could have sworn it was a sentient being for a moment, watching me, knowing exactly where I was going. I didn’t even turn tolook, terrified that I’d find the guards coming for me. I just kept on running until I found what could only be the old stables the fae woman told me about.

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