Page 97 of Charmless
I had no way of telling how long or far we had traveled, but the knot in my stomach grew tighter with every sweep of the oars. I was close to demanding how much further we had to go when Waldo guided us toward the shallows and locked the oars into place.
The boat lurched as he clambered out, the water splashing above his knees. Tugging on the rope, the big man hauled us forward until the skiff rested in a thick bed of reeds. He secured the rope to a sturdy low-hanging tree branch before turning to help me and Delphine out of the boat.
When it was my turn, I tensed at the prospect of his touch, but Waldo was respectful enough as he lifted me up and carried me to solid ground at the edge of the forest where Delphine awaited me.
“Thank you,” I murmured.
The Wharf Rat grinned and offered me a roguish wink, but his ‘good luck, miss,’ sounded heartfelt. The plan was for Waldo to remain behind and guard the boat. I worried that he might decide to abandon us should anything go awry. But Delphine seemed to place great trust in the man’s courage and loyalty and so must I.
The woods closed around me as I followed Delphine, clutching the magic shoes in my hands. The fir trees loomedabove us, the branches so thick with leaves that very little moonlight filtered through. We had only the dim light of Delphine’s lantern to guide us. I could feel the dampness of the ground seeping through my stockings and pine needles pricking my feet. But I was reluctant to don the glass slippers and risk stumbling along in those high heels.
Nudging branches out of my way, I kept pace with Delphine as best as I could. We finally emerged into a clearing only to find our way blocked by a massive wall that towered above us and seemed to stretch on forever in either direction.
“Now what?” I groaned, casting a despairing look at Delphine.
“Nowthis,”she said with a smug smile as she set down the lantern and delved beneath her cloak.
By this time, I should have had more faith in the witch’s ingenuity when it came to handling obstacles. As she dug into the large pocket of her cloak, I waited breathlessly to see what Delphine would produce. A magical rope ladder or even a flying rug?
I was surprised and perhaps a trifle disappointed when all she retrieved was a jar of some murky liquid. But when Delphine unscrewed the lid and ordered me to stand back, I was quick to obey.
Delphine splashed the liquid over the base of the wall. For a moment, nothing happened and then the stonework began to bubble and blister, emitting a faint hiss. I watched in astonishment as the solid wall crumbled away like a gingerbread cookie dunked in milk, until I was staring at a small gaping hole. If Waldo had been here to see this, I was sure the river bandit would have gone down on his knees to Delphine, offering up more body parts if only she would brew him some of this amazing potion.
Delphine regarded her handiwork ruefully. “I wish I could have made the hole bigger for you, but this wall is so ancient. I didn’t want to risk bringing a whole section caving down.”
“I am sure I can squeeze through there.” I managed to put on a nervous smile. “I guess it’s time for me to put my shoes back on.”
Bracing myself by leaning against the wall, I dusted any stray pine needles from my feet and eased them into the glass slippers. Delphine fretted her lip as she watched me.
“I’d give my claws and whiskers to be able to go with you,” she sighed.
“I know, but if you set off any of Mercato’s witch alarms, we’d all be finished. Don’t worry. I’ll be back with Mal before you know it.” I spoke with far more confidence than I was feeling. Sucking in a deep breath, I prepared to turn invisible.
But before I could disappear, Delphine cried, “Wait.” She flung her arms around my neck and gave me a fierce hug, whispering in my ear, “Be safe, Ella.”
Moved by the unexpected gesture, all I could do was nod. When she released me, I performed the ritual clicks to vanish. Without allowing myself to dwell on the dangers ahead of me, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled through the hole in the wall.
Twenty
Emerging on the other side, I climbed carefully to my feet. I no longer had Delphine’s lantern to guide me, but moonlight spilled over a barren landscape formed of black dirt and patches of weeds. Looking around me, I realized the wall I had just breached surrounded the prison yard. The ground sloped upward toward the massive fortress of the King’s Royal Prison.
The Dismal Dungeons was a more fitting name. Constructed of a rough gray stone, the rectangular building presented a grim aspect. The windows were no more than narrow slits, the parapets adorned with crenellations that resembled blunt ogre teeth. I could just make out the distant figures of guards patrolling the walkway. How many there were, I could not be sure, but it didn’t matter because I was invisible.
The slope of the prison yard was not steep but still presented a challenge to me in my high heels. My breath had quickened by the time I reached a gravel roadway that led from the prison to a small guard shack and a pair of iron gates set into the thick wall. I presumed this was the usual way of gaining access to the prison grounds for those who were unaided by witchcraft.
Two guards lingered outside the gatehouse, their uniforms nowhere near as dashing as Horatio’s. They were clothed in a fabric as dismal gray as the prison walls, their black helmets shaped like small cauldrons. If the effect was intended to make them appear menacing, it failed utterly. They more resembled a pair of drunken men who thought it a fine idea to parade around wearing their wives’ cooking pots.
Looking completely bored with their late-night shift, the two men shared the contents of a small flask while stealing wary glances to be sure their misconduct was not being observed. I should have been accustomed to my invisibility by now, but it still felt eerie, passing within yards without either of them being aware of my presence.
My heels crunched against the gravel, and I winced at the amount of noise I was making, but the guards remained oblivious, sneaking sips from the flask. Still, I kept a wary eye on them as I tried to walk on tiptoe. My attention was so focused on the men, I did not notice the real danger in front of me until something prickled against my hand. Something that felt like the bristles of a broom. Or more accurately the whiskers of an enormous aura cat.
My heart stopped as I stared down into a pair of large menacing yellow eyes. The beast was so close to me, I could see the veins pulsing beneath its furless hide, feel the heat of its breath. Smothering my gasp of alarm, I froze until I remembered an aura cat would not be deceived by my invisibility shoes.
As it eyed me, a low rumble issued from its throat. I backed slowly away, whispering hoarsely, “N - nice kitty. Good kitty.”
The aura cat flung back its head and roared. The sound masked my own cry of alarm. I suppressed my urge to turn and run, sensing that would be the worst possible thing to do. It wasn’t the first time I had ever encountered one of these ugly beasts, although on the other occasion, the aura cat had beenleashed on a stout chain held by its handler, Ned Wharton, the handsome young palace guard who had charmed Netta. This cat was much larger than Ned’s and completely unrestrained.
My knees quaked as I continued to retreat. The beast prowled after me, its snarls finally drawing the attention of one of the guards at the gate. I fervently hoped he might be inspired to come and take charge of the beast, but all he did was shout, “Mehitabel! Quiet! What are you on about? There’s nothing there, you silly beast.”
