Page 73 of His Noble Ruin

I gripped the parapet with my fingertips and looked up, my gaze landing on stars instead of stone. I hoisted myself up and over the battlement, dropping into the recessed walkway that ran the entire length of the wall. The ropes were tied to the raised parts of the battlements, the knots as secure as mine always were. I kept my rope attached but started to pull it upward.

“Almost there!” I called to Graham.

Only a few distant torches remained on the ground below. The rest had moved away from the house and into the streets, heading for the city gates.

Graham reached a trembling hand up to the edge of the wall. I grabbed his wrist and helped him over the parapet, but as soon as he stood beside me, he sank to his knees.

“I can’t believe I just did that,” he said. “And you! Do you climb this wall every day?”

“It wasn’t my first time,” I raised my voice to keep it above the wind.

“How did you know these ropes would be here?” Graham asked.

“Because I put them here,” I replied.

“How? And why in the grounds of the Third House?”

“It’s the farthest point to the west in this city. Closest to Tramore.” I looked out toward the sea.

Graham regained his breath and reached down for the other rope, starting to pull it up. Since it was twice the length as mine, it took a bit longer.

“Your hands,” he said, pointing to the deep red lines in my palms. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, lying to him for what must’ve been the hundredth time. “I don’t even feel it.”

He took the rope from me and pulled it the rest of the way up. Then we dropped the end down the other side of the wall, peering into the darkness. Graham stood and reached toward me. After a moment’s hesitation, I let him take my right hand and pull me to my feet.

The city stretched on for miles to the east and a waning moon floated over the horizon. The wind howled, whipping against us with enough power to take us off the wall if we weren’t careful. It carried the scents of salt, wet dirt, and the sea. The shapes of windows lit the scene below, but it was the pinpoints of light from the sky that made me feel like I was flying. The blanket of clouds had cleared out to reveal the beauty beyond.

Graham’s grip tightened on my hand. “This feels like a nightmare.”

“It makes me feel alive,” I said.

I turned my back to the city. The wind lifted my hair as it rushed toward the misty black ocean. Between the wall and the western shore lay the geometric lines of farmland. The anticipation of escaping energized me, and I itched to move forward, or more accurately, downward.

“Ready for more?” I asked.

“No,” he said, “but I’m desperate to get down from here.”

I realized Graham still held my hand and pulled it away. “You go first this time.”

“This is going to be even harder, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Nah. Going down is easy.” I didn’t believe a word I was saying. “If you fall, at least you’ll go in the right direction.”

“That’s not very comforting.”

I gave him the most reassuring smile I could muster. “We’ll have to share a rope this time since mine isn’t long enough anymore. Would you rather go first or second?”

Graham thought for a moment. “First. That way, if I fall, I’m the only one.”

“Actually . . . if that’s your reason,” I said, “then I’m going first. More motivation for you not to kill us both.”

“You sure?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, though I wasn’t.

He nodded, his mouth tight. “Okay.”

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