With this remark, Britt cracked a smile and pushed him slightly, “You’re ridiculous.”
“What’s ridiculous is that you’re not on here,” Max whispered.
“Neither are Kirsten or Thomas,” she added.
Max pointed to the drawing of Rune, the man who’d helped them get to Brookside, “What’s it say about him?”
Britt leaned in close to read in the dark, “It says he’s a surgeon, and that he’s known to have led rebellious gatherings in protest of the imperial rule of his Lord Majesty, Merglan.”
“So, he is trustworthy,” Max said.
“Well, he did help us get to Solomon’s.”
“Speaking of whom, he should be on here,” Max said, again searching the board. “Yep, here he is,” as he pointed to the drawing of the old man with the thick gray beard and nappy hair.
“Does he really look that old?” she asked, staring at the drawing. When she saw Max frown, she nudged him, “What? When I do it, it’s not funny?”
Max turned, placed his back to the sign, and checked to see whether the coast was still clear. Britt felt slighted that she didn’t earn a laugh and heard him say, “You’ve got to pick your moments, my dear.” Then he was off, out into the open street.
Britt shook her head, smiled slightly at his lightheartedness, then followed him into Brookside.
They slid into door wells, edged around corners and snuck through the shadows, avoiding all lanterns and often crossing the street to remain out of sight. As they ventured through town toward the beach, where the aviary was located, Britt thought there should’ve been more people standing watch or moving about. The complete absence of watchmen raised concern.
Reaching the last row of buildings and homes near the dock area, Max tucked into a tight alleyway and Britt followed. The alley was so narrow that they had to walk with their shoulders at an angle to avoid scraping against the brick walls. Reaching the end, Max slowed and raised his palm to Britt, telling her to stay put.
Halting, she flattened herself against the wall and watched Max inch toward the edge of the alley. He leaned into the corner, peering out from the gap, but abruptly withdrew. He remained perfectly still, and Britt held her breath hoping no one would walk around the corner. After several long breaths, Max moved again and Britt relaxed slightly, silently cursing him for startling her. He peeked out several times, immediately retreating each time. After the sixth glance, he waved Britt forward.
Carefully edging herself up next to Max, Britt touched him lightly on the wrist. When he turned to meet her gaze, Britt widened her eyes expectantly. She wanted to know what he saw, but didn’t dare speak. Placing a finger to his lips, Max motioned for quiet and quickly rolled around her, suddenly standing with his back against the wall across from her. He nodded, urging her to look for herself.
As she tiptoed to the corner, her heart began to race with excitement. She carefully ducked in and out in one fluid motion. She caught a glimpse of the group of armed men Max had seen. Dressed in uniforms, they huddled at the end of the street, less than a half a block away.
Wanting a better look, she inched around until she could see them clearly, careful not to expose herself. She counted six men standing in a half-circle facing the ocean, overlooking the shipping area where porters and merchants unloaded goods. Their uniforms were a combination of leather and plate armor, allowing these men somewhat easier mobility than the average King’s soldier it would seem. With long broadswords at their sides, they looked to be a formidable group. Britt withdrew deeper into the alley and pointed the other direction.
Max shook his head and pointed out at the street where the armed men stood.
Britt narrowed her eyes and shook her head, then pointed back at the street where they’d come from.
Max firmly pointed toward the opposite way.
Britt motioned for them to swap places again. She wanted to go out the other way, not into the street where the soldiers could see them.
Max stepped back into the alley a ways and allowed Britt to scoot by. He then edged to the corner and looked out again. Britt watched Max carefully, he bobbed his head steadily, his inside hand counting one finger at a time, then balling up into a closed fist and starting over.
What’s he doing? Britt wondered. After a minute, Max turned back to face Britt and grabbed her by the wrist.
She just had time to look down at his hand when Max gripped her arm and darted out into the street, pulling her along with him.
Britt stumbled to keep up as they rushed out into the open. She wanted to go back to the safety of the alleyway, but it was too late. She ran just behind Max as he arced to the right. No, she thought, her heart sinking. That’s where they, she looked up to see that the armed men were no longer there. She didn’t understand. The men with swords were literally standing there a moment ago. Then she understood why Max was bobbing and counting. He must’ve known something about their movements and timed it so that when they moved, the two of them could run out.
Letting go of her hand, he stopped momentarily at the opposite side of the street along the edge of the last building before the docks. The cobblestone path separating Brookside’s port from the shoreline, extended in both directions. Britt glanced to the right. She saw the armed men turn and start down the next street over, the street that Britt had wanted to turn back to. If she had retreated to some other hiding place when they turned the corner, she would’ve been caught.
Max glanced up and down the shoreline and nodded. Again, they stepped out into the street running lightly along the stone path. Britt wasn’t sure how much of the night watchmen’s behavior Max knew of, but what he’d done just a moment ago impressed her. Stopping to glance down each cross street, Max and Britt continued to run the length of the shore until they reached the edge of town where the cobblestone path ended and the buildings began to spread thin. They rushed past the last building to a large tree just up from the beach. Britt was thankful that dense forest seemed to encircle the landside of Brookside. It provided excellent cover just outside the town’s limits.
Panting as they rested against the tree trunk, Britt asked, “How did you know?”
Max smiled, leaning over his knees to catch his breath, “If we had gone back, we would’ve been caught, right?”
“Yes, but how did you know that?” she asked again.
“Mostly a guess,” Max said.
Britt’s eyes widened, not believing he would risk their lives on a guess.
“When we first reached that corner in the alley, I could hear them walking. I popped my head around to see them come to a halt. They were headed toward the docks. When they stopped to chat, I had a feeling they would stay for a moment and then head off in the same direction. That’s when you caught a glimpse of them, when they had just stopped. And, well, I was right. They continued on in the same direction.”
Britt shook her head, “You’re gutsy, you know that?”
Max shrugged.
“So, where’s this aviary?” Britt asked, rising to a full stance, ready to continue.
Max pointed away from town, “You see the metal dome poking out above the trees there?”
Britt followed his mark and saw a rounded cage sticking above the trees just inland from the shoreline.
“When we get there, you’ll have to identify the bird. I don’t know the difference between one falcon and another. They’re all the same to me,” Max said.
Britt nodded, “No problem.”
