but now her whereabouts consumed his thoughts.
A shout of alarm from the next street was their first clue something was wrong. They pressed on through the winding streets, keeping a bleary eye out for Imperial soldiers.
‘There shouldn’t be this much smoke,’ said Marek, struggling not to cough.
‘Surely it can’t be much further.’ Kristofine said no more as Tikhoveter’s townhouse came into view. Tongues of fire spoke destruction from every window. The stones of the beautiful old house were blackened and Steiner guessed the wooden beams had surrendered during the fire. The roof had collapsed, no doubt killing anyone inside that hadn’t already burned to death. Dozens of neighbours stood in the street clutching buckets. They did their best to ferry water from the nearest well, but the blaze had done its fearsome work.
‘We need to go,’ said Marek quietly. ‘The Empire will be watching this place to see who comes calling.’
‘You don’t know it was the Empire that did this,’ said Kristofine, but she became silent as she caught Marek’s stern gaze. The old blacksmith disappeared into a side alley. Marek didn’t speak as he strode away, hands balled into fists. Kristofine held Steiner’s arm tightly.
‘Do you think Tikhoveter escaped?’
Steiner shrugged. ‘The Empire are thorough. When they take an interest in someone …’ He grimaced. ‘They usually end up dead.’
‘Will we end up like that?’ said Kristofine. ‘Burned in our sleep?’
‘They’ll be looking for me too,’ replied Steiner. ‘You’re only caught up in this because of me. If things get bad you start running and don’t stop. Understand?’
Kristofine looked at him from under her hood, neither nodding in agreement nor refusing his request. He wished she was on the ship with the others.
Marek led them to a canal at the edge of the city where an inn hunched low under a rickety roof. The low din of merchants could be heard from within, no doubt arguing about the day’s events and the losses they had suffered.
‘What are we doing here?’ asked Kristofine hopefully.
‘Change of heart,’ said Marek. ‘You two are dead on your feet, and I’m not much better. Smithing is one thing but dashing around takes its toll. We stay here tonight and set off in the morning with a proper meal in our bellies. It may be the last time we eat well for some time.’
‘That’s the first bit of good news I’ve heard all day,’ replied Steiner, shouldering the door open and stepping out of the rain.
‘Seems we all agree on something after all,’ said Kristofine as Marek held the door open for her.
The night at the inn was far from restful. There was a low rumble of conversation from the bar until closing time and occasional shouts from the city outside their window. Steiner took first watch, waiting outside their chamber door, watching for the Imperial soldiers he feared would surely come. Kristofine took a turn and Steiner was deeply asleep by the time Marek took a shift.
‘Is this how it’s going to be now?’ asked Kristofine the next morning as they packed their things. ‘Always looking over our shoulder for trouble?’ There was a stillness to her that Steiner hadn’t seen before, as if the gravity of their situation had settled on her shoulders overnight.
Marek nodded. ‘It’s been that way for us for some time now. Welcome to the family.’ He smiled but Kristofine didn’t laugh at the joke and Steiner felt a pang of guilt. He took her hand in his as Marek stepped out of the room.
‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered to her.
‘It’s not your fault,’ Kristofine replied, but her gaze was fixed on the floor. ‘When I left Cinderfell I simply wanted to be away from my father. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into.’
‘It is my fault,’ replied Steiner. ‘If we hadn’t spent the night together, the night before I was taken to Vladibogdan, then people in Cinderfell wouldn’t have suspected you of witchsign.’
‘Even if that hadn’t happened I’d still have had to flee Cinderfell. It’s not every day a man arrives on the back of a dragon and burns an Imperial ship to ashes.’ Finally she looked up and forced a brave sort of smile.
‘One day we’re going to find a place we can live without worrying about the Empire,’ said Steiner.
‘One day.’ Though the way Kristofine said it made Steiner wonder if that day would ever come.
They enjoyed a repast of warm porridge, hot tea, and dash of honey that made everything seem better. The canal was filled with boats that bumped up against one another. The air was filled with the sound of fraying tempers and stifled curses.
‘What’s happening?’ asked Kristofine.
‘People are trying to get their cargo out of town by canal now the port has closed,’ said Marek. ‘A lot of people, all with the same idea.’
Steiner took an anxious breath. An idea was starting to form. A woman passed them in the street and glanced at Steiner. There was a frozen moment as she recognised the three of them before she turned away. It was the Spriggani woman from Tikhoveter’s house. Steiner sprang forward and caught her by the arm.
‘Wait! What happened?’
‘What do you think happened!’ hissed the woman, one hand straying to her hood, making sure it stayed up. Now Steiner was closer he could see she had a pack on her back, just as they did. She too wore a cloak for the road and sturdy boots. ‘They killed Tikhoveter and waited nearby for you. I set fire to the house to warn you off.’
‘You set fire to your own house?’ said Kristofine.
‘I only stayed because he wanted me to. I’ve begged him to leave for Shanisrond for years but he couldn’t give up his old life.’ Her mouth creased with grief and tears shone at the corners of her eyes. ‘I think he liked the danger, but I didn’t need a hero. I just wanted a husband. Now I have neither.
‘I’m so sorry,’ said Marek. ‘Did he tell you anything before the soldiers came?’ The Spriggani woman blinked away her tears.
‘He was excited. Said he couldn’t believe it. The Emperor has learned of what happened on Vladibogdan and flew into a rage so terrible his own court feared to attend for three days.’
‘Did he mention any names?’ asked Steiner. ‘Anything about dragons?’
‘Dragons?’ The woman scowled as if he were simple. ‘How dare you speak to me of children’s stories now.’ She took Steiner by the hand, her grip hard and icy cold. ‘The greatest monster to stalk Vinterkveld is no dragon. The Emperor is by far the most dangerous creature to have ever lived.’ The woman looked away, her shoulders slumped as the energy drained out her, and then she walked away without farewell or a backwards glance.
‘We should follow her,’ said Kristofine. ‘If she’s headed to Shanisrond—’
‘No,’ said Steiner. ‘I made a promise to Kimi. I said I’d find a way to lead an uprising against the Empire. People are going to find out about Vladibogdan soon enough, they’re going to find out about the novices, and we need to tell people why these things are happening.’
‘Steiner, this is madness.’ Marek looked away. ‘We’ll be caught in no time at all and everything you’ve fought for will be for nothing.’
‘And if we don’t? Then what?’ Steiner struggled not to raise his voice. ‘How many more people like Tikhoveter will be killed? How many Yamali people, how many Spriggani will continue to suffer?’ Kristofine and Marek said nothing. ‘I’m going to catch a barge down river and start telling people what happened on Vladibogdan,’ said Steiner. ‘If you want to sail for Shanisrond’ – he shrugged – ‘I can’t stop you, but I’m headed for Slavon Province.’
Kristofine