Equinox (Book One of the Firebird Chronicles) WATTY AWARD HIDDEN GEM WINNER 2015

Chapter Eighteen: Exposure

My thoughts began to whirl in alarm. Lord Dale was here! What did he want?

Was it coincidence he was here?

‘What can I do for you, my Lord? I did not think you would stay at an establishment such as this. I heard your mansion has its own, private, baths.’

I stood still in Sakura’s room, not daring to move. Even out of sight down the corridor, I feared Lord Dale could somehow sense my terrified thoughts.

‘And such an entourage. Is something wrong, my Lord?’ Morwena continued to talk extremely loudly. It was discomforting; almost as if she wanted to scare me.

And then it really did hit me; of course Morwena wanted me to hear. She was trying to warn me!

Kirsten was looking equally as fearful as I tugged on her arm.

‘We’ve got to get out of here,’ I said, but she looked uncertain.

‘He will know I work here,’ she said, ‘it wouldn’t be difficult to find out. It’s you he doesn’t know about. And it’s you who attacked him…’

I shrank away from the door once more as Lord Dale’s voice boomed.

‘This is an order! We are searching for a dark haired girl with purple eyes and black wings. She is wanted by the King. We are warranting a search for her.’

Kirsten’s eyes narrowed towards me at this. ‘Wanted by the King? Is that true?’

‘Could he be pretending?’ I dodged the question, and Kirsten looked thoughtful.

‘Yes, I suppose he could be,’ she said, peering once again around the corner. ‘Morwena’s stalling him. Where could we hide?’

‘Out the window!’ Iggy hissed.

‘My Lord, you can’t possibly inspect every room of this building!’ we all heard Morwena protest. Kirsten sucked in her breath.

‘He’s coming in the building!’ she said in a loud whisper. ‘What do we do?’

I crossed the room, and my hand flew towards the window pane, until I snatched my body away.

‘There’s guards outside!’ I cursed under my breath, loud enough for Iggy and Kirsten to hear.

‘Hide in the wardrobe?’ Iggy suggested uncertainly. Footsteps, marching, could be heard, and the sound of knocking on doors.

‘Open up! This is an order from the King! You must co-operate with a full search of your room!’

‘Shit,’ Iggy swore.

‘I can hear they’re on this corridor!’ Kirsten said faintly. ‘He can’t find you, Mina! If he does…we’re both dead!’

My heart hammered as the searches began. We could hear them through the walls; items being slammed and thrown, furniture overturned. Morwena’s voice, which made the occasional comment, was loud enough to guide us when they were coming closer.

‘All clear, my Lord!’

‘This one’s clear, my Lord!’

Ashen, Iggy shut and locked our door, placing his back to it.

‘Change into something, Mina,’ he said, ‘surely Sakura has make-up— we can make you look different—’

‘Which one of us can change a face, Iggy?’ Kirsten hissed. ‘That won’t work. These people aren’t stupid.’