Hillel pulled away, still clutching Lia’s hands. “When are we to leave? Tonight?”

Lia was dazed at the response, confused by her initial reaction. She was wary though, her experience with betrayal reminding her of how uncertain friendship appeared to be. “I do not know. We must be cautious, for the tide prevents any rash departures. Look at you though. How changed you are.”

The other girl nodded in agreement. “They took all of my clothes, Lia. They promised to launder them, but said they were ruined by the salt air and brought me these instead. I feel ashamed to be wearing it, but I have nothing else. More than anything, I long to be away from this place. We must go immediately. Do you have a way out? A way to escape?”

Lia nodded mutely.

“Will you tell me?”

There was that feeling of uneasiness again. Lia shook her head. “The plan is still being formed. I needed to find you and see that I could reach you. It would be best if we could leave in the early morning. The city sleeps late and there would not be many witnesses.”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Yes, we must go. Have you told Colvin yet? Why am I asking that. Of course you have told him. He was so different today, and I could not reason why. There was a look in his eye – a hope that I had not seen earlier. Do you know what has happened, Lia? The Earl of Dieyre is here!”

“I know – it is impossible how quickly he travels. He came on my heels.”

She nodded, her face flushing with emotion. “He brought word from my uncle. I am to marry the king and heal the rift between our factions. The deal was struck and my uncle said he was coming.”

“It is a lie,” Lia said. “I left your uncle a few days ago. Dieyre was a prisoner in Pent Tower and managed to escape. It is all a web of lies.” Lia gripped her shoulders. “The Blight is coming. It is coming by Twelfth Night. There are only a few more days to leave before it strikes, and it strikes here first. We must be gone.”

“I know,” Hillel said, nodding. “Colvin and I must go. I do not want to marry the king. I have delivered the message, but they do not believe it. They think the Aldermaston of Muirwood has invented the tale of the Blight to frighten us all. They say so much about him here. The Aldermaston of Dochte – he said that he will wait until the High Seer of Avinion rules on the matter. He says that Muirwood will be stripped of its Aldermaston and a new Aldermaston will come to power. Did you know this?”

Lia bit her lip, trying to force down her anger. “I met him. I know who they will put in his place. The kingdoms are unraveling like seams when the threads are pulled out. We must get to the ships, Ellowyn. We must leave these shores.”

There was a firm nod of agreement. “Yes, we must. But first we must go to Billerbeck Abbey. Colvin wishes to see his Aldermaston one last time and warn him to flee. We will try and persuade him to come with us. The Aldermaston of Muirwood too, if he is not ailing.”

“Very well,” Lia said, still uncertain how to interpret Hillel’s actions and her words. “There is a secret way out of this tower.”

“The steps, yes…I have seen them. They lead to the gardens below.”

There was something in her eyes – something that made Lia wary. “Have you…been to the garden?”

“Goodness, no! The steps are so narrow and there is no railing. It terrifies me to think of it. But the Medium has whispered to me that my escape lies that way. That I must brave the steps if I am to escape. There are woods beyond the gardens, down the slopes of the hill. I have heard that there are snakes in the woods. Poisonous snakes. With a hunter, I will not be afraid to face them. And with Colvin there.” She said it with a blushing smile.

Lia had a thought. An idea struck a chord within her. “Can you get a message to Colvin?”

Hillel smiled demurely. “I will see him shortly.”

“Tell him we will leave tomorrow night. I will come for him first and then we will get you. During the fete, I want you to feign illness and come back to your room before midnight. That will give us more time to get away before the dawn. Dismiss your ladies in waiting. Can you arrange that for tomorrow night?”

“Yes, but where will we go? Do you have a ship waiting for us? They would hunt us, I am sure. We must be able to get away quickly.”

“Leave that to me.”

The girl nodded with enthusiasm. Her hand touched Lia’s shoulder. “I am so grateful you came, Lia. More grateful than I can say. I will be waiting for you tomorrow night. Let me go and warn Colvin. I know he is anxious to depart.”