“It’s my fault he is my enemy. I will make amends and he will forgive me when we are safe.”
The father said, “Some men do not forgive.”
As they stood regarding each other, Usilk made clumsy movements to rise to his feet, and stood gasping, resting his forehead against the wall.
“Father, I hardly can ask you this,” Yuli said. “For all I know, you are a Keeper. Will you come with us to the outer world?”
The eyes blinked rapidly. “Before my initiation, I felt I could not serve Akha, and I attempted once to leave Pannoval. But I was caught, because I was always one of the docile kind, and not savage like you.”
“You never forget my origins.”
“Oh, I envied savagery. I still do. But I was defeated; my wish was subverted by my nature. I was caught and treated—well, as to how I was treated, let me merely say that I also am a man who cannot forgive. That was long ago. Since then I have gained promotion.”
“Come with us.”
“I will remain here and nurse my injured leg. I always have my excuses, Yuli.”
Taking a stone from the floor, the father drew a sketch on the wall for Yuli, explaining an escape route to him. “It is a long journey. You must travel beneath the Quzint Mountains. You will find yourself at last not in the north but the more clement south. Stay well, and prosper.” Spitting on his hand, he erased the marks on his wall and tossed the stone into a corner.
Finding nothing to say, Yuli put his arms round the old man, so that his frail arms were pinned to his side, and hugged him. “We’ll go at once. Farewell.”
Usilk said, speaking with difficulty, “You must kill this fellow, kill him now. Or, as soon as we leave, he will give the alarm.”
“I know him and I trust him.”
“It’s a trick.”
“You and your damned tricks, Usilk. I won’t let you touch Father Sifans.” This was said in some agitation, as Usilk came forward and Yuli put out a detaining arm to keep him from the old priest. Usilk struck at his arm, and for a moment the two wrestled together, until Yuli pushed him off as gently as possible.
“Come on, Usilk, if you’re fit enough to struggle. Let’s go.”
“Wait. I see I’ll have to trust you, monk. Prove yourself true by freeing a comrade of mine. His name’s Scoraw and he worked with me at the fish pool. He’ll be in Cell 65. Also fetch a friend of mine from Vakk.”
Stroking his chin, Yuli said, “You’re in no position to dictate anything.” Every delay meant danger. Yet he saw that it was necessary to make some gesture to placate Usilk, if they were to agree at all. Sifans’ plan made it clear that they had a dangerous journey ahead.
“All right, Scoraw. I remember the man. He was your revolutionary contact?”
“Are you still trying to interrogate me?”
“Very well. Father, may Usilk stay here with you while I collect this Scoraw? Good. And who is the man in Vakk?”
A kind of smile moved briefly over Usilk’s broken face. “Not a man, a woman. My woman, monk. Name of Iskador, queen of archery. Lives at the Bow, Bottom Alley.”
“Iskador … yes, yes, I know her—I knew her once by sight.”
“Get her. She and Scoraw are tough. We’ll see how tough you are later, monk… .”
The father tweaked at Yuli’s sleeve, and said softly to him almost inserting his nose into Yuli’s ear. “My apologies, I have chanigged my mind. I do not dare to be left alone with this surly and stupid person. Please take him with you—you have my assurances I shall not leave my room.” He clutched fiercely at Yuli’s arm.
Yuli clapped his hands together. “Very well. Usilk, we go together. I’ll show you where you can steal a habit. Put it on, go and collect Scoraw. I will go down into Vakk and collect your girl, Iskador. We will meet at the inner corner of Twink, where there are two passages leading off, so that we can escape if necessary. If you and Scoraw do not come, I shall have to leave without you, knowing you have been captured. Is that clear?”