‘Ravenna,’ she whispered. ‘Ravenna, wake up!’
The woman’s eyes opened. ‘What is it?” she asked sleepily.
‘Kiall sent me.’
‘Kiall?’ Ravenna yawned. ‘Is this a dream?’
‘No. Listen to me. I am here to take you from the city. Your friend Kiall has crossed the Steppes to rescue you. For pity’s sake, wake up and listen to me!’
The woman eased herself to a sitting position. ‘Kiall? The dreamer?’
‘The very same.’
‘We could never get away from here,’ whispered Ravenna. ‘There are guards everywhere.’
‘I got to you,’ argued Tanaki.
Ravenna winced and put a hand to her distended belly. ‘He kicks hard,’ she said, smiling. She was an attractive girl, Tanaki realised, but no beauty. Her chinline was too strong, her eyes too small. But her smile was radiant.
‘Get dressed, Ravenna. I will take you to Kiall.’
‘Why has he come for me? I don’t understand.’
‘Neither does he. Do you want to leave?’
‘You have no idea how much I want to leave. I hate this place, I hate these people. But most of all I loathe the Khan. May a thousand curses fall on his blood-line!’
‘Be careful what you wish for,’ snapped Tanaki. ‘Your babe is of that line.’
Ravenna looked instantly contrite. ‘I didn’t mean . . .’
‘Just get dressed,’ said Tanaki. Ravenna slipped into a long robe of soft blue-dyed wool and some silk shoes. ‘You have no cloak or walking shoes?’ Tanaki asked.
‘Why would I need a cloak in here? They never let us out.’
‘Follow me,’ said Tanaki, leading the woman out into the corridor. Ravenna moved slowly and Tanaki glanced back, her irritation growing, but there was nothing to be done. The pregnancy was well advanced, the swelling huge.
When they reached the door to the courtyard, Tanaki opened it a fraction and looked out. Two sentries were now patrolling the ramparts and she cursed.
‘What is it?’ asked Ravenna.
‘Guards. Two of them.’
‘Can we get past them?’
‘Not at the speed you move.’ She opened the door once more, watching the men, counting the seconds as the sentries passed by one another. Their only chance lay in moving as the warriors reached the angle of the walls, before they turned back. She watched them repeat the manoeuvre three times, then seized Ravenna’s arm. ‘Now!’ she hissed.
They moved from the doorway on to open ground and crept across the courtyard to the wall. ‘We’ll never get out,’ Ravenna whispered.
Keeping to the shadows, the two women edged closer to the postern gate. The sentries were directly above them now as Tanaki ran her hands over the gate-bolts. They were rust-covered and she cursed softly – and eased back the bolt. It moved no more than an inch, then creaked. Tanaki froze. But the guards had not heard and she moved it again. This time the bolt slid clear. Tanaki swallowed hard, took a deep breath and pulled open the gate. Glancing outside, she saw three guards were standing no more than twenty feet away. There was no way past them, and she could not kill them all.
Then she saw Chien-tsu. He walked across the open ground towards the guards and one of them turned and raised his spear. Suddenly the little warrior spun and launched a kick which cannoned against the sentry’s temple to send the man catapulting from his feet. A second guard fell with a knife in his throat. The third rushed at the Kiatze warrior, but Chien-tsu stepped aside from the thrust of the spear and rammed the blade of his hand into the man’s neck.
‘Swiftly now!’ said Tanaki, leading Ravenna into the open.
A sentry on the wall shouted an alarm as Chien raced to Ravenna, taking her arm and urging her to run. The trio made it to the first alleyway, ducking into the shadows. Ravenna was breathing heavily, her face deeply flushed. ‘I am sorry,’ she said, sagging against a wall. ‘I cannot run any further.’
They could hear the sounds of pounding feet in a parallel street, and the calls of the soldiers.
The trio moved on. Chien drew his curved sword and took the lead. The sound of the pursuing warriors faded away. ‘They are trying to cut us off from the main gates,’ said Tanaki. That’s good.’