Chapter 455: The Empty Streets

Chapter 454: The Empty Streets

Lyria’s POV

The morning was, in simple terms, a state of considerable disorder.

I woke later than I ordinarily should have, as did every other soul in our party, for the weariness of the previous day had settled deep into our very bones. Yet the true difficulty lay not in our lateness, but in the fact that the maids and valets possessed no source whatsoever of necessity — neither water, nor brooms, nor any other supply required for the most basic of comforts.

Pippa had gone below stairs, as the innkeeper had instructed us the previous night, to fetch cleaning supplies.

She returned bearing a single broom.

One broom, old and worn, its bristles splayed, its handle cracked clean through.

Elara then suggested that we might at the least procure water, that I might wash and make myself presentable. But there were no basins to be found anywhere, and the innkeeper herself was nowhere to be seen. She had vanished entirely, as had Obadiah, Cadmus, and Thaddeus. We were left quite alone in the establishment, with nothing but dust and dirt for company.

It was then that Tommy came rushing down the stairs, his countenance pale with alarm.

"His Grace is not in his chamber!" he said to Robin and Dorian, though I heared him well enough myself.

Robin groaned aloud.

"Why does he persist in doing this?" he asked.

"Ought we not search for him?" Tommy asked.

"His Grace is no child, Tommy."

"I know that well enough, but this is unfamiliar ground — what if—"

"Tommy," Dorian said sharply, "I am entirely certain His Grace is capable of looking after himself. He shall return in due course."

I knew well enough that Duke Valenridge possessed a certain fondness for slipping away unannounced, but I confess I had begun to suspect there was rather more to the matter, given the manner of his guards and valet.

"Tommy, cease behaving as though His Grace cannot care for himself," Duke Thorncrest said, with a laugh. "I should suppose he has merely gone out for a stroll."

"I quite agree," I said, with a nod. "I am c-certain His Grace has s-simply taken a s-stroll. There seems n-no cause for a-alarm."

Tommy regarded me quietly, then nodded, though I could still perceive the worry lingering upon his countenance.

And though that matter was thus settled, there remained another to be addressed — Corvin.

He was now raising a considerable fuss regarding the state of our lodgings, a continuation, I daresay, of his complaints from the previous night.

"This treatment," he announced, "is unbecoming of a man of my station entirely. I am a Marquess. I am not accustomed to sleeping upon chairs, nor to washing in basins that do not exist, nor to being ignored by innkeepers who have no business ignoring any soul whatsoever, least of all a gentleman of my own rank."

I confess that, in part, he spoke truly enough.

Such treatment was indeed unbecoming of his station.

But rather than give myself over to complaint, I resolved we ought instead to proceed forward, for this was the whole purpose of our undertaking here. And so I changed quickly out of my sleeping robes, and informed my maids of my intention to see to it personally that we obtained cleaning supplies, and water besides.

They were, to put the matter plainly, dismayed.

"Your Highness," Margery began, "surely you need not—"

"I s-shall not argue the m-matter," I said. "We c-cannot remain in this s-state. I shall g-go myself and procure what we r-require."

Just as I prepared to depart, Lucian appeared.

He approached me, his countenance composed despite the whole chaos of the morning.

"Your Highness," he said. "Might I be so bold as to request a walk in your company?"

I understood at once that he carried intelligence for me — perhaps regarding what Isaac had learned — and so I nodded.

"I s-shall return the m-moment I have secured our b-basic necessities, though I m-must suggest you a-all remain h-here until I do."

"You cannot simply command us to remain here as though we were children," Corvin said. "I am a—"

"Should you have f-forgotten, my lord," I said, quite calmly, "this c-competition places m-me in charge. Need I r-remind you once m-more of our respective r-ranks?"

"What has rank to do with the matter?" he asked. "I contest the position in which we have been left, and I do not recall this competition having placed you in charge, Your Highness — I say this with all due respect."

"N-nor do I r-recall your having been p-placed in c-charge, my lord, for a-are you not m-merely the lord who s-switched teams?" I asked him.

Corvin stared back at me, quite shocked.

"And t-to refresh your m-memory, my lord — each person present was s-selected by myself, which m-makes me t-the leader of this undertaking. I s-shall not tolerate d-disrespect," I continued, "nor any a-attempt by any soul to d-disrupt this t-task."

I paused, then added, loudly:

"No soul is to l-leave this establishment until I r-return, and that is f-final."

I looked directly at Corvin.

"That r-rule applies to you m-most particularly, my lord, for I f-fear what dangers you might r-run into, should you c-choose otherwise."

Corvin’s mouth hung open, for he was plainly shocked that I had spoken so, and in the presence of others besides, I rather suspected.

"Since I am the team’s supervisor," Daniel said, "I ought properly to accompany you."

I turned to him.

"What, p-precisely, is your r-role?"

"To supervise," he said.

"D-do tell — to s-supervise what?"

"The task."

"The t-task," I said, "has not yet c-commenced. So what, p-precisely, are you s-supervising at present?"

Daniel opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"I am only a-attempting to procure c-cleaning supplies," I said, "p-perhaps even food, and w-water besides. I d-do not see that this falls under any p-part of the competition you are m-meant to oversee. O-or does it?"

He was quiet a long while.

Then he shook his head.

"No, Your Highness. I apologise. I spoke out of turn."

I nodded, and then walked out of the establishment with Lucian at my side.

We walked some while in silence, the streets of Gallowshill stretching before us, empty and still. The houses we passed were in a sorry state indeed — their roofs caved in, their walls cracked through, their windows shattered to pieces. The earth beneath our feet remained exceedingly soggy, water pooling still in the ruts and hollows left by the hailstorm.

At length, I exhaled.

Lucian laughed softly.

"That took no small toll upon you, I should think."

"It d-did," I admitted. "But it h-had to be done. If I d-do not exert my own a-authority over them, I shall be w-walked over entirely. And d-dare I say, f-fail in this t-task altogether."

"I must confess," he said, "I rather enjoyed watching you put such gentlemen in their place, though I must also raise my concern that you take proper care."

I nodded. I knew this well enough — but how much caution was sufficient, and how much proved too much?

"R-rather than dwell upon that," I said to him, "I s-suspect you carry i-intelligence for me. Isaac was the man you s-sent ahead, was he n-not?"

Lucian nodded.

"According to what he related to me," he said, "matters may prove rather more difficult than we had supposed."

I listened in silence as he recounted all that Isaac had told him, my gaze fixed upon the houses we passed, upon the destruction surrounding us on every side. And though Isaac had not himself been sent ahead with me, the mere sight of this devastation was proof enough of how greatly this town stood in need of aid.

I noticed, too, the emptiness of the streets.

There was not a soul to be seen. No townspeople, no children at play. The streets lay deserted, the houses silent, the windows dark. It was as though the whole town had risen up and departed, vanished into the mist, leaving nothing behind but ruin.

I paused.

"W-where is e-everyone?" I asked.

Lucian turned to me.

"Follow me," he said. "I have caught certain scents upon the air, though they lie some distance off. I suspect the people have gathered somewhere apart from the main streets."