Cage of Destiny Read online

  She had no idea where the Bilarie Market was located or if it was even open at this hour. Growling in frustration, she ran. While she knew the layout of Lakeside fairly well, Emperor’s City was another matter entirely. The family came here once a year, and when they did, Allyssa rarely ventured into the city. Her mother always complained about the heat, the sand, and the lack of color. Allyssa understood that; however, this was where Emperor Hamen had been killed, so she suspected there were other reasons for Rema to avoid this place. They only came here out of duty because this was the largest city in Emperion and the hub of all trade.

  An expansive harbor bordered the west side of the city. Since she’d entered the city on the south side, the ocean was to her left. The market could be anywhere. The sky continued to lighten. She took note of the sun’s placement to determine how much time passed.

  Up ahead, a man exited a building, a burlap sack slung over his shoulder.

  “Excuse me,” she called out.

  The man stopped, giving her a curious glance. His scarf hung under his chin, allowing her to see his face.

  “Do you know where the Bilarie Market is located?”

  He chuckled. “You ain’t from around here, are ya?”

  She stopped ten feet away from him, realizing her mistake. Commoners didn’t speak so articulately. Grevik always made fun of the way she spoke. “No. I’m visiting my uncle. He asked me to help sell his goods at the market, but I slept in. He’s going to wallop my arse if I don’t get there soon.” She held her breath, hoping the man bought her lie.

  He eyed her suspiciously, probably assessing her outfit and trying to decide where she was from. Were her clothes nondescript enough? Too nice?

  She smiled sweetly. “Please? He’s the only family I have left. If I don’t pull my weight, he won’t let me stay with him.”

  The man finally nodded. “The Bilarie Market is on the northwest side of the city. It’s a good five miles from here.”

  She thanked him and took off running.

  Anger seeped into her pores. Nathenek had sent her on an impossible task. Two hours to go five miles through a crowded city, steal half a dozen tangerines, and then find the guard station where the soldiers who policed the city were based. He wanted her to fail. Well, she wouldn’t. She would complete this task no matter what.

  Pumping her legs, she ran faster, knowing she’d have to maintain this pace to make it there and have enough time to find the right merchant to steal from. The one with the red awning. If they all had red awnings, she’d pummel Nathenek when she saw him.

  Chapter Three

  After a solid hour of running, Allyssa finally found the Bilarie Market. She had to stop three times to ask for directions. It ended up being the smallest market in the city, the one not everyone knew about, and the one that sold predominantly fish. Fish. And she was supposed to steal tangerines.

  With her hands on her thighs, she bent over. Panting, she tried to catch her breath, sweat dripping down her face and back. It had been a while since she’d run that far, that fast. That, coupled with the twists and turns she constantly had to make in these cramped city streets, made the run here difficult.

  Someone bumped into her. She stood and started walking, not wanting her legs to cramp. Seagulls flew above, squawking. Merchants lined both sides of the street, selling goods from carts. The market’s vibrant colors were a welcome sight after running along the streets with tan buildings jam-packed together. Unfortunately, the smell was not. Some of the fish made Allyssa gag. She needed a scarf to wrap around her face to ward off the stench. Given the early hour, there were a surprising amount of people buying goods.

  The sun crested the hill in the distance, casting the market in a bright light. In a few hours, the heat would be unbearable and the smell atrocious. Unable to tell if the merchants were organized in any particular order, Allyssa went to the closest one. “Tangerines?”

  “You must not be from around here,” the man said. “This is a fish market.” He wiped his hands on his soiled apron. Like many of the people who lived in Emperion, he had lighter skin, blond hair, and blue eyes.

  Suddenly feeling uncomfortable and out of place, Allyssa hurried down the street, acutely aware of her darker skin, brown hair, and brown eyes that came from her father’s heritage. Traditionally, royalty held those traits. However, over the past few decades, that had slowly started to change. Rema’s blonde hair and blue eyes, typically traits of the lower class, were a constant reminder of her colorful past. Rema’s commoner ancestor had married a prince, blending the two cultures together, forever changing the course of history.

  Not having time to be overly concerned with her appearance, Allyssa scanned the market. There had to be two dozen red awnings—far too many to go to each one asking if they sold tangerines. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm and think logically. Nathenek sent her on this mission for a reason. Darmik would tell her to observe her surroundings and not to jump into anything without thinking it through first. Running around seeking out fruit in a fish market would make her stand out. When she stole the tangerines, merchants would remember her and be able to identify her as the thief. Deception was the key.

  Stopping at the next red awning, she casually asked the elderly woman when the salmon was caught.

  “My son just brought it in this morning,” the woman said with a smile, two teeth missing.

  Allyssa doubted the salmon was caught this morning; yesterday maybe, but she didn’t push the matter. “My sister hates fish,” she mused. “Mum wants me to make a sauce for it. What do you recommend?”

  “Add spices. I have several that will help mask the strong flavor.” She bent over and started pulling out jars of spices from below the table.

  “Spices are too expensive,” Allyssa said as another customer arrived, garnering the woman’s attention. She used the distraction to leave, heading toward the next red awning, forcing herself to walk slowly so she wouldn’t stand out. This cart was loaded with shrimp. Continuing, she acted like she had done this a hundred times, trying not to panic at the rising sun. Time was running out.

  Just when she was about to reevaluate the likelihood of completing the seemingly impossible task, she smelled it. Citrus. There were only two red awnings within twenty feet. She went to the closest one, not seeing anything of importance. When she went over to the second one, she saw three boys with similar faces manning the goods. They had to be brothers.

  The youngest one, maybe fourteen, smiled at Allyssa as she approached. “Care for some fish, ya?” he asked.

  She smiled and shook her head. “I don’t care much for fish.”

  The boy laughed. “Then why are you at a fish market?”

  The oldest boy tended to another customer while the middle one rearranged the fish.

  “My mum sent me,” she said, trying to speak like a commoner. “What’s your name?”

  “Jarak. These are my brothers. The oldest one is Krek, and this one is Larek.”

  The boys had blond hair and blue eyes, a reminder she didn’t fit in.

  “Well, Jarak,” she drawled, attempting to be friendly. “I don’t suppose you have something other than fish?” She forced her smile to remain in place so he wouldn’t suspect her of treachery.

  He crossed his arms, eyeing her. “Why do you ask?”

  “I can smell citrus. I thought maybe I could buy a tangerine to ward off the awful smell of fish stinking up my clothes. If I don’t arrive home with my chores done, my mum will wallop my arse, and I smell so bad I can’t go on like this.”

  The other customer left. The oldest boy, Krek, said, “She giving you trouble, Jarak?”

  Larek laughed. “Of course she is. The pretty ones always give him trouble. Since he’s the youngest, he’s the easiest to dupe.”

  Allyssa’s eyes narrowed. Larek appeared to be her age, and Krek a year or two older than that. “Are you boys allowed to man the cart? You look a little young to handle the responsibility. After all,
how do I know that once I hand over my money, you’ll be able to give me the correct amount of change?”

  Jarak snorted and elbowed Larek.

  “What do you want?” Krek asked.

  “I want to buy a tangerine.”

  Jarak pulled out a tangerine from a basket below the cart. “Your nose led you to the right place. We use them on the fish. Gives it a nice flavor.”

  Larek hit his brother on the head. “Don’t go waving that around.”

  “Why not?” Allyssa asked.

  All three boys looked at her as if she were a daft cow. Glancing behind her, she noticed the street was packed with people.

  Jarak furrowed his brows. “Since tangerines are expensive, my brother is afraid someone is going to steal them. Only our richest customers can afford them.”

  Oh. Well then. How was she going to steal them? Three sets of eyes watched her. She didn’t have a single coin on her body and was at a loss for words. If Grevik were here, he’d cause a distraction so she could steal them. Maybe she could manufacture a distraction of her own.

  The oldest boy’s cheeks were tinged with red. How had she missed this before? Batting her eyelashes, she took a step to her right, closer to him. “Have I seen you before?” she asked, attempting to flirt. Bloody hell, she sucked at this.

  “Um,” he stammered. “I don’t know.”

  Even though she knew little about the city due to her mother’s aversion to it, she knew all children were encouraged to attend school. “You look old enough to have chosen a profession.”

  His cheeks turned even redder. “I’m apprenticing to take over for my father. He owns this cart.”

  Another customer approached, and Larek slapped Krek on the back. He then proceeded to help the man, allowing Allyssa and Krek to resume talking.

  She sidled around the side of the cart, closer to Krek. Below the cart, there was a single basket filled with tangerines. Nathenek had told her to steal six. Carrying that many would be difficult.

  “I am also apprenticing for my father,” she said. “He owns a bakery.” Reaching up, she made sure the undershirt below her tunic was tucked into her pants.

  “Oh? Which one?”

  Blimey. She should have thought of a name before she said that. “I… I need to buy some fish and return home to my mum. Um, how much for that one there?” She pointed at a white filet, having no idea what type it was. When Krek leaned forward to see which one she meant, she kicked the basket so it toppled over, spilling the tangerines. They rolled all over the place.

  “Blasted!” He knelt and started frantically picking them up.

  Allyssa bent down to help him. “I have to get going. How about I clean up while you wrap the fish for me?”

  “Yeah, okay. Make sure you get them all. My dad will be furious if any are lost or stolen.”

  “I’ll be careful to get them all.” Guilt washed over her. She couldn’t even look Krek in the eyes. When he stood, she shoved one down her shirt, her hands shaking. Picking up more, she put them in the basket. What was she doing? She didn’t even have money for the fish. How would she get out of this mess? Putting a tangerine under her chin, she picked up half a dozen more, placing them in the crook of her arm. As she put them in the basket, she slid another one down her shirt. She did the same thing again and again, hoping no one realized what she was doing. Nathenek said she needed six. So far, she’d managed to get four into her shirt. She reached under the cart for more.

  Jarak bent down to help her. “Get those ones over there,” Allyssa said, pointing behind him. When he turned around, she slid the last two down her shirt. He plopped the tangerines in the basket. She reached for the last one, grabbing it before Larek accidentally stepped on it, and put it in the basket.

  “I think that’s all of them,” Jarak said, standing. He reached a hand down to help her up.

  She had to make sure her tunic concealed the bulging fruit sitting around her waist. No doubt another aspect of Nathenek’s ridiculous test.

  “Here’s your fish,” Krek said. “Are you okay?”

  She shook her head, still kneeling on the ground. “I’m going to vomit.”

  “Don’t do it here,” Jarak said. “No one will buy our food if you do.”

  “I’ll… be… right… back.” She crawled away from the cart, her arm wrapped around her waist, trying to keep the tangerines in place and praying no one saw the bulges under her clothes.

  “She’s probably with child,” Larek mumbled.

  Allyssa coughed, unable to believe they’d think such a thing. However, it could work in her favor. Crawling into the alley a few feet away, she pretended to throw up. The boys made noises of disgust, turning away from her. Knowing she wouldn’t get a better chance, she stood and ran, not daring to look back.

  Guilt consumed her. She’d just stolen from that family. Damn Nathenek and his stupid task. One day, she would pay those boys back for what she’d stolen. Turning the corner, she slowed, not wanting to attract attention. Based on the position of the sun, she had about twenty minutes to reach the guard station in the center of town.

  Now that she had committed a crime, it felt as if everyone was watching her. That somehow they knew she was dishonest. Needing to get as far away from the market as she could, she headed south.

  Up ahead, a woman with three children hanging on her legs dropped her jug of water. Allyssa rushed over, picking the jug up and handing it to her.

  “Thank you,” the woman said.

  “Can you tell me the quickest way to the guard station?”

  “Is everything all right?” the woman asked.

  “Yes. I’m meeting someone there.”

  One of the kids started screaming for his mother’s attention. “Head down that street.” She pointed to her left before readjusting the jug of water to her right hip and picking up the boy, placing him on her left hip. The other two children still hung on her legs. “After eight blocks, turn left. You should run right smack into it.”

  Allyssa thanked the woman and hurried on her way. After two blocks, a prickly sensation coated her skin. She glanced over her shoulder and saw two men following her. She quickened her pace. The street became crowded and maneuvering around people was difficult. The men drew closer.

  She turned into the nearest alleyway, running to the opposite end. On the next street, she frantically searched the buildings until she spotted a ladder hanging on the side of one. Running over to it, she climbed as fast as she could, not knowing if the two men still pursued her. She jumped onto the roof and sprinted to the other side.

  The last time she’d run on a rooftop like this, she’d been chasing a thief with Grevik. Not wanting to get emotional right now, she pushed those thoughts aside.

  The end of the building came into view. There was a four-foot gap to the next building. She could jump four feet. She’d jumped farther. Pumping her legs faster, she hit the edge and launched into the air, landing with a jolt on the adjacent rooftop. After making sure she still had the tangerines, she took off running. The rooftop had lines of laundry strewn throughout that provided a decent amount of coverage. The sun glared overhead, the air becoming sticky and hot.

  The guard station was a large building, standing taller than those around it, making it easy to spot in a city where almost everything looked identical.

  The end of the rooftop came into view, and she jumped, landing better this time. In three buildings, she’d have to climb down and traverse the rest of the way on the streets since she needed to head east and the distance between the buildings in that direction was too great to jump.

  A shout rang out behind her, and she glanced back. Two men still chased her. Not having the time to stop and confront them, she continued. Nathenek was probably already at the guard station waiting for her. Expecting her to fail. Well, she’d show him. Her shirt came loose and a tangerine slid down her pants leg. She stopped and pulled her shirt out, tying it in a knot around her stomach, securing the remaining tangerines in
place. The men were only one building away. Grabbing the fallen fruit, she shoved it down her shirt and started running again. Sweat dripped down her forehead. At the edge of the next building, she found the ladder and descended it as fast as her legs could carry her. Back on solid ground, she spun in a circle, trying to get her bearings, needing to go east. That was to the left. She ran.

  After two more blocks, she frantically searched for the guard station, not seeing it anywhere.

  “Guard station?” she asked the crowd around her.

  A man passing by pointed to his left. She ran that way until the guard station came into view. Skidding to a halt, she panted, trying to catch her breath. Standing on the steps leading to its entrance was one of the men who had been chasing her.

  Chapter Four

  What was he doing on the steps of the guard station and how had he arrived before Allyssa? Scanning the faces around her, she searched for Nathenek, not seeing him anywhere. She backed up, seeking an alcove to hide in, and bumped into someone.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, turning around and looking into the eyes of her second pursuer. Blimey. They’d split up, and she hadn’t even realized it. Her error.

  The man smiled and shoved her forward, toward the guard station. “You gave us quite a chase,” he said.

  She considered fighting him but thought better of it. The goal was to find Nathenek, not create a scene. They crossed the street. Although not familiar with this facility, she was used to delivering prisoners to the City Guard in Lakeside and had a general idea of what to expect. They joined the other pursuer and went inside. The room was dark, lit only by a few candles. A man in his thirties sat behind a desk littered with papers.

  “Prisoner for processing,” the man escorting her said.

  Allyssa withheld her laughter. She was not a prisoner.

  “Crime?” the man behind the desk asked, looking her over. He tilted his head to the side, and she wondered if he recognized her.