R. Anderson - Swift

Yet to free a prisoner that the Joan had condemned to death, and lead him to the surface through tunnels that no one but a piskey had ever been allowed to see — it was unthinkable, unforgivable. If Ivy were caught, it would not only bring disgrace on her entire family, but she’d probably be executed as well.

I can’t, her mind cried out, I can’t do this, there has to be another way. But it was too late for that. First she’d healed Richard, then she’d fed him, and now she’d freed him from his chains. And she’d promised to help him get out of the Delve.

Ivy drew a deep breath, willing herself strong. Then she hefted Flint’s thunder-axe up onto her shoulder and said, ‘All right. Come with me.’ seven

If carrying the thunder-axe down the shaft had been hard for Ivy, getting it back up was even more of a challenge. Growing a couple of hand-spans taller made the pick a lighter burden, but it also made her heavier — not to mention putting more strain on the rope. She’d only climbed a little way before she had to shrink to her customary size, and by the time she reached the iron railing she was wheezing.

‘I’m up,’ she panted to Richard as she clambered over, making her glow as bright as she dared so that he’d have enough light for his own climb. ‘Tie the rope around your waist, and I’ll-’

But Richard was already pulling himself up the shaft towards her, feet braced wide on the rock. His strength surprised Ivy — if he could manage such a climb even in his weakened state, how strong had he been before? But when he reached the railing he stopped, leaning back on the rope.

‘That’s iron,’ he said flatly. ‘I can’t touch it.’

‘You have to,’ she whispered, but he shook his head.

‘Touching iron’s like an electric shock to a faery — it doesn’t just take away our magic, it hurts. It can even knock us unconscious. If I grab it, I may not be able to hang on.’ He shifted his footing on the rock and reached a hand up towards her. ‘I’ll have to jump as high as I can, and let you pull me over.’

This was ridiculous, thought Ivy. They’d never get out of the Delve at this rate. Still, there was nothing else but to try it, so she leaned as far over the railing as she could and gripped his hand in her own.

‘One,’ mouthed Richard, crouching against the rock. ‘Two. Three- ’

He sprang upward, while Ivy braced her feet against the railing and hauled with all her might. The iron groaned as Richard’s weight landed on it, then blazed white as it touched skin. He gasped and convulsed — but in the same moment Ivy dragged him over, and the two of them landed in a heap on the floor of the adjoining tunnel.

‘ Ow,’ Richard breathed, rolling away from her and pressing one hand to his stomach. Dizzy with relief, Ivy sat up and crawled over to the railing to untie her rope. She coiled it up, slung it across her body and reached for the thunder-axe again.

‘Come on,’ she told him. ‘We’ve got a long way to go.’

‘This is incredible,’ murmured Richard. ‘Is that silver?’

She’d told him to stay close and put his hand on her shoulder, so she could keep her glow dim. Not only because she feared they’d be seen if she shone more brightly, but because no outsider should ever see the treasures of the Delve. Unfortunately, the faery’s night-vision was a lot better than she’d thought. ‘Stop it,’ she hissed, quickening her pace. ‘Keep your eyes down.’

He obeyed, or at least kept silent, until they turned the next corner. But then he made a disbelieving noise, and Ivy knew what he’d just seen — the thousands of tiny gemstones embedded into the tunnel walls. Only total darkness could have hidden them, and she didn’t dare extinguish her light or they’d never get anywhere at all. But hearing Richard’s intake of breath and slow, wondering exhale made Ivy feel even more like a traitor than before.

She hugged the thunder-axe closer, arm muscles burning with the strain of carrying the heavy pick so long. She didn’t dare try shifting it to a more comfortable position — if she dropped it, the crash would be loud enough to wake the whole Delve. Richard might be willing to take it from her, but she hated to appear weak, and she didn’t trust him enough yet to hand him something he could use as a weapon. Besides, she was almost home now, so she’d be able to put it down soon enough…

She’d only taken a few more steps when a loose stone spiked into her heel, throwing her off-balance. With a gasp Ivy staggered sideways, bumping into the tunnel wall. The thunder-axe’s head tipped away from her, and she felt the haft twist out of her grip -

Richard leaped forward, his hands locking over hers and catching the pickaxe a mere hand-span from the floor. For a few uneven heartbeats the two of them stared into each other’s eyes, breathing hard. Then Ivy drew herself upright, gave him a shaky nod, and hefted the pick again.

By the time they reached her family’s cavern, all Ivy’s nerves were jangling. Little shivers ran over her skin as she crept inside to put the rope away and prop the thunder-axe in place, and she felt horribly sure that at any moment Mica or Cicely would fling open their curtains and confront her. When her brother stirred and mumbled just as she was lowering the pick to the floor, she had to clamp her teeth shut on a scream. But then the familiar snore started up again, and she managed to quell her panic and carry on.

‘Done it,’ she whispered to Richard as she slipped out, easing the door closed behind her. Then she grabbed his arm and hurried up the corridor. She couldn’t bear to creep and skulk any more; it was too unnerving. Better to make a bold rush for the exit than waste any more time on secrecy.

They’d just passed the Narrows and were starting up the Hunter’s Stair when Richard seized her wrist and jerked her to a stop. Shocked by his rudeness, Ivy was just about to order him to let go when she heard it. Voices.

There was no time to discuss a plan. Leaping down the stair, Ivy pulled Richard into the only hiding place she could find — a shallow curve of the tunnel, barely wide enough for the two of them. Flattening him against the wall with one outstretched arm, she pressed herself next to him, extinguished her glow, and fervently willed them both invisible.

‘…doesn’t mean he won’t be back again,’ said Feldspar’s voice from above. ‘Next time he’ll bring others with him, and we’ll have a battle on our hands.’

‘You think so?’ That was Gem, boots clomping as he headed down the steps. ‘I can’t see it. We’ve always kept our heads down when their kind were about, and we haven’t lost a hunter in years. Excepting young Keeve, of course. But he always was a wild one, and I wouldn’t be surprised-’ He stopped. ‘What?’

‘Hush a minute.’ Feldspar sounded tense. ‘Did you hear something?’

Ivy’s heart was pounding so hard, she felt sure it would smash right out of her chest. She closed her eyes, pushing all her concentration into holding the invisibility glamour steady. Any second now the two hunters would pass by, their combined glows banishing every shadow, and if she let the illusion falter even for a moment…

‘What’s to hear?’ asked Gem with a snort. ‘You think a spriggan could follow us right into the Delve? If he’s that crafty and we’re that blind, we may as well surrender and hand over our treasure right now.’

Richard’s chest rose sharply against Ivy’s arm, and she could practically read his thoughts: Treasure? Her lips flattened. If he turned out to be a spriggan after all, she’d never forgive herself.

Above them, Feldspar chuckled. ‘All right, I’ll quit trying to prank you. But I’m not joking about there being more of those creatures. Two sightings in a week — that can’t be a coincidence. And who’s to say that killing one won’t just make the rest of them angry?’