Page 161 of Highland Spy

A fine sifting of mortar floated from the rusted metal in the wall. Her heart went still and then renewed its beating with vigor. She gripped the heavy chains between her hands and shook them.

The metal loop wiggled where it was embedded in the wall. Kindrochit’s deteriorating state might very well be the thing to save her.

Ariana sucked in a hard breath of air. The chains were cold against her already icy hands, but she paid that no mind and tightened her grip.

She widened her stance and jerked the chain toward her with everything she had. The metal bolt shot upward and then sagged an inch lower in a crumbling of mortar.

Her fingers ached with the effort and she flexed them to get feeling back in them before she tried again. The stink of rusted metal hung in the air from where it had warmed against her palms.

She grit her teeth and tugged at the chain once more.

The bolt shot free of the wall and the momentum of her effort sent her staggering backward. She fell hard to the ground and her head slammed back against the iron bars. The room flared with bright spots that didn’t go away, even when she closed her eyes.

Ariana brought a trembling hand to her hair and the chains still binding her wrists together clinked. Her fingers found a nasty lump upon her scalp, but came away dry.

At least she was not bleeding.

Something warm and covered in fur brushed against her hand. Ariana lurched away from it, squelching a scream.

But the creature wasn’t a rat.

Fianna nuzzled closer to her and rubbed her face against Ariana’s exposed shin. The pink of Fianna’s nose was cold and wet in contrast to the downy warmth of her head.

In a small cell of ugliness and impending death, the very sight of the small cat brought such lightness to Ariana’s heavy heart, tears sprang to her eyes.

She glanced toward a narrow hole near the corner of the prison, where a slit of gray light showed through. Just large enough for a determined cat.

“We must do what we can to escape,” she whispered to her companion.

Fianna rubbed against her shin once more in reply. Ariana bent to pet her and noticed something cool and stiff set on Fianna’s back. Like leather.

Curious, she followed the leathery texture. It seemed to be the same gray color as Fianna and wrapped around the small gray body like a harness.

No, it was a harness.

A flap caught at Ariana’s fingertip when she touched the leather over Fianna’s chest. Ariana flipped it upward and let her finger probe inside the small pocket.

The crinkle of paper met Ariana’s ears and her heart leaped. She pulled it free of the pouch, unfolded it and angled it toward the door where light was beginning to filter in.

Percy’s graceful writing curled across the page, legible even in the dim light.

If you can escape, wait for us. Then be prepared to play the role of a vengeful witch—we will ensure your powers are true.

Ariana tucked the note into her stays to ensure no one would see it.

Her powers? What did Percy possibly mean by that?

“We must be ready,” she said to Fianna in a quiet whisper. The cat stared up at her quizzically and licked at her front paw several times before rubbing it over her face.

Ariana pulled herself off the floor with a rattle of chains. The metal loop she’d pulled free from the wall hung from between the manacles like a heavy amulet. It would make things difficult, but not impossible.

She pushed her weight onto her right heel and twisted her foot. The base of the brown shoe Percy had given her swung open. Ariana worked her fingers into the open heel and pulled the dagger free from the underside of her foot.

It was not long, perhaps three inches, but the blade was sturdy and as thick as two thumbs set beside one another.

Enough to at least threaten, if nothing else.

She slid the sole of her shoe back into place and straightened, her fingers searching through the mess of her hair for the bit of silver.