Regaar came to see Silna's empty cell shortly after his minions discovered the missing guards. His raging howls filled the tunnel, and the echoes reached into the wheelhouse. Hilko was still alive and escaped with his prisoner for the Faters. That meant the runner still had the Nalith. If word got back to the Chara, it was trouble. While the Amryno would never dare to send their men into his lair, the authorities could send men to patrol outside his tunnel world. Such a move would cause him difficulty, since the hamars would stop flowing when his customers quit coming to the tunnels. Smuggling of goods and prostitution kept him in control among the doomed ones.
The one-eyed man ordered the unfortunate entrance guards imprisoned in the woman's empty cell before he went to his quarters. His public vow that they would die in Silna's place sent a shock wave through the rest of his hired underlings. The reactions comforted him as he reached his large stone table, where his servant held a mug of his favorite Highland wine. The large man chugged it down, glowering at those men who waited for his next orders.
Epi was standing nearby, a pale-skinned man who knew the best places to rob the rich Chara through his network of bribed Amyrono guards. While not as large as some of his enforcers and guards, Epi was intelligent and ambitious. On top of that, he was one of the few who could get the Parasites to work for him. He knew the thug wanted Silna's job since Epi often frequented the Pleasure Tunnel for young men. Regaar did not trust him, but he found uses for the man's abilities. The first came to mind as he considered how to trap his prey.
"Epi, I want to find Silna and Hilko, then return them to me alive," Regaar growled. "Five hamar each for Hilko and Silna when you capture them, and I'll let you run the harlots in the Pleasure Tunnel."
The thug brightened at the news and immediately began leaving the room.
"Hold it," Regaar ordered. "I want you to use the Parasites to kill them if they get near the hole to the lepers. But I want the bodies and everything they find on them. No one goes to the Amryno. If I hear anything that doesn't exactly match my orders, I'll chain you inside an abandoned shaft to die. Do you understand?"
Epi nodded and continued his journey out of the tunnels. Regaar took a seat and began drinking another cup of wine placed before him. The one-eyed man scowled as he mentally pictured the tortures he would inflict upon the odd couple who thwarted his efforts.
~~~
Hilko took another look at the Nalith. Even in the dim light of a single candle, it gleamed. Its deep shine appeared like liquid silver metal. The runner stuffed it back into his leather pouch, unsure what to do with it. Still, he refused to leave it where one of Regaar's people would find it. Hilko knew every one of the pufta's men would be after them.
He picked up the canvas bag, which held the few possessions he owned. The smuggler made sure he had his wool blanket and his hammock along with the metal plate. He walked across the small room they called home and took the small bottle that held the four thieves' vinegar. After he placed the ghost repelling liquid and a few candles inside his satchel, he found Silna staring at him. He expression showed a suspicion that he'd never seen before.
"What is it?"
"How did you know about the cavern roof falling in?"
He slung the canvas sack over his shoulder.
"We don't have time to talk about that right now. I promise I'll explain when we get to the Colony. It'll be morning before too long."
Silna's face turned pale.
"What are you talking about? I'm not going down there to catch their disease."
"Do you have another way to get out of this place?" He glanced out the window entrance impatiently. "Regaar's goons will find us soon if we don't move. I'm not waiting around for them."
He opened the window, crawling out.
"Blow out the candle and take it with you."
"Wait, there has to be a better way," she pleaded.
Hilko pulled himself to the roof, then stuck his head back into the opening.
"Right now, I do not trust anyone but you and me. The only way for us to survive is to get off this cursed island. Now, come on. I promise the lepers won't be as bad as Regaar smells."
He disappeared, and she heard him sliding down the slate roof. Recognizing there was no choice, the woman picked up her packed bag. After she grabbed the fearsome wooden club that lay by her hammock, Silna scrambled through the window. Hesitating, she looked back inside the best home she could recall, then followed him down the roof.
Hilko led them along the eve, away from their usual path. As they moved along the roof, both heard the footsteps of men running below in the dark alley. The runner paused, signaling for Silna to lean back. The large woman came close to him.
Despite standing in the dark shadows, he recognized the risk if someone looked up. The oil lamps lining outside shops and the occasional street light might give them away.
"Can we get past whoever is down there?" she whispered.
The man nodded.
"Wait until it quiets down, and then we'll head back up to the top of the roof. We'll work our way over to the other side."
The noise of the running footsteps faded away as he continued.
"We have a couple of long jumps coming, and we'll have to be silent. Regaar will have every one of his spies out looking for us."
"What makes you think they won't come up here?"
"Oh, they'll come up, but the only way is at the other end of this warehouse," he told her. "But they won't be able to follow for long." She could barely make out his smile as the darkness quickly settled over them.
"Stay close and let's go."
He scrambled to his feet, carefully climbing the angled roof while she carefully followed. They reached the top ridge, then slid down on their butts while using their boots and hands to slow themselves until they finally reached the overhang.
Hilko could not see farther than the length of his arm, but he confidently let himself slide over the edge. Then, he twisted his body to place his soles on the top of a wood railing that hung just below the roofline. He helped his partner slip down on the narrow beam with him.
"Careful now," he whispered. "A few paces to our right will be another beam that runs to the next building. Let me lead, and you hang on to my tunic as you feel your way across. Nothing to it!"
His reassuring voice did not dispel her fear.
"I can't," she stared down at the ink-black below her.
"Sure, you can. Look at my back. Focus on things in front of you. It's like walking on a narrow floor."
Silna felt him softly pulling her with him until they came to the narrow piece of lumber leading out into the dark. When Hilko stepped out, he gently whispered for her to follow. Silna kept reminding herself not to think about how far over the alley they walked. The wood was rough and weathered, making it difficult to keep her balance while she kept one hand clutched to Hilko's tunic. She knew if she slipped, both would fall.
We'll leave our broken bodies for Regaar to kill us slowly!
They stopped at the other building after climbing on the slate top. Hilko scanned the darkness, listening for the slightest sound. Silna took heavy breaths to calm herself while thanking the gods for her survival. She could have never made it across that open space during the day. Then she felt her partner crawl up on the roof, and she followed.
"Up to the top again," he whispered. "We've got a couple of more roofs to go."
"You couldn't think of a better way?" There was a hint of desperation in her question when she realized they would have to repeat the terrifying experience.
"Sorry, I can't. But think of it this way. Nobody will think to follow us," Hilko told her. "This is how I got around with no one stopping me. This area of buildings has wires and timbers that connect along the roofs. So, they can check the alleys and buildings all they want; they'll never spot us unless they get on top, and many people are afraid of climbing up here."
"I'm not afraid," Silna stated while knowing it was a lie.
"When we get to the end of the buildings, I'll show you how we get down."
"Yeah, it's called falling," she replied.
Hilko laughed.
"Just stay with me. We're not that far. It just feels like it since we're moving so slow."
The smuggler moved away, and Silna hurried after him, wondering how fast he would run across the rooftops if she wasn't there.
It must be his death wish!