Laraelra surprised herself when her response was a light chuckle of disbelief. "But… that's…"
"Fully fabricated and false, I know, but actionable as far as the city's citizens are concerned," Renaer said. "Still, it's another sign that we're in slightly over our heads until we get some help equal to the quality of that stacked against us."
"We better get going, then," Vharem said. "I've a few ideas, Ren-know a few places we can go."
He shook his head. "Thanks, but I've got the perfect place in mind. I meant to take you, Faxhal, and Torlyn earlier, but things got busy."
"They're right, master!" Varkel cried. "You have to flee! Shrunk-shanks and I ran as fast as we could, but we've not the speed nor the longest of legs to stay ahead of a battalion of Watchmen."
A loud pounding reverberated from downstairs, a mailed fist against the solid oak door.
Varkel hopped up onto the seat by the bay window, looked out, and said, "There's about a dozen Watchmen outside, and they've brought a battering ram to get through the doors."
"It doesn't look like they're going to use it," said Meloon. "They're talking to someone at the door."
"Nolan has gone down to stall them," Madrak said, "and while he is capable of confusing them awhile, he cannot stop them, should they lose patience."
"Right," Renaer said. "If they're in the front entry hall, we can't go back the way we came." The young Lord Neverember moved to the window to confirm Meloon's observation, talking over his shoulder to the halfling. "Madrak? The garden path?"
"I understand," Madrak said. "I'll fetch what you need." He shuffled out of the room just as a loud boom signaled the end of the Watch's patience.
Renaer sighed. "They've thrown Nolan into the street and started using the battering ram. Here's what we have to do. Meloon, look under those window seats there and there"- Renaer pointed to the bay windows across the room-"and grab as many furs as you can. We'll meet you upstairs once you have them." He put his finger to his lips and then pointed at Vharem. "Can you dash to the kitchens and have Ellial put together some quick provisions for the five of us? Meet us up in the garden. Elra, with me, please."
Renaer motioned for Laraelra to join him and they half-ran out of the room. They turned down the hallway and entered the library. Laraelra breathed in the smell. She loved the scent of tanned leather and vellum and that slight hint of mildew and dust common among old books. Bookshelves lined the north wall from floor to ceiling, but there were large gaps among the books in them. Two tables at the room's center held large piles of books, some opened and some stacked haphazardly. Renaer moved to the large fireplace on the eastern wall. He grasped the coiner cornice and slid it upward into the mantle. The nearest bookshelf clicked, and its lower half swung open, revealing a hidden area behind it.
"We'll need these. I don't have time to check which ones, so we'll take them all." Renaer pulled the bookcase open further and he and Laraelra knelt down. Set into the stone wall was a recessed shelf on which were five books bound in black leather with ornate silver clasps. Renaer pulled them out and loaded them into her arms.
"Whose books are these, and why do we need them now?" Laraelra asked. The books thrummed beneath her touch-she could feel there was magic within them. The drumbeat of the battering ram echoed through the mansion.
Renaer shouldered the shelf back into place and headed for the door. "I'll explain later. Right now, we've got to get out of here."
"Let me guess-there's a hidden slide in the walls that'll whisk us to the alley out back?"
"Even better, but we need to hurry."
Loud retorts joined the battering ram's blows as the door started to crack. Renaer heard someone yelling down in the entry hall, "The door's cracking! Get the bar up here now!"
The two of them ran from the library and up the stairs to the third floor. They met Meloon, his arms piled high with various bear, wolf, and ermine pelts.
Laraelra asked, "Renaer, why aren't you carrying something? The rest of us-"
"Fine," Renaer snapped as he opened the door to his room. "I'll let you carry Vajra, then, and I'll take Varad's books."
He crossed the darkened chamber to his desk, pulled open the right-hand drawer, and pocketed a large ring of keys. He then moved over to the bed. Vajra lay beneath a heavy fur cloak, which Renaer kept on her as he picked her up gingerly. She groaned and threw an arm around Renaer's neck without coming fully awake.
Renaer whispered, "Head back out into the hall and turn right. Look for a stone rosebud on the wall."
The four of them moved quickly out of the room and down the passage, soon followed by Vharem, who ran up the stairs with two armloads of parcels, from one of which jutted two long loaves of bread. The hallway past Dagult's office ended at a deep curved recess in the wall, stone roses carved in relief all over the back of it.
Meloon chuckled. "First the sewers, then a secret door privy, and now a garderobe. Lovely smells follow our adventure at every turn."
Renaer smirked, and nodded to the sorceress. "Elra, turn that last stone rosebud on the right-hand side toward us, please?"
Laraelra shifted the books into one arm, and she did as directed. Above the pulse of the battering ram, they heard the grinding of stone as a circular stair descended from the ceiling down into the garderobe. A slim pillar of stone rose from the floor of the gard-erobe to add support to the center of the stairs as well. A chill breeze came down with the stairs, as did Madrak's voice. "Hurry masters and milady, the Watch is almost inside!"
They mounted the spiral stairs, Renaer having to choose his steps gingerly and make sure Vajra's head did not hit anything as they ascended. When they reached the top, they found themselves greeted by Madrak, all wrapped in a heavy cloak. Once all of them were up the stairs, Madrak shoved a metal bench over the stairwell, and the stones recoiled back into place.
"I'm not seeing a way out of here, Renaer!" Laraelra looked over the rooftop garden, its plants in decay or wrapped in burlap to help them survive the coming winter. The entire roof was a meticulously designed garden with tiled paths and a walkway around the perimeter that might have an arbor of roses arcing overhead in summer. With the winter, the terraces and flower beds and arbors were bare mausoleums of dead vegetation. "Do you mean for us to jump down to the roofs of your neighbors?" Laraelra saw the look of excitement on Meloon's face and frowned at him. Despite the strong sunlight, the slight wind made it bitterly cold.
"Be quiet and follow me, all of you. Madrak, if you please. We'll meet you later, if or when you can join us. If Father or the Watch continues to hunt for me, tell him or them I'm off with some lissome young priestess learning about yet another god and its promises-and no hinting at malefic gods this time, mind you."
Renaer and Madrak each winked and smiled at each other, and then moved across the roof. Meloon and Laraelra hurried to keep up with the short butler.
His white hair whipping in the wind, Madrak stopped in one corner in front of a small statue of a kneeling elf maid, her hands cupped as if drinking water. The halfling whispered, "While I pour water into her hands, the gate remains open. Go quickly, and may Brandobaris grant your feet speed."
Renaer nodded and stepped inside the arbor, cradling the still-unconscious Vajra. As Madrak poured water into the statue's hands, Renaer stepped forward and was gone. Meloon stepped back in surprise, while Laraelra said, "Fascinating. Not even any flash or hint of magic."
"Get moving and follow him!" said Madrak. "This only works once a day and only with one stream of water. Now hurry!"