Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 48 of 619

They rode two days southeast and stopped where the ridge broke above the stone hall. Ajax lay flat on his belly and counted guards at the gate below. Two on the wall, two at the door, the rest inside. The well sat outside the wall, ringed with low stone, fed by the spring the forest woman had named. A boy came out with a bucket, drew water, and went back through the gate. "He drinks from that well tonight," Ajax said. "So do the twelve." Elara crouched beside him with her palm to the dirt. She had ridden quiet the last day. Her wrist had healed, but every casting still cost her more than it used to. She had told Ajax that plainly at the creek, so he would know what to ask of her and what not to. "Chalam goes," Ajax said. "He drops the marrowroot in the well. Elara hides him going in and coming out. The rest of us hold the tree line." "I can hold a shroud on one man for the walk down and the walk back," Elara said. "Not longer. Don't stop to admire the water." Chalam nodded. "I won't." They waited for full dark. Chalam took the small pouch of marrowroot from his satchel and tied it to his belt beside the vials. Elara set her hand on his shoulder and spoke three words Ajax did not catch. The air around Chalam bent. His outline smeared and thinned until the grass behind him showed through his robe. Asher watched from the left flank with Grayson. He had kept his distance for two days, spoken only when spoken to, and asked nothing. Now he touched Grayson's arm and pointed. A guard on the wall had turned toward the well. "He heard the grass," Asher said. "Give it a count of ten. He'll look away." Grayson glanced at him. "How do you know?" "Bored men look back at the fire." The guard turned. Grayson exhaled. He met Asher's eye and gave one short nod. Ajax saw it from the ridge and knew what it cost Grayson to give. Chalam went down the slope. From above, Ajax saw only bent grass and the faint print of a boot in wet dirt. Chalam reached the well, tipped the pouch, and stirred once with his staff. He walked back up the slope the same way he came. Elara's hand shook when she dropped the working. She sat down hard in the dirt. "Done," she said. "It's in the water." Ajax looked at Chalam. "How long?" "By tomorrow night they're sick. By the third day the gate opens or they die inside." Grayson came up the ridge with Asher a step behind him. He looked at Ajax. "He called the guard right. Twice on the ride, once just now." "I heard," Ajax said. He looked at Asher. "You ride the middle tomorrow. Not the back." Asher nodded once and said nothing.