Chapter 109

Archer guided while I tried to help keep him upright, but my strength was barely enough for one. Too soon, he stopped behind a tree close to the valley's edge, I thought. We both slumped against the icy bark to catch our breaths.

"There's no easy way down there," he said over my huffing and puffing. "Not with stealth. If someone's on watch, they'll see us coming."

"Do you see anyone on watch?"

"Whether we see them or not, Faust will have someone on watch." He sagged a little more against me, and his bare feet slid into my boots.

I caught him by the blanket, just barely, and propped him against the tree, pulling the blanket tighter around him. But if he didn't see anyone down in the valley...could they all be dead from drinking the poisoned wine? Or were my hopes just that - hopes - such easily breakable things.

"Then we create a diversion..." I started. "Archer?"

He made a retching noise, and his knees buckled. He went down, almost taking me with him.