The Winter Queen: Chapter One
Sonja and Rael need to get Lady Cosina away from Kenauste.
You can read Chapter Eight of The Secret Village here.
What were they going to do?
People were running everywhere and Sonja couldn’t see the queen anymore, but she knew she was there.
Lady Cosina was taking deep, gasping breaths. She collapsed against a wall, her hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking.
Sonja took her hand. It was all she could think to do. Her mind was racing.
They needed to leave Kenauste as soon as they could, but how were they going to get away safely? There would be a hunt for Lady Cosina - Sonja was certain of that - but what was going to happen to her now? As far as Sonja knew, she didn’t have any family other than her father and if she had, they would probably have been executed as traitors by association.
She had nothing and nobody.
There was a scent of smoke in the air.
Somehow, Sonja and Rael managed to get Lady Cosina through the streets of Kenauste. Rael kept her hands on Sonja’s and Lady Cosina’s shoulders, and Sonja held the Lady’s hand. Lady Cosina stumbled more than once on the hem of her dress. Sonja wasn’t even sure if they were going in the right direction.
Suddenly, something collided with Rael, sending her staggering away from Sonja and Lady Cosina.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t see you…” The woman’s eyes widened as she saw Lady Cosina. It was Elspeth, the cartswoman.
Rael drew her sai and stood protectively in front of Lady Cosina, her amber eyes narrowed and blades held in a threat position.
For one long moment, all four of them stayed where they were. Sonja hardly dared breathe, but eventually she stepped towards Elspeth and managed to find her voice.
“Please.” She didn’t know what else to say.
Elspeth looked from Sonja’s face to Lady Cosina’s, then to Rael’s. Then she seemed to come to a decision. “Follow me.”
Rael’s eyes flickered to Sonja’s. Sonja read the question and the wariness in them. Sonja didn’t like this either, but what choice did they have?
“Come on,” Elspeth urged. “Hurry!”
Sonja took Lady Cosina by the hand and pulled her after Elspeth. Rael followed at the rear, still clutching her sai.
“Wait there!”
Sonja froze. She knew that voice.
“Hide her,” she said.
Rael grasped Lady Cosina’s shoulders and pulled her into a side-alley. Sonja prayed there was nobody in that alley before walking forward to meet General Aleksei.
Soldiers were searching Elspeth’s cart, peering under the benches. Elspeth herself stood off to one side, arms folded, her shoulders tense and wary.
“Nothing there, General,” one soldier called.
General Aleksei didn’t seem to to notice. His gaze was fixed on Sonja.
She held her ground as he walked towards her, but she took care to keep her gaze lowered. A show of defiance would not help anyone at this moment.
“What is your name?” the general asked.
“Sonja Inara.”
“She’s nobody,” Elspeth interjected, but General Aleksei ignored her.
“And what do you do, Sonja Inara?”
Sonja could see the chill in his eyes; her inner fire flickered, longing to leap out and meet it.
“I’m a seamstress.”
“What were you doing in Kenauste today?”
“I came to ask if anyone needed some work done.” Sonja couldn’t go any further.
General Aleksei nodded. “And did they?”
“No.”
He turned to his men. “Keep searching the town. If anyone is harbouring Lady Cosina, have them brought to me as well.”
As the soldiers moved away, the chill in the air went with them. Moments later, Rael emerged from the side-alley, holding Lady Cosina by the hand.
“Hurry,” Elspeth said, beckoning. “We’ll hide her under the seat. She’ll need to be quiet.”
As the little cart moved away from Kenauste, Sonja looked back and saw the flames consuming Ivy House in a terrible, wicked dance. She tore her eyes away and watched for any movement in the trees, or for any blue uniforms or white hair.
There was nothing.
Several minutes later, the cart drew to a halt.
“I can’t take you any further,” Elspeth said.
Sonja knelt down and peered under the seat. Lady Cosina lay on her front, her hair hiding her face; she brushed it aside, revealing a pale, tearstained face and trembling lips.
Lady Cosina never asked where they were going. She just held onto Sonja’s hand as they walked through the trees, and didn’t ask about the shadows keeping them concealed. The girls jumped every time they heard the slightest noise - even birdsong.
It was now nearly midday. They walked around the edge of Wildkeep until they reached the small path that led to Sonja’s house. Sonja watched the people they did see carefully, just in case they had been heard.
The little house was ahead of them.
“Is anyone around?” Sonja whispered. Rael glanced about them, and slowly shook her head before removing the veil of shadows.
Sonja held the door open for Lady Cosina. The three young women stepped inside the house, and Sonja closed the door with a quiet click.
Lady Cosina dropped to her knees. She covered her face with her hands, her grief pouring out of her mouth in great shuddering sobs. Rael and Sonja knelt beside her and put their arms around her shoulders as she wept.
There was nothing else they could do.
