Reyr the Gold (Dragonwall Series # 2)

Chapter 39 - An Opportune Moment

Kastali Dun

Eagle watched the crowded city street from his shadowy position. City inhabitants went to and fro on business. Some engaged in jovial chitchat while others took to their errands with bowed heads or intent expressions. No one spared him a moment's notice. Had they done so, they would have seen a man hiding against a shadowy wall. He stood beneath the eaves of one of Kastali Dun's many wealthy city homes. His wide-brimmed hat was pulled low to shadow his face while his arms were crossed with bored impatience. He often spent time here. It was a good lookout to watch those entering and exiting the castle; it was one of two streets leading to the main portcullis.

Today had been another uneventful day. While he had taken many mental notes, nothing important had happened. He was just about to abandon his watch for other business, when he did a double take of several passersby.

His gaze narrowed. "It cannot be!" he whispered when he was sure. Eyes glued to the crowd, he pushed away from the wall in pursuit. It was her—he was certain of that—though he couldn't explain how he had gotten so lucky. Lady Claire, dressed in burgundy and her hair done up elegantly, was making her way hastily down the lane and away from the keep.

Something didn't add up.

As he followed, he glanced about looking for her entourage. There was no one. She was entirely alone. That was surprising indeed! She must have snuck away from the keep. Obligations forgotten, he trailed after her, keeping a close eye on her.

It was his job to be perceptive. He immediately noticed that her path lacked direction. She was also agitated. That was easy enough to see just by how she walked, with her arms crossed. Her movements were tense.

His frown deepened. Once again he asked himself: What was she doing in the city unprotected? It almost felt like a trap.

Since arriving in Kastali Dun, he had gained entry into the keep more than once, usually under various disguises. Even within the castle's confines, Lady Claire was difficult to obtain. She was the second most protected person in the keep. Unbeknownst to her, King Talon had many guards keeping an eye on her movements throughout the fortress.

Now here she was, suspiciously alone.

He continued to tail her. The longer she walked, the greater his luck felt. When she began showing signs of being lost, Eagle's excitement heightened. His mind silently urged her onward; the closer they were to his hideout, the easier it would be to capture and transport her.

He had just followed Lady Claire around a corner when she looked around, faltered, then dodged down a side street. He continued on past the street's entrance, then crept over to a nearby building where he waited for several breaths. When he peeked around the corner, Lady Claire had hurried on down the street. He waited a safe length of time then followed after.

The streets had grown mostly empty in this part of the city. Most were down at the market. All the better for him.

Lady Claire made her way into a narrow lane that was fully deserted. The tall buildings around it, some leaning, left it partially shadowed. Here she stopped again, her back to him. His heart quickened. This was his chance! From the shadows, he knelt and retrieved a rock.

A moment later Claire continued along the alleyway, this time more rushed in her movements. Perhaps she had finally sensed him. If that was the case, he needed to act fast.

Excitement pumped through his body. He crept forward silently. Down another street she went in an effort to find the main road again. What she did not know, was that unless one kept to the main thoroughfares, the smaller streets of Kastali Dun were like a maze. One could get lost for hours just as he had many times during his first days in the capital. He had used those opportunities to become intimately acquainted with the city. He knew exactly where they were.