He felt dog-tired and longed for more sleep, but he knew that wasn’t possible. Stefano had given him a knapsack, which he’d packed with the few things he would need. James picked it up, slung it over his shoulder and followed Vendetta into the cave, where he looked around for the man who was going to take him back to the palazzo.

There was nobody here. Zoltan’s men and the handful of bandits who were going with him had already left.

‘Who’s taking me?’ James whispered. Vendetta said nothing and ran off up the steps in a crouch, more catlike than ever. James noticed that she was carrying a canteen and a small leather bag and he suddenly realised who his guide was going to be.

‘No,’ he called out. ‘Not you. You can’t.’

26

26

It’s Always Darkest Just Before the Dawn

Vendetta was pointing down the hillside, but try as he might James couldn’t see anything. He gave her a questioning look and she pointed again, more insistently this time.

‘Zoltan,’ she whispered and James at last made out the dark shapes of several men hurrying through the trees below and some way behind.

So the plan was working. They were ahead of Zoltan.

Vendetta gave a triumphal smile and led James on.

James reckoned that they had been travelling for over two hours and Vendetta’s pace had never faltered. They must have been following a track of sorts; she knew exactly where she was going, but an outsider would never have found any signs of a path to follow. And she was barefoot. James couldn’t begin to imagine how tough the soles of her feet were. James’s heel still throbbed occasionally when he was tired. If this girl trod on an urchin she probably wouldn’t even notice.

James was exhausted; he longed to sit down and rest, but having seen Zoltan he was reminded of their need to keep moving.

He had tried to argue with the girl before they’d left. He had put a hand on her shoulder, but she had pushed it away with a contemptuous look and carried on up the steps.

‘Please,’ James had called after her, ‘it’s too dangerous…’

But his words had faded on his lips. Too dangerous? Who was he kidding? This was the girl who had rescued him. Who had killed the guard. Who knew these mountains better than anyone. He was the one in danger, not her. She could perfectly well look after herself.

So he had shrugged and followed her.