Chapter Twenty-five

THEY KEPT two horses for themselves. Bitterblue rode with Katsa. They wound their way back to the stream to clean themselves of the blood of the soldiers. Then they turned west. They walked the horses through the stream, moving toward the mountains, until the land around them grew rocky enough to hide hoofprints. There, they struck out south along the base of the mountains and began their search for a suitable place to hide for the night. A place they could defend; a place far enough from Leck for safety, but not so far that they couldn’t reach Leck, to kill him.

For of course, Bitterblue was right. Leck had to die. Katsa knew it, but she didn’t like to think of it. For she was a killer, and the murder should be hers; but it was plain that Po would have to be the one to do it. Po kill a king guarded by an army of soldiers. By himself, and without her help.

You mustn’t go near his castle, she thought to Po as they rode. You’d never be able to get close enough to him. You’re far too conspicuous. They would ambush you.

The horses picked their way through the rocks. Po didn’t acknowledge her thoughts, didn’t even look at her, but she knew he’d heard.

You’d do best to sneak up on him in the forest while he’s searching for the child, and shoot him. From as far away as possible.

Po rode before them, his back straight. His arms steady, despite his tiredness and the cold and his lack of a coat.

And then run away as fast as you can.

He slowed then and came beside them. He looked into her face, and something strong in his silver and gold eyes comforted and reassured her. Po was neither weak nor defenseless. He had his Grace and his strength. He reached for her hand. When she gave it to him, he kissed it. He rode ahead, and they continued on.

Bitterblue sat quietly before her. She had stiffened when Po came near; but if she thought their silent exchange odd, she said nothing.

THEY CAME to a place where the land dropped away to the left and formed a deep gully with a lake that shone far below them. To the right the path rose to a cliff that overhung the lake.

“If we cross over to the far side of that cliff and hide there,” Katsa said, “anyone coming after us will either have to cross the cliff as we did or climb up from the gully. They’ll be easily seen.”

“I had the same thought,” Po said. “Let’s see what’s there.”

And so they climbed. The cliff path sloped rather unnervingly toward the drop, but it was a wide path, and the horses clung to its top edge. Pebbles slid from under their hooves and rolled down the slope, clattering over the edge and plummeting down into the lake, but the travelers were safe.