I groaned. I couldn’t believe I was actually considering this. Not only did this go against everything I’d ever held dear, but it was practically suicidal. Cion would no sooner let me face him with a sword than he’d make his bed on top of a yellow-spotted sand snake’s hole. Rodric’s own words bounced back at me. The only thing worse than him killing me would be if the Desert Boys did it.

But what choice did I have? If I was going to stay, I needed help. No one here would train me. Cion was my only shot at keeping my promise to my mother, and my love for her outweighed my hate for him. I’d take the lead from her. I would forgive with words and not swords. I could never forgive the Desert Boys for her death, but I could at least approach them without hostility. I could bargain with them somehow. Give them access to one of the wells in exchange for Cion training me.

If I was going to leave, it had to be before Rodric stationed more guards around me. It had to be now. I couldn’t risk going through the palace. People would question why I’d put on my gladiator gear.

Before I could rethink what I planned to do, I moved to the side of the balcony and scanned for handholds. The palace was built out of clay bricks baked in the desert heat. Like everything else in the city, sand had found its way into the small cracks and crevices. Bits had begun to crumble enough for small holes to appear down the wall. I climbed over the railing and anchored my foot on the first ridge I found.

Then I waited. My path would take me down to the balcony Rodric had been talking on earlier, but it was the fastest route. From there, I could hop from one balcony to another until I reached the corner of the palace where there was the most decay.

When no sound echoed upward, I slid down the wall and landed on the balcony. For once I was thankful for the layer of sand that covered everything. It muffled my landing.

I crouched low against the wall away from the railing in case any guards looked upward.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t leave through the palace gate. It’s just that I had no reason to. At least no reason that wouldn’t tip off Rodric when he was given the nightly report of any notables who’d gone in or out. I didn’t plan on being on that list. I’d climb over the wall, using the decayed pattern as my handholds if I had to.

I listened at the open archway that led inward from the balcony. I didn’t hear anyone inside, so I dashed past the opening, hopped onto the railing, and vaulted to the next balcony. I somersaulted across it as I came down. I shook sand out of my hair and kept going. My leg stung, but I ignored it.