I crouched low on the wall lining the balcony and looked down. I was only two balconies away from the corner of the palace, but if I missed my landing the overall drop was high enough that it would kill me. Steeling myself, I jumped to the next balcony, sending up a spray of sand where I landed. I rose to my feet, and then froze.

A voice echoed behind me. “Kateri? What are you doing over there?” Rodric said.

I didn’t hesitate, and I didn’t look back. I leapt to the next balcony and frantically scanned for cracks in the clay blocks.

Rodric’s weight thudded onto the balcony separating us. “I knew you’d run away scared.”

I scrambled to find a hole in the wall big enough for my hands. Finding the biggest crack I could, I shoved my hands into it and slipped over the edge of the railing. My fingers burned from clasping bricks that had absorbed sunlight all day long, and I forced myself to hang on as my feet kicked against the wall.

I finally found a small indent my toes could slide into. I steadied myself and examined the wall for the next handhold. I’d just transitioned my hands lower when a fist sank into the wall where my head had been.

Chunks of clay spilled down. Through the mess, I could make out Rodric grabbing for me. His hand found my bun, and he ripped upward as I pulled downward. I nearly lost my grip, but I managed to jerk free, my hair spilling loose around me.

I quickly dropped down, forcing my hands to find places to grasp. I was so lost in the movement of finding a secure hold and transferring my weight to it that I didn’t realize Rodric had disappeared from view.

It wasn’t until I touched the ground and dashed toward the wall that I realized where he’d gone. He sped down the steps of the palace facing me, a stream of guards at his heels.

I backpedaled, heading straight for the palace gate.

Over my shoulder, I heard Rodric shout for the gate to be closed. I didn’t bother wasting any breath to contradict his orders. These men answered to him.

Thankfully, the guards seemed confused by all the sudden commotion. They scrambled to close the gate as I approached.

It sank lower and lower.

Rodric’s footfalls sounded loudly in my ears. He always was faster than me. I forced my legs to pump harder. It suddenly felt like the air was full of sand.

The gate was two feet from the ground when I dove forward and rolled under. Rodric crashed into it behind me.

“Up,” he shouted. “Raise it up.” He pulled on it, rattling it, but even his brute strength couldn’t rip it from its moorings.

I heaved and scrambled to my feet. That gate wouldn’t hold him back for long.

“I’ll find you!” he shouted, spraying spit through the bars. “This kingdom will be mine.”