Sunbolt (The Sunbolt Chronicles) by Intisar Khanani Read Free Book Online Page A

worried about the missing carriage. I have a feeling that the Ghost hasn’t mentioned that their destination isn’t really a house.  
    “Baba?” A young woman calls as she crosses the street towards the meeting taking place, her voice clear and carrying. “Where is the carriage they said they’d send?”
    I stare. Is she mad? Does she have any idea what’s she’s doing? Even if she doesn’t care about Blackflame finding her, she’s a rich girl entering a back alley. More than a few people would kill her for no greater reward than the dress she’s wearing. Not here, I hope, but it still doesn’t make sense to take such a stupid risk.  
    Her father, to his credit, attempts to quiet her, but I can hear her next question: “We are going to a safe house, though, aren’t we?”
    Her voice is imperious, commanding, as if the phrasing of her words as a question is irrelevant. We will take her where she wishes. I frown. Her demeanor, her high-pitched insistence, and her use of the words “safe house”—as if we have a network of homes in which to hide fugitives—rubs me the wrong way. I’ve met plenty of annoying people working with the Ghost, but this is different. Why should it matter to her whether we take her straight to a boat or hide her on the island, so long as she is protected? And where did she get the idea that we even have safe houses?  
    Her father says something in response, and while I can’t quite hear his words, I do catch her name: Saira. Even if I hadn’t heard him, I would have caught it a moment later when a young man hurries across the street, calling after her, “Saira. Saira! You’re supposed to stay with us.”
    Lord Degath snaps at them both, ordering them into the alley and telling them in no uncertain terms to remain silent.  
    I close my eyes for a moment. It never occurred to me that the younger Degaths would be anything other than grateful. I can just imagine Saira’s disgust at the building I’ve selected. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from chuckling.  
    The Ghost finishes his conversation with Degath without further interruption and drifts back into the shadows. Rafiki waits nearby. Degath crosses the street to collect the rest of his family, returning almost before he’s left with his youngest daughter, a girl of about ten, and Lady Degath. I can’t make out much about either of them in the fading light, other than that they both seem to understand the concept of not attracting attention, hardly speaking at all.  
    Tarek and Saira begin to bicker again as Lord Degath motions for his family to follow after their rescuers. Just one night, I remind myself, easing back from the corner. One night and we’ll be rid of them.  
    Holding that thought in my mind, I head for the vacant building.

    A block from my destination, I hear the click of nails on cobblestones.  
    “Hey, tanuki-boy,” I say. “Did you think you could leave me behind?”
    Kenta cocks his head as he draws even with me, brown eyes laughing.  
    “Just don’t let on I’m here until they’re all inside,” I say. The Ghost won’t send me away once we’re holed up; it’s not worth the risk of anyone seeing me leave. Kenta agrees with a soft barking laugh.  
    At the door, though, he snaps his teeth at me before darting in. I hesitate, glancing from the dark alley to the even darker interior, and realize that Kenta is doing a quick search to make sure no one else has entered. I could tell him it’s unnecessary; no one has disturbed the wards I’ve set. But of course I can’t tell him.  
    There’s a possibility that Kenta might sense the wards, but only if he’s actively looking for magic. And he likely wouldn’t be able to connect the wards to me regardless. There’s nothing to worry about, I tell myself. Even if he suspects me, he would never betray me to the life of a source slave.  
    Kenta pops back out of the building, taking up a station beside the door. I nod to him and he dips