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at the spiral staircase he had just descended. Whoever had created this strange space had astonishing masonry skills. The stairs, as well as a handrail, had been carved directly into the cliff. The stone walls had been polished smooth, but the stair treads had been crosshatched in a way that made them easy to grip with his sandals.
A quarter hour ago, he had left Yudi, who was anxious to get moving. He still had to pack the new weapons into the wagon and stuff the secret compartment with enough grass to keep the steel blades from rattling. And after that, he had to fill the wagon with the plants he supposedly needed for his shop. Yudi had laughed when he'd said that, though. "I've got plenty of flowers and herbs, Lev," he'd said. "It's my infused oils that will be harder to replace. But what do guards know of making soap?"
Lev had offered to help, thinking he could wait out the heat of midday inside the hidden chamber. But Yudi had insisted otherwise. "No, no. You must leave immediately. Your supplies—especially your water—are limited. Best to use them while traveling through the Varraran."
Once Lev had nodded his assent, Yudi had continued. "Well, then, your first challenge will be crossing the Oski. As I'm sure you know, our great river spills over the escarpment a few miles east of here. From there, it flows westward, close to the escarpment until it reaches the sea. And this time of year, the current will still be too deep and too fierce to cross at first. So, once you reach the valley, begin your journey by heading downstream along the riverbank. The Oski will eventually widen and grow shallow. Ford it there, then take shelter as soon as you find a safe place."
A quick embrace later, they had gone their separate ways. Yudi had returned to the meadow while Lev had descended the stairs. And now, having reached the bottom of the staircase, he found himself standing in an doorless chamber. Fortunately, he had already encountered a hidden door earlier that day, and he clearly faced the same situation here. An arm's length away, a channel had been carved into the wall, and inside the channel, a hefty stone weight dangled from a chain.
Here goes nothing, Lev thought, shifting his knapsack so it rested more comfortably over his shoulder. Then he stepped forward and yanked down on the stone block, but it wouldn't budge. Surprised, Lev rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the flickers of panic tightening his arms as he stared at the smooth wall. There had to be a door, he thought. to be. And seeing no other choice, he tried shoving the stone upward. Immediately, an arched crease of light shot into the alcove as the secret door revealed itself.
Lev exhaled and leaned against the door, inching it further ajar and driving the counterweight higher. A blast of heat struck him as the door edged open, but its movement seemed hindered by something blocking its path. Muscles tensed, he shouldered the door further ahead. Slowly but surely, it scraped through dirt and gravel until he had made a gap wide enough to squeeze his body through. Relieved, he slipped outside. But as he blinked and adjusted to the abrupt shift in light, the door slid off his shoulder and swung backward.
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"No!" Lev shouted, spinning around and reaching for the door. But too late. The door had closed far quicker than it had opened. He watched, dread knotting his stomach, as stone grated against stone and the door merged seamlessly with the base of the cliff.
Lev stared at the rocky wall before him. Did it really matter? But then he remembered the journal and his father's final request. Guilt gripped his heart, and he clutched at his pocket. Maybe he shouldn't have kept the journal. Maybe Yudi needed it.
For a moment, Lev considered going back. To do so, though, he'd have to search for the hidden release, which could take hours. Then he'd have to climb the lengthy stairwell and hope Yudi was still in the chamber or at least nearby. But Yudi had been pressed for time. Chances were good that he would have already driven off in search of flowers. He might already be on his way back to D'Win. Lev could waste precious hours trying to deliver the journal ... and not succeed.
No, he thought. No going back. Hyasa was lost to him. At least for now.
Lev clenched his jaws, turned to face the valley, and assessed his surroundings. He stood on an elevated ridge that angled downward to his right until it came level with the river, which churned through a ravine a hundred yards ahead of him. As Yudi had warned, there'd be no crossing the Oski here.
The path ahead, though, was obvious, so Lev set out. He descended the slope until it merged with the elevated riverbank. The Oski continued to the western horizon with no hint of slowing down, so he bent his head and trudged along its bank. Occasionally, he peeked into the swirling waters ten feet below him. Their dark, turbulent depth made him swallow and veer away to a safer distance. Even the best swimmer would find the river treacherous, and he could barely swim.
Fortunately, the bank slowly widened, its slope flattened, and the river's unbridled tumult lost its zeal the further Lev traveled. One hour later, as the sun approached its zenith, he walked beside a lazy stream. Rocks poked through the shallow water as Yudi had foretold, and the Oski had changed from a raging torrent to an easily fordable stretch of water.
Lev stepped to the river's edge and paused to wipe the sweat from his brow. He considered taking a sip of his water but held back. He hadn't even reached the Varraran proper yet, and if he needed water, he could drink some from the Oski as he crossed it. He nodded to himself, proud of his restraint, and scanned the area, making sure it was safe to ford the river.
On the opposite bank, a stand of trees with wide towering canopies provided shaded shelter for a herd of deer-like animals. The towering trees, though, were larger than any he'd ever seen, and the herd's antlers were twisted spikes unlike the branch-like horns that crowned the deer living near D'Win. Then a loud chattering buzz punctured the silence. An insect? A bird?
Whatever the sound's source, Lev was suddenly and profoundly aware of one thing—he was no longer home. He was about to enter an unfamiliar and dangerous new world. And if he ever wanted to know the safety and comfort of four walls and a bed again, he needed to press on.
This is it, he thought. Time to enter the Oven.
Grimacing with determination, he stepped into the warm river.
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