“I’m surprised you don’t throw me in prison,” I said. “It would be so satisfying for you to toss me into those sand pits that lay underneath your home.”
“Don’t test me,” Jasper said. “I’d love to do just that, but your future husband likely wouldn’t appreciate knowing I’d imprisoned you. I have to treat you as a guest.”
So the sand pits were still where they locked their prisoners. Jasper had always reveled in showing me their pits, dug deep into the ground, covered with spiked metal grates. I’d found it all very disturbing, but Jasper had been so proud showing off the starving, scared prisoners that I’d always just nodded along, smiling. Now Penn and Shadow were among those prisoners, and the thought made my bones shrivel.
I hoped they hadn’t thrown the sand vipers in there with them, a common torture tactic in the fire court, one that I’d never had the stomach for. It was one of the few things my father and I could agree on. He didn’t like these pits either. Didn’t like to pointlessly torture others.
I couldn’t believe I’d ever wanted to marry Jasper. I’d been so blinded by my commitment to him, by the need to do what wasbest for my people, that I’d ignored everything about him that I hated. A list that was growing longer by the minute.
I cleared my throat, thinking about my training session with Hammer where he’d taught me how to prepare for a mission. “You know, I don’t recognize any of your guards. Are they new?”
Jasper looked out the window, at the desert landscape that spread before us. “Many of my guards have died either fighting dragons or fighting the sorceress. I have to replace them often these days.”
His tone was annoyed, like them dying was such an inconvenience to him.
“What a shame.” I took a bite of the boiled egg. “It must be hard for the new guards to learn their rotations, placements, routines.”
Jasper glanced at me, his brown eyes hard. “If you’re trying to learn about my guards so you can escape, it won’t work.”
I rolled my eyes and set down my fork. “Where am I going to escape to? You said it yourself. I have nowhere to go, no one to rely on.”
He sniffed. “Yes, well, we have an excellent training system in place here. So the guards man their posts just fine.”
Well, that hadn’t gone well. At least I knew where Penn and Shadow were located, but that wouldn’t be enough. I needed to know the guards’ schedules, the fastest escape route, and how I was going to get Penn and Shadow out of there. The sand pits were deep, and the barbed grates were heavy.
“You know, my father was always really impressed with those sand pits of yours.”
Jasper snorted. “Your father hated them, talked about how over the top they were.”
Damn. He knew my father better than I’d counted on.
“You’d be surprised. One day I came upon a few guards digging holes in a field near our castle. My father wanted toexperiment with pits similar to yours.” I forced a laugh. “One of the guards fell in and didn’t know how to get out.”
Jasper took a bite of egg. “That’s because there is no way out. That’s the whole point.”
My stomach sank. I had no clue how I was going to accomplish this.
“Unless someone helps you out. We keep our sand pits deep enough that prisoners cannot climb out but shallow enough that the guards can reach down and pull them up if necessary. You know for executions and things like that.”
“Of course.”
My heart pounded in my chest. Would I be strong enough to pull out Penn and Shadow? Would I even have that kind of time?
“That must be hard, with those spiked grates.” I tried to keep my voice even despite my uneven pulse.
Jasper studied his nails. “Yes, well, good thing our guards have special protective gloves to pull the grates up. It’s not something you need to worry about, Liliath. You’re well protected here.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Of course he thought I was afraid. Weak Princess Liliath who needed protecting. He had no idea what I was planning. Probably didn’t even know that I knew Penn and Shadow had been apprehended by his guards. I couldn’t pry any further, not without raising suspicion.
“Good to know,” I said, placing my napkin over my plate, stomach now churning.
I was going to have to somehow steal a pair of these gloves, find Penn’s and Shadows’s sand pits, ensure no guards saw me, lift the heavy grates, and pull them both out. Oh, and then somehow escape from this whole mess without being detected and find a safe hiding place. Not to mention, Penn was still injured.
This was going to be a mess, but it was the only way. I couldn’t give up on the earth court, couldn’t let Jasper dictate my life like this. I stood, the table rattling as I bumped it.
“What are you doing?” Jasper asked. “I have a list of suitors coming to meet you today. All very interested in the Princess Liliath.”
I’d love to tell him exactly where those suitors could shove their interest.
