He cut me off. “If anything goes south, I want you to run, Lena.”
I tried to shake out of his grip but couldn’t. “I will not leave without my people. I told you that,” I hissed.
“This is a dangerous plan, and I want it to work as badly as you do.” He loosened his grip on my arms, his hands sliding gently down my arms before stopping at my forearms. My heart fluttered, and I could feel my cheeks start to burn. “But if all hell breaks loose, if we miscalculate, promise me you will run. Promise me.”
“Silas—”
“I’m begging you,” his voice broke.
And there he was.
Quill.
He was still in there. His amber eyes burned into mine, his expression pleading, his face mere inches away. This close, I recognized his familiar scent of pine and citrus. I wanted to lean into him. I wanted to embrace him and kiss him. But no…regardless of his care for me, he was married. He had moved on.
But our friendship…perhaps we could have that again one day.
“I promise,” I whispered, and his shoulders sagged. “But,” I continued, “it would be the absolute last resort. I won’t let it get to that point.”
His eyes flickered to my lips for a moment before he backed away. “Let’s get this done.”
The plan was simple enough. I was to go to the watchtower on the west side of the fortress, which could be reached by climbing alongside the fortress exterior. I would sneak up, set a fire, then sneak down. While that distraction was occurring, I would start fires in various rooms in the Western Wing, rooms unoccupied by soldiers. Silas had told me,“I’d rather lose materials than lose men.”
Considering the prison was beneath the Eastern Wing, most of the commotion would drive soldiers as far as possible, and at the very end, I would create a wall of fire, blocking anyone from entering as my people fled out of the closest exit.
While Silas didn’t press me where specifically I wished my people to go, we both agreed that our destination was in the south.
He handed me a map, and before we went upstairs, Silas opened a cell door for me. I was to give the map to someone who could ensure my people’s safety.
My mother.
“Lena,” she breathed, and I couldn’t stop the immediate tears as I ran and hugged her tightly. “What’s going on?” Her expression went from worry to hate as she beheld Silas behind me. He quietly shut the door behind him.
“There’s too much to explain and not enough time—” I shakily opened the map and pointed to an unmarked Mount Rozavar, making sure Silas did not see. “Do you know this place?”
“Yes…yes, Igon—” Her eyes went up to Silas, then to mine in fear.
“Good,” I whispered. Igon had mentioned it to her as well. “When the time comes, I want you to lead our people here. Run like hell. Keep running until dawn hits. Get there as quickly as you can.”
Silas went to hand her a compass but decided to separate her cuffs first.
She just stared at him in disbelief. “You still love her, don’t you?”
My eyes felt like they were going to fall out of my head. Silas’s lips parted, but before he could respond, I cut in.
“I will be just behind,” I said, hoping not to sound as flustered as I felt. “But in case anything happens to me, I need someone to be able to lead them. Merrick, El, and Vi know, too.”
Mother went to ask another question, but I held up my hand. “There isn’t much time. I will tell you more after.”
She simply nodded, then looked at Silas. There were so many unspoken words between them. But now wasn’t the time.
I grasped her shoulder. “I will find you,” I whispered. “I love you.”
She nodded with tears in her eyes. “I love you, too.”
We met in Edmund’s room, and Hendry was already there, waiting for orders.
“About time,” Hendry said dryly as we entered the room. It took little effort to sneak up here, considering a majority of soldiers were sleeping.
