“Rozaria!” he called. The camp was quiet, wisps of smoke still rising from last night’s fires. “Rozaria!”
Seconds later she and her men burst from tents, somehalf-dressed, bleary-eyed. Her face set in agitated worry when she saw Paxton running to her.
“What has happened?”
He bent and put his hands on his knees, looking up at her. “They’re gone. They went through the window.” He panted. Her worry turned to hardened anger. “They shredded the bedding into ropes. I never heard a thing.”
She shoved past him and began barking orders in Kalorian. Her men scattered, yelling to one another.
“I can hunt them,” Paxton said. “I’m a tracker. They can’t have gotten too far on foot. If we take the horses—”
Martone ran from the stables, shouting words Paxton couldn’t understand.
“Seven horses are gone,” Rozaria whispered in horror.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Paxton said.
Konor came out of his tent rubbing his eyes and staring in confusion at the chaos.
“Wake the others!” Rozaria ordered Paxton. “See if they heard or saw anything.”
Paxton nodded and ran to Chun’s tent. “Chun, get up.” He flung the tent flap wide and stared in, then stepped inside only to run back out and sprint to Chun’s brother’s tent and do the same.
“They’re gone!” he shouted to Rozaria. “Every one of the Torestans!”
She raised her chin and pierced the air with a scream that seemed to uncoil from deep within her.
“Check the lake!” she commanded.
Paxton and Konor ran down to the lake and scoured the beach area.
“They really left?” Konor asked.
“Aye,” Paxton said. “With the prisoners, it seems.”
Konor’s eyes bulged from his thin face. “The cowardly traitors!”
Paxton nodded and they ran back to camp just in time to see Rozaria scream and throw a kettle into a stack of wood. Her chest heaved and she stared dangerously around at all her men and the mysterious woman. Ultimately, her eyes landed on Paxton. He awaited her wrath, but instead a frightening sense of calm suddenly pervaded her being.
“If they escaped during the night, they could be in Zorfina by now. Word will spread, and it is just as well. The time has come to take back what is ours. We leave now for Castle Kalor.” A zealous gleam filled her eyes, and Paxton forced himself to smile.
Chapter
20
Wyneth had never before seen the underground tunnels. In fact, until yesterday she’d thought they were a fable. Indeed, that if there’d ever been actual tunnels, they’d long since collapsed. Now it was a single shaft. After spending nearly twenty-four hours stuck in the underground room with her family, a handful of guards, and Lord Alvi, she hoped she’d never see the fabled room again.
“How much longer must we wait?” Lady Wavecrest demanded of the guards.
“Until we receive communication from aboveground that all is safe,” the guard told her again. But even he sounded doubtful at this point.
None of them had slept well on the military bedrolls.Wyneth felt everyone’s nerves stretched taut and wondered who would be first to break. Most likely one of the lords: her hotheaded father or uncle, or Lief. As for Wyneth, she’d lain awake wondering about Vixie, who couldn’t be found during the chaotic roundup.
Lord Alvi’s knee bounced up and down from his spot on the bench. His arms were crossed and his face was as etched with unhappiness as it had been the moment they had gotten down there. He had only meant to help Wyneth and her family into safety, and then he’d expected to be let back up to join the fight.
Wyneth had never seen a person as angry as Lord Alvi when he’d been told he would have to remain below or risk giving away their hiding place.
Over and over, Wyneth ran through yesterday’s events. She had gone straight to the library after speaking with Lord Alvi, Tiern, and Vixie. The nearest guard had swept Wyneth down the hall. It was as if some well-rehearsed plan of action had been put into place. The entire royal family converged, brought by guards and flanked by Lord Alvi, on a small cupboard room beyond the cellar. Once inside, a panel was lifted from the bottom of a large chest, and down the musty tunnel they went.
