He’s going to suffer for a very long time at the very hands of the girl he sent to die.
ChapterForty-Five
I’m led down to the cells and tossed inside like forgotten garbage. The metal door slams into place, and then the guards are gone, leaving me alone in the cold, empty cell. I’m surprised it’s not gold, but I guess a pretty, shiny dungeon wouldn’t fit with the goal of terrifying those who stand against him.
Instead, the space is shadowed and dark, meant to disorient and bring fear.
I don’t fear it though. I fade into it, welcoming the shadows and their warm embrace as I inspect my cell and the area outside. As I do, my fury continues to grow.
At the king, at fate, at everything.
My cell is barely big enough to pace in, with three walls and no windows. A sack of hay is on the floor to sleep on, and there’s a hole running into the ground to piss in. Nothing more. The brick is cold and wet, and the metal gate is sturdy and strong. Beyond is a corridor with more cells as far as I can see. I made note of the directions we took as we came down, storing the information for later. We had to pass two locked metal doors before descending a hundred and fifty stone steps I stumbled upon while being jerked around by the guards, and then we reached the dungeon. The proud metal door had a torch on either side, and the guards declared our location as if there were idiots who needed the reminder. The cell I currently reside in is just beyond those torches.
I debate my options as I linger in the darkness.
No doubt hours have passed since I was taken by the guards, so my monsters have to know something is wrong, even if they can’t feel it.
I know they will come for me.
But first, I need to free my sister, which means getting out of the cell. Moving toward the door, I test the metal. It barely moves, even under my enchanted strength. My magic rolls through me then, a reminder. I could use it and easily free myself, but others would feel it.
The king would feel it.
No, I need to be sneaky about this, which means leaning on an old skill.
Hurrying around the cell, I search for something to use and find a nail in the sack of hay, either left by another prisoner or simply a lost trinket before it had been stuffed into the sack. Moving back to the gate, I slip to my knees on the filthy stone and reach my skinny arms through the bars, straining. My eyes close as I focus on the feel of the lock, locating the edges before slipping the nail inside.
I learned this trick for fun when I was younger, a way to play tricks on adults, but I’m glad it’s coming in handy now.
My ear presses to the cool metal as I listen for the tumbler, moving the nail inch by inch until…
Click.
Grinning, I carefully tug the nail free and swing the gate outwards, stepping into the corridor.
I’m about to head to the door when an explosion rocks the earth, sending me flying into the other wall. I’m lucky my magic protects me, cushioning me before I can slam against the stone so I just drop to my feet. I whirl, trying to figure out what just happened. Waving my hand through the dirt in the air, I cough as I peer through it, trying to find the source of the explosion.
As the dust begins to settle, I can only gawk when I realize there’s a huge, gaping hole at the very end of the hallway next to my cell. Stones litter the ground, marking the once smooth structure. Now, it’s torn to bits, a beautiful bit of destruction in a picture-perfect castle. It gives me great satisfaction.
My monsters step out from the dark.
Grim reaches me first, gripping my face and searching my body. When he finds no injuries, he sighs. “Little one,” is all he says, but in those two words, I sense his panic, his fear.
“I’m okay,” I promise as I’m passed through loving arms. First to Bracken, then Zee, Nero, Krug, and finally, Razcorr. The hallway is suddenly too small to fit us all while clustered together. They speak at once until I chuckle and hold up my hands.
“I’m fine, I promise. I saw my sister and followed. I allowed them to take me so I could get close.” I spot their narrowing eyes and roll my own at their looks of displeasure. “You can punish me later,” I tease, “For now, what happened?”
I spot some familiar halflings lingering at the entrance, but it’s Grim who speaks. “The halflings know of the tunnel that led here. Apparently, some were kept here before being disposed of. It was sealed after they escaped, on the king’s orders, but it was no match for us.”
“I see that.” I grin as I nod and thank the halflings with them. More seem to be behind them in the tunnel, waiting, but I don’t know what they are waiting for exactly. They have more than helped us.
“I saw some more of your kind deeper in the cells,” I admit. “Free them?” I ask and watch as some hurry to do just that. I’m turning away to relay my plan when a new one forms.
“Actually, free everyone,” I call with a wicked grin. “Cause a distraction. Kill the guards if you want.”
It’s Marne who climbs from the tunnel and meets my gaze head-on, speaking the question on everyone’s lips. “And what will you do?”
I don’t flinch as I look her in the eye and declare my plan for all to hear.
