The trek back to the village was quick but gave just enough time for Sophia to mull over the task that lay ahead of her and her men. Once back inside the village, Sophia stopped Torra and asked, “Do you know of a way into the castle undetected?”

She shook her head. “The only way in I know of is through the front gate of the stronghold.”

There was a sadness in her eyes that flashed quickly before disappearing. Sophia wanted to ask about that but figured it was likely a family member that was under the control of Lady Naomi’s forces. Perhaps Torra had previously tried to find a way in to rescue her loved one and failed, discovering the gate to be the only way in and out of the fortress.

“There is one secret place that overlooks part of the castle. I go there sometimes to…”

She didn’t seem inclined to continue, as if the idea caused too much pain. Sophia gently smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Would you take us to this place? It would allow us to scout the grounds and get a better idea of the layout.”

She took Sophia in, the girl’s big brown eyes were full of hope. Sophia noted a soft glow surrounding the girl’s skin. Torra gently smiled and nodded in that meek way she did everything. “Eat first. Then I will take you. You will need your strength.”

Sophia nodded and went to the table with her men. She picked at meats and fruits, but she didn’t have it in her to really eat. It wasn’t that she wasn’t hungry. She just lacked an appetite. She found herself wondering if it wasn’t partly due to the mountain magic that affected her need for food or if it was her mind being pre-occupied with finding the heirs and putting a stop to Lady Naomi.

As soon as her men had finished eating, she found Torra and let her know that they were ready.

“Follow me,” she said and led them through the village and up a set of stone stairs that were hidden behind sheets of ivy that otherwise blended into the rest of the scenery as though nothing was there.

Following a platform was an opening into a stone corridor, lit with beautiful flowers that held a soft purplish-blue glow and was dim but bright enough for them to see where they were walking. It was tall, yet narrow, forcing them to go through in a single-file line.

Sophia loved that the place came with such marvels she had yet to see. It was beautiful and enchanting despite all the dangerous things that lurked in the mountain.

Torra led them through the corridor that inclined toward what seemed like the top of the mountain before leveling off and declining slightly. When they finally reached another opening, it was barely big enough for all of them to stand. The ledge was narrow, making it a precarious lookout point.

But from here, Sophia could see the back side of the castle where a large balcony jutted out from the body of the castle, overlooking another ridge. There was a line of guards or thugs outlining the balcony, standing watch. Torches were lit and placed in such a way to illuminate the area around a woman lounging in the center. She had fiery red hair and copper skin to match. She was dressed only in what appeared to be a very sheer robe. There was a girl standing next to her that resembled Torra, only her skin didn’t hold a glow and she was shackled at the neck, wrist, and ankles. The clothing she wore were little more than rags that were torn and stained with dirt and what Sophia knew better than to think as anything but blood.

Torra’s hand appeared in Sophia’s vision, she held a finger out toward a woman lounging in the center of a balcony. “That’s Lady Naomi,” she said. “And the girl is my sister.”

Sophia’s heart wrenched at the pain in the woman’s words. She looked to Torra. She nodded once, pressing her lips together as a sheen coated her gaze. Sophia realized then, taking on Naomi was personal for Torra.

“My whole family is enslaved,” Torra said. “I only got away because I’m stealthy. That’s why Lady Naomi wants me. To use me as a spy.” She shook her head and took a shuddering breath. “But I don’t want that life. I want to free my family.” Her voice cracked at the end and Sophia truly felt badly for her.

“I understand,” Sophia said, resting a reassuring hand on Torra’s shoulder. Though she had problems of her own, Sophia didn’t want to leave the people helping her high and dry. That was just not in her blood or soul. “I will do whatever I can to help you free them.”

Torra’s eyes widened with hope and she smiled. That glow Sophia swore she saw earlier returned, and her eyes quickly darted to the balcony just before she dashed inside the corridor.

Sophia took a moment longer to study the back end of the castle before turning away and joining Torra.

“Come,” she said. “I’ll show you the way out of the mountain.

Torra quickly ran into another corridor that Sophia hadn’t noticed before.

“What are all of these tunnels for?” Sophia asked.

“Besides discomfort,” Edric added.

Sophia ignored the comment. It was uncomfortable for all of them. The space was cramped, for sure. And she figured Edric’s size would make the space even smaller.

“Supplies,” Torra said. “Before the Blood Queen, we would trade with all the surrounding kingdoms. “But the queen closed all those she could find. Collapsing all known entrances that didn’t lead directly from her castle. However, these ones remained.”

“Do they not lead out from here?” Ezekiel asked.

“They only view the castle. Watch.” Torra led them down a steep decline where the smell of stagnant water and stale air whistled through an opening just ahead of them. She pointed to Sophia and she carefully stepped around the girl to take a glimpse at the opening that was wide enough to give them all a chance to study the cliffside behind the castle. They were about fifty feet up. They didn’t have the supplies to climb or rappel down, not to mention there was nothing around for them to leverage their weight with.

But from where they stood, Sophia saw a cave of sorts that presumably led into the castle itself. But it was barred closed and flooded with water.

“Sewers?” Andreas asked.

“Yes,” Torra said. “That is the only way to the exit.” She pointed toward a bend in the ravine. “There is your way out. But you can’t get there from here. You must go through the castle.”

Right. Of course, that would be the thing standing in the way. At least Sophia promised to take care of Naomi. She could do that, find out any information about the heirs, and get her men out of the castle all in one trip.

“Any information we should know of that would help us fight Naomi?” Sophia said, pulling from the view of the sewers and facing Torra again.

“She only fears the Blood Queen.”

“And where is she exactly? We’ve heard her mentioned, just not her whereabouts,” Edric said.

Torra held herself. She hesitated to speak. Almost like she wasn’t sure how much to say or was fearful of saying too much. Sophia wasn’t sure what the case was. As far as she could tell, there was nowhere to hide, but that didn’t mean the Blood Queen or Lady Naomi didn’t have eyes and ears everywhere.

Finally, Torra took in a shuddering breath and said, “She’s scouting for troops to take over the surface. That’s why there are so many slaves. Mining ore and rock for weapons. Or learning to fight so they could go to war.”

Sophia held the girl. Something told her that even if she were to take out this Naomi and free the slaves, her fight wouldn’t end there. It wouldn’t stop unless she handled the Blood Queen.