ELEVEN
It was a day’s travel by horseback, and while it was much nicer with a saddle, it still was not a comfortable situation. At least this time I was conscious when I got to enter the castle estate. It was truly massive. We passed through the front, towering gates when the sprawling building was still just an outline in the distance.
I suppose I had read about this multiple times in history class, but it was quite different seeing things in person. The main street was highly taken care of, and guard posts lined it every fifty feet or so. But on the edges I saw mostly mud and shacks, rambling in no particular order and many of them crumbling.
Peasants were dressed mostly in rags, although I would see the occasional pop of color and finery of someone who wasn’t quite as bad off.
We progressed slowly, the Prince certainly making a whole show out of the procession. There weren’t any boos or otherwise objections to my existence, so I figured they didn’t know the purpose of this outing. It gave me a chance to look at everything without having to duck any rotten vegetables or what have you.
The further we got along the path, the nicer the buildings became, and the less everything started to smell like piss and manure. It was like watching gentrification in real time, and it probably would have been fascinating if the castle wasn’t considerably closer, reminding me of the fate that was awaiting me.
Or of the fate everyone thought was in store for me.
I needed to stop doing that. I was going to jinx myself.
And then finally we were past the banners, past the flags, and past the inner-stone wall of the castle grounds. It was much more heavily guarded than the back had been, and everyone was standing at attention. It would have been nice to pretend that this royal welcome was for me, like I was some sort of returning hero, but I couldn’t quite immerse myself in the illusion.
We stopped in a massive courtyard, a bubbling fountain at its center that put the one in the garden to shame. More servants came, taking horses as the rest of the party dismounted, and the plethora of soldiers disbanded to go wherever it was they were supposed to go.
I sat tight until the Prince strolled over to my mount like he had all the time in the world. “Are you coming down, or are you going to make a scene out of it?” he asked.
I didn’t answer him at first, and I tried to maintain my dignity as I responded. “I can’t.”
“You can’t?”
I shook my head. “I can’t move my legs.”
Instead of becoming enraged, he let out a booming laugh. “I suppose horses aren’t as common on the islands here. I’ll help you down, my fair damsel.”
“You don’t get to call me that while you’re keeping me prisoner.”
He pushed my leg upward, giving me the lift I needed to swing it over the side. He crossed around, and raised his arms to catch me. “See, that is where you are mistaken. I can say whatever I want to you, do whatever I want to you, and treat you however I see fit. It would behoove you to remember that.”
He set me down, and I flashed him the biggest, cheesiest grin I could manage. “Oh goodness, I will try my hardest to be the bestest prisoner I can be!”
“Sarcasm is unbecoming of a lady.”
I took a solitary step towards him, until we were uncomfortably close. I wish I was tall enough to stare him in the eye, but I had to make due with looking up at him in defiance. “Good thing I’m not a lady then.”
The effect was less than I hoped, and he merely sighed. “Creed, Saorse, check her for weapons. Then take her back to her cell. I want three guards on her at all times, and a rotation of six at the door itself.” With that he walked off, leaving me with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum in the front and back of me.
They both took their time patting me down. Their hands slid down the front and back of my legs, my middle, even my breasts didn’t escape their search. Thankfully, they were surprisingly professional about it, not uttering a single leer—or even a word for that matter. When they were both done, they moved to either one of my sides, gripped my arms and walked me forward.
We didn’t go in through the massive front doors as I had expected. That was kind of disappointing. I wanted to stroll up those pretty white steps before I potentially faced my death.
Instead we made a sharp turn to the left, and continued far along the side of the building. I made sure to count how many steps there were before we stopped at what had to be a servant’s entrance. This one also had a guard on it, so it was either a more important door than the ones I had pelted through, or they had learned a thing or two about security when a single islander had managed to bust out of their dingy jail. Hopefully it was the former.
The muscle heads on either side of me said something to the guard that I didn’t catch, and he quickly stood. He fumbled with some keys attached to his belt for a moment, then quickly unlocked the door.
Once we were inside, it was about as dark, cramped and depressing as I remembered it. There wasn’t enough room in the windowless hall for us to walk three-abreast, so my escorts let go of my arms with a warning not to run. I didn’t want to think of what might happen if I did, so I behaved myself as we made a little train towards our destination.
We kept down that hall for quite a while, and we only passed a servant or two. Both of them let their gaze linger on me and I started to feel a bit self-conscious. Was there something in my teeth? Was it the pants? I didn’t know, but it made me even more on edge than I needed to be.
And then abruptly we were out of a stupidly small door that I even had to duck my head through, and back into a main hall. I was surprised to realize I knew exactly where we were, but I guessed running for your life down a corridor tended to make it stick out in your memory. If I turned right out of here and went about two dozen feet or so, there would be another servant’s door. The very one I had barreled down in my first quest for freedom.
We arrived at the spiral staircase of the dungeon all too soon, and the decidedly unpleasant scent of mold, mildew and stale blood drifted up to me. I hesitated for a moment, and the one at the back (Saorse? Maybe?) shoved me forward, making me nearly topple into his partner. I shot him a look as I recovered my balance, and hurried along to match the leader’s stride.
As soon as we were on the landing, I was craning my head from side to side to see if they had managed to refill the cells I had emptied. A sharp smack to my temple stopped that pretty quickly though.
“Look forward!”
“Alright, geeze,” I snapped, rubbing the side of my head. I tried to catch the intel I wanted in my peripheral vision, but the hall was much too dark. If there were any prisoners however, they weren’t making any noises.
And then finally we were at my cell. I didn’t know if they were going for irony or convenience by putting me in the same spot, but I didn’t have time to question their motives before they shoved me in.
I expected the door to slam behind me, and them to walk off without a word, but instead they followed me in. Another shove, and I slammed into the wall. I whirled, ready to take them both on, before I saw that one of them was holding a pair of shackles expectantly.
“You could have just asked,” I reminded him primly, offering my wrists.
He said nothing, but clamped the bonds down on me much tighter than necessary. I winced, and the slightest of smiles grew on his face. If I had a death wish, I might have flipped him off, but I had to remind myself that there were greater stakes here.
Once they were satisfied that I was really and thoroughly restrained, they left, slamming the door much harder than it ever needed to be. I winced away from the sound, and when it finally quieted, they were gone.
“Assholes!” I cried after them.
“Mercedes? Is that you?”
My head snapped in the direction of the cell across the hall. “Gael?” I called back. “Gael! I’m here.”
“No, no,” the Dragon Prince groaned. I tried to peer into the darkness of his cell, and I thought I could make out the faint outline of his hair. “I had heard you had escaped. How did they find you?”
“How did they find me?” I blurted, my heart aching at the utter hopelessness in his voice. “How did they find you?”
“When the ravens reached our party and told us of the attack, I went to the stronghold.”
“What! Why would you do that? The ravens were supposed to tell you specifically not to do that!”
“They did. But I was certain I was the only one who could protect you from them. By the time I arrived, you were long gone, and I was blindsided by a catapult that I hadn’t seen.”
“Wait, there were no catapults in my visions.”
“They apparently were a week or so behind. Not there in time for you, but just the right arrival to catch me. I was injured and tried to get away, but they tracked me halfway across the continent.” I heard his voice crack and I wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort him. “I was a fool.”
“No! Don’t think that, Gael. Did anyone tell you I brought down the mountain on myself?”
“What? No.”
I nodded, although he couldn’t see it. “Yup. I made some stuff that would combust and caused a whole rockslide before I could get out of its path. Almost died.”
“That is how they found you?”
“Yup. Pulled me out of the rubble and thought I was some hero escapee at first.”
“If I had been there, I never would have allowed you to put yourself in such a dangerous situation.”
“Yeah, I know. But that risk ended up giving every single dragon a chance to escape. If you had stopped me, a lot of people would be dead right now.”
“So instead it will only be us who die.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”
I could swear that his beautiful eyes glinted at me from the back of his cell. “You have a plan?”
“Of course. You don’t really think I’d let these putzes catch me again, would you?”
“Whatever it is, you must make sure you get out at all costs.”
I rolled my eyes. There were times for noble sacrifice and intentions, but this was not it. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. The only downside, is it’s probably going to get pretty bad for us before we can go.”
“Bad how?”
“The Prince is going to want to hurt one of us to get information from the other. It’s standard bad guy stuff. I’d love to spring us before then, but the timing’s not right. We’re going to need the cover of night, and for him to feel as on top as possible.”
“How predictable.”
“I know. But at least we’re together, right?”
“Actually, I think I would prefer if you weren’t here at all.”
“Yeah, well beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m the hero sweeping in to save you. Just, no matter what they do, don’t give anything away. Please. I know it’ll be hard, but believe me when I say that they can’t afford to permanently damage me.”
“Why? Are you under the illusion that they have some semblance of decency in them to not harm a weaponless woman?”
I snorted. “I’m not an idiot, Gael. No, they won’t go crazy with the torture because they think they can use my powers as a seer to benefit their world domination or what have you.”
“Ah. That makes much more sense.”
“Right? Maybe you should start trusting me then.” My tone was playful, but I quickly grew serious. “By the way, I know the Prince likes to haul his cronies down here to watch while he…performs. Do you remember one named Perin? A bit shorter than you, light brown hair?
“I…I feel like perhaps I have, but it is impossible to say for sure.” He paused for a long moment and I thought the topic was done, but he suddenly continued. “I seem to remember an odd man speaking excitedly to himself while waiting for the Prince to arrive. I couldn’t make out what he was saying, but what I could catch was still quite irritating.”
“That’s him!” I yelled before containing myself. “Do you remember anything about him? His face? His station? Defining features?”
“He… he was a tailor I think? Or perhaps a cartographer? I remember two of them being present, but it is difficult to recall with everything else that happened.”
I was absolutely sure I had the doofiest grin on, but I didn’t care. “No, that’s amazing, Gael, really. I—”
The door banged open, and the sound of marching footsteps sounded down the length. I wasn’t sure if my hearing had improved since I started hanging out with the dragon folk, or if these halls were just especially echoey, but stealth was obviously not a strong point of any of the Prince’s forces.
A few seconds later, the three guards that had been promised arrived, and positioned themselves between our cells. They were just far enough from the bars so that we couldn’t grab at them. Looks like they had smartened up at least a little.
It was a minor wrinkle in my plans, but not enough to cause me undue stress. I had expected two, but I could adapt. But for now, what we had to do was sit and wait in silence for the Prince to arrive.
*
More time than had expected past before I heard friendly banter and a chorus of laughter from the entrance to the dark world I was in. Maybe the Prince had wanted us to soak in our fear until we were marinating in terror. Instead, he mostly just made me impatient.
“Ah, my darling Mercedes! Have you made yourself comfortable in your new home?”
“It’s a little more of a fixer upper than I imagined, but nothing I couldn’t fix with new windows, some curtains, maybe some flowers to make it feel like home.”
“Charming.” His gaze turned to the other cell. “And to think, this is the woman you were crying for when you were captured.”
“I guess dragons are into different things,” I said, trying to draw his attention back to me. Part of me just wanted to protect Gael, and part of me dreaded having to see what they had done to him since they had never intended on releasing him anyways. “We can always talk about my experience with them if you wanna come over here.”
“Why do I get the feeling you are lying?”
“What? Me! I’m downright wounded…uh…” I paused for a particularly dramatic emphasis. “What was your name again?”
I had wanted him to get pissy, but instead he clapped his hands in delight. “Goodness, you are right! I have been a terrible host. Lady Mercedes, this is Sir E`on of the Marshes. Sir Gregory of Vell, and Sir Maver of Denvin.
“I am surprised that news of my name has not reached even the tiny Isle from which you hail from, but I am Prince Julian the Fifth. You no doubt are more familiar with my father, who unfortunately passed within this past year.”
“My condolences.”
“I am sure you’re as sincere as you are in those as I was in promising the trade for your Prince.”
“Good. At least we’re on the same page now.”
“Fantastic! I found that makes this next part that much more satisfying.” He gestured to the guards and I was sure it was time for me to bite my tongue and ride out another unpleasant one on one with the Prince, but instead they went to Gael’s cell.
“Is that really necessary?” I called, attempting not to sound desperate in my attempt to pull their attention back to me.
“Most likely not, but that doesn’t make it any less fun.”
And then they were dragging my golden Prince out and it took everything in me not to break down in tears.
He was still half naked, and his entire torso was riddled with bruises, cuts and burns. The open wound in his side had turned yellow and green at the edges, and he was an ungodly shade of gray.
But I was still a human, and I couldn’t stop the horrified gasp that escaped as my hands flew up to my mouth. “What did you do to him?”
“That’s a wonderful question,” the Prince answered, eyes sparkling. “Why don’t I show you?”
“Wait, what? No! I’m fine, really!”
But he was already slamming his foot into Gael’s chest, knocking the dragon flat on his back. A pained, weary cry escaped him as Julian rubbed a booted heel into his pale skin.
“Look, this really isn’t necessary. The dragons will give anything to have their Prince delivered alive. Killing him now would be a waste.”
The Prince turned his head to me, and he looked the most alive and genuine that I had ever seen him. “Oh, I’m not planning on killing him. Not yet at least. No, this is all for you, Lady Mercedes.”
“What do you mean?”
“Consider this an intro to a little game we’re going to play. You remember it from last time, don’t you? I will ask you a question, and you will answer me honestly. Only this time, if you do not, it is Gael who will be harmed. Not you.”
“Why? You don’t think I could handle whatever your big, bad brain will cook up?”
“On the contrary. I think you would handle it too well. This seems like a much more prudent way to procure what I want to know.”
Dammit. He had a point.
“Now, to begin. Where are the dragons hiding now?”
“I don’t know.”
He slammed his foot down on the Prince again, and I could have sworn I heard a crack. I threw myself at my bars, reaching out, but my fingers could only close on air. “No! I swear it! I know nothing about this continent. I can only tell you it’s somewhat by the sea!”
Prince Julian pulled his lips back in a snarl. “Somewhat by the sea?”
“Yeah! Like, not right against it, but kinda near it. That’s all I know, I swear.”
He removed his foot once more and seemed to consider me. “You know what? I believe you.” I sagged in relief against the bars, but I didn’t have much time to recuperate. “Perhaps this question will do better. How many dragons are there?”
“I’m not really sure, but I would say less than a hundred.”
The Prince whistled. “Really?”
I nodded. “I’ve only ever walked around their main stronghold though, so I suppose there could be outliers. But I can’t imagine it would be that large of a margin of error.”
“Very good. I do so appreciate how well you’re cooperating.”
“Well, you know me. I love playing a game by its rules.”
“That much is obvious. So, tell me, what are the dragons’ weaknesses?”
“That one I was actually telling the truth on before. They don’t really have any as far as I know.”
“You really expect me to believe that?”
My eyes went wide. “What? Yes! Their low numbers are obviously what’s putting them at such a disadvantage. But if you’re looking for some sort of magic button to bring them down, it isn’t there.”
“And here I was hoping that we could work together.” He held out his hand, and one of the men watching handed him a thin metal rod. It looked like a fire poker, but I didn’t see any fires here. “Pull him up,” he ordered flatly.
“What are you doing?” I cried. “I’m telling the truth!”
“I very much doubt that.” He pulled the rod back, and whipped it towards Gael’s back with a resounding snap. I screamed, and the Dragon Prince toppled forward from his knees before anyone could catch him.
“Please!” I screamed. “I swear to you I’m telling the truth.”
“This is growing tire—”
“She’s telling the truth.”
All of our attention flicked to Gael, who was laying wheezing on the floor.
“Come again?”
“She knows next to nothing about us. We kept her around for her dreams, but we knew anything she might learn could eventually be turned against us. So, we kept her in the dark as much as we could. It’s difficult, considering the dreams, but most of her mind seemed focused on the approaching battle.”
“Huh,” the Prince dropped his rod and it landed with a startling clatter on the floor. “I suppose I owe you an apology now, Lady Mercedes.”
I shrugged, my throat still squeezing painfully from the tears I was trying to hold back. “You know I think I can forgive you if we just call it a night. I’m terribly tired, you know, and I’m sure it’s past curfew.”
One of the men reached out and slapped his sword against the bars, making me jump back in shock. “You will speak to His Highness with more respect!”
“Why?” I spat back. “What’s he gonna do? Lock me up?”
“Your spirit never fails to entertain,” the Prince said, gripping his man’s shoulder and pulling him back. “But I agree. I think it is getting quite late, and it’s obvious that I am trying to use you in the wrong capacity. You are for what will be, not what has been.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”
“No, if I want answer to the secrets of the dragons, I suppose I should ask a dragon itself. The only issue is we seemed to lack the proper motivation to loosen Gael’s lips before. I’d like to see if that has changed.” His smile grew downright predatory, and I shrank back from the bars.
“Unlock her door and bring her here.”
I tried to put on a brave face as the guards came in and unchained my shackles, then pulled me into the hall. My heart was going a million miles a minute, and it didn’t help when one of the men kicked at the back of my leg, forcing me down into a kneeling position. Gael and I were less than a foot apart now, but the distance still seemed so impossible.
“Aren’t reunions lovely?” Prince Julian asked before stepping behind me. If there was something more terrifying than watching him torture my best friend, it was not being able to see what he was planning.
“Remember what I said, Gael. Don’t—”
Suddenly a hand fisted in my hair and yanked it back violently so I was staring at the ceiling.
“You had your turn to speak. Now, Gael is it, tell me where this stronghold they’ve holed up is.”
I couldn’t look at the golden Prince, but I could feel his eyes on me. I hoped, and prayed, with everything in me that he would stay silent.
And he did.
I was so proud of him, but before I could say anything, I was yanked back onto my feet by my hair.
“This game will grow very tiring, very fast if you don’t play along.” I couldn’t see a thing, but I didn’t need to in order to feel something sharp and cool press itself against the side of my face. “I will ask you again. Where are your people hiding?”
“No.”
The word was quiet, and I could hear the pain thick in the single syllable, but I was flooding with relief.
Gael was staying strong. He was listening to me, trusting that I was strong enough to survive.
But then the dagger was biting into my actual skin, and I felt warm and sticky blood welling up from the wound. I barely managed to keep a cry within my mouth, but I could hear Gael try to lung forward.
“Stop this! Fight me like a man.”
“You see, I would, but you’re not a man.” The dagger left the burning line it was tracing along my jaw, giving me a brief moment of relief before it moved to poke at the front of my tunic. “You care for her, don’t you?”
Gael was silent, and the blade went deeper, lightly scoring the skin of my stomach.
“Oh, you do! How fortuitous that you two happened to be the two to end up in our cells.” The blade continued to travel upwards, ripping a line through my clothing as it did. “It’s easy to understand why. Golden skin, and those dark eyes that sparkle just right. I’m sure you didn’t hesitate before swooping down and snatching her up. What do you think, Gregory? Would you want Lady Mercedes here in your bed?”
The tallest of the men laughed. “I’ve never thrown down an island girl, but I’m sure with the proper discipline, it could be quite memorable.”
The dagger was traveling higher now, exposing more and more of me.
“Don’t say anyth—” My head was jerked back viciously once again, and the sharp edge sliced into the skin over my ribs.
“Enough out of you, now! The men are speaking.” Julien’s hiss was a mix of utter madness and venom that made my stomach churn. “Are your people worth it, Gael? Are you willing to protect them and sacrifice our precious little seer here?”
Abruptly my legs were kicked out yet again, and I was shoved flat to the ground. Prince Julian knelt, one knee digging into my spine, as he pulled my upper body up at a painful curve. He was just a breath away from Gael now, looking in the beaten Prince’s eyes with unhinged insanity.
“Do not doubt for even one moment that I won’t hand her over to my men until she’s dripping with more waste than a common whore. I need her alive, not honorable.” Julian yanked me back even harder, and this time I couldn’t help the cry that forced its way out of me. “Maybe I’ll go first? Maybe you could watch. That would be fun, right?”
Suddenly his tone shifted, and he gently lowered me back to the floor. “All you have to do is tell me where they are.”
There was silence for a long moment, and the tension was palpable. But Gael remained silent and Prince Julian let out a hateful roar. “Fine! But you brought this on yourself!”
He stood, leaving me on the ground, and landed another kick on my back. “Go ahead, men. She’s all yours.”
Gael started forward, the guards barely catching him in time. “They’re in—”
“You have a spy!” I cried, as loud as I could.
The whole scene froze and I swear you could have heard a pin drop.
“What was that?” Prince Julian growled, his face dark and foreboding.
“How do you think we responded to your exchange so quickly? There’s another seer right here in your midst, and he’s been sending me messages through the dreams we share.”
I was yanked upwards and shoved so I was barely a breath away from the maniacal Prince. “You better not be lying to save yourself.”
“I’m not,” I stammered. “And I can prove it to you. I know his name, and it’s not something I could know if he wasn’t a spy.”
“Tell me.” The royal shook me. “Tell me!”
“Perin!” I blurted, trying to keep my head stable. “His name is Perin.”
He stopped shaking me, but I was being shoved back into my cell before my equilibrium could fix itself. By the time my vision wasn’t making several duplicate versions of my cell, both Gael and I were locked up again with only the three guards for company.
A slam of the door at the end of the hall told me where the Prince and his crew had hastily retreated to. We were in the meat of our plan now, and most likely had less than an hour window.
I just had to get rid of these guards and—
The doors banged open once again, and I froze in my approach towards the soldiers. Was the Prince returning to drag me along with him? I hoped not. That would pretty much ruin everything.
Except it wasn’t hunting boots I heard against the stone floor. No, it was something softer, and with shorter strides.
“Hello men, I’ve come with your refreshments.” I knew that voice, but it couldn’t be possible.
Yet surely enough, the portly figure of Carva came into view, pouring each of the soldiers some wine and giving them what looked like a ration of bread and summer sausage.
“Glad ta see this bitch has been contained,” she said with venom as she served them. “I heard she killed a man right here.”
“And I’m going to again,” I answered, unable to hide my smile as I made eye contact with her.
“Is that so?” the dark-haired woman asked, taking several steps away from the soldiers to taunt me from the far edge of my cell. “Because you’re going to have to beat me to it.”
If the guards thought there was anything amiss to her statement, they didn’t say. But that was probably because they all began choking out of the blue. I watched, startled at the display as they gagged, threw up and generally made disgusting messes before collapsing into very still piles.
“I guess they couldn’t hold their ale,” the woman said with a laugh before crouching over the nearest body.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? Trying to find a key. It’s not like we can pretend you fed them poison this time.”
“Don’t worry, I have that covered.” I reached up and loosened my braid from the very tight bun it had been styled into. As my hair loosened, I pulled a key from the center of it.
“How did you…?”
“Turns out I put this in one of the pockets of my dress without realizing it. I knew they wouldn’t have time to change all the locks here, so it was pretty easy to sneak this back in.”
Carva whistled. “Not bad, I have to admit.”
“Thanks.” I quickly unlocked my cell and crossed over to Gael. “Help me get him to his feet.”
Carva rushed to his other side, and we were able to get him upright—for the most part. Despite being on the edge of death, Gael was laughing lightly.
“You really are amazing, you know that?”
“Save your congratulations for if we actually get out of here.”
“Yeah, about that,” Carva murmured. “There’s still four guards at the door. I didn’t expect so many.”
“Don’t worry,” I replied. Soon there won’t be any.”
“Really? How do you figure?”
“Because I just sent them on a wild goose chase, but where the goose is a mass murderer with abilities that shouldn’t be possible.”
“You really are a ruthless woman, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
We started moving, although it was slow going. When we reached the door, I knelt and pressed an ear to the surface. I could still hear voices on the other side, so I held up a hand to wait.
Several moments passed, and I was briefly worried that my plan had fallen apart, but then a horn blasted through the air.
“That’s their attack alarm,” Carva breathed. “It means an enemy made it past the walls.”
“And all soldiers close into the inner sanctum to protect the nobles, if I read that protocol correctly,” I answered.
And sure enough, the men on the other side of the door yelled several things in alarm before taking off.
“Did that really just work?”
“You’d be surprised what a little reading and misdirection will do for you.”
I pushed the door open with my free arm, and then we were off.
It was a slow and arduous walk, with every second spent worrying that some soldier would round the corner and catch us. But screams and blasts within the castle told me that their collective attention was very much occupied.
I wondered what Perin would think of this. Would he be amused? Enraged? Respect that I had bested him at his own game? I supposed I would find out eventually. There was no way the palace was actually going to kill him before he slipped away.
“What are we doing? We’ve passed at least three other servant’s halls that could lead us out.”
“They’re not the right ones.”
“What do you mean, not the right ones?”
“Let’s say we somehow make it without a servant spotting us and deciding to take matters into their own hands to curry favor with their masters, once we get out what would we do? Walk him past the gates? Then down the main road? Then just shimmy our way to the dragon lair?”
“Oh, suppose I didn’t think that far.”
“Well I did.” Finally, I saw it. A ratty little half-door that was almost completely covered by a sculpture. “Behind here.”
We set Gael down and pushed the thing over. I would have liked not to damage the art, but it wasn’t the time to be delicate. Quickly, we picked the Prince back up and hurried down the hall.
“Why aren’t there any torches in this one?”
“Because it’s closed. It’s also why there was a statue in front of it.”
“Oh, why’d they close it?”
“It’s unstable. Part of it already collapsed.”
“That’s not very reassuring.”
I didn’t answer her, but instead kept pressing on. It was difficult to move through the pitch black, and both of us kept tripping on debris, but eventually I could see a light flickering against multiple slats of broken wood.
“What’s that?” Carva asked.
“That, my friend, is the Calvary.”
When we reached the illumination, that overwhelming giddiness returned to me again. We had made it.
Peeking between the slats of wood, I saw a hooded figure sitting atop a small wagon loaded with several different sized barrels. “Myrik!” I called.
The figure turned, and I saw a blessedly familiar flash of teeth. “Congratulations, your plan worked.”
“Yeah, yeah, just help us get the Prince up there and get us out of here.”
We worked quickly, or as quickly as we could with so much dead weight. The dread of being caught still hovered over my head as we pushed Gael through a gap in the debris, then squeezed through ourselves. From there, we each shimmied into a different barrel and Myrik placed false tops over us. Normally there was no way any of us would fit comfortably, but the wagon had a fake bottom that was almost a foot above its real floor, allowing each of us to spread our legs out with only our upper halves encased in the faux-containers.
“Don’t make a sound,” Myrik warned.
“Really? I thought this would be a great time to sing a little ditty.”
He mumbled something under his breath, but I didn’t catch it before he walked off. Soon, we were lurching forward, and I heard the clip-clop of horse’s hooves as he took us away. Next he would have us out the supplies entrance and we would be on our way with no one the wiser.
Tears dripped freely down my cheeks.
We had made it.
After everything was said and done, we had beaten the humans again, without a single loss of life. It was impossible, and yet that’s what happened.
And I was beginning to think I knew how to beat them permanently.