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“Yes,” Dossidian added, turning to me, “And if they are locked, perhaps we have just found another use for The Omnikey.”
“This other entrance looks like it leads directly into the Great Hall,” I marveled. I ran through my memory of the Great Hall and couldn’t recall seeing another entrance there either. Though, in my defense, I
had been doing everything I could to not look too closely. I had been preoccupied with keeping an eye on Ash Nevra.
“Yes, that used to lead to the gardens,” Dossidian said. “Before Ash Nevra took over, and turned the place into the disgusting fortress it is now. It used to be a beautiful place to live.”
Conrad nodded, “Yes. Mi did a think - the entrance we choose tuh use will depend on how we approach the situation. “Wi have two choices. Wi can try tuh go in wit a small team,” we all knew that the small team he was referring too were the individuals currently in this room. “Sneak in through di entrance in di dungeon. Wi would need tuh go tonight, before she get di chance to summon we, so dat wi can use surprise as wi advantage.”
Looking at the map and seeing how far the entrance in the dungeons was from the throne room made my stomach turn. Even with a small team, the chances of being seen by someone were high.
“What is option two?” I asked.
“Option two,” Conrad said grimly, “Is wi wait fah her tuh summon us, and respond wid a planned full-scale attack. Wi would need tuh mobilize Amon’s army, position squadrons at each entrance, and take di palace by force.”
My heart sank. I turned to Amon, shaking my head. “We can’t risk option two, you don’t have Bond-Breaker, she could enslave your entire army. Also, most of the daemons in her palace are slaves. She won’t hesitate to use them against us. We’ll end up killing all the people we’re trying to save.”
“We risk enslavement with option one as well, Raven.” Amon replied. “She could just as easily capture the team.”
“I was able to stop her from ensnaring you,” I said thoughtfully. I was sure I could do that again. If we went in with a small enough group, I could act as our shield, and protect us from her slavery bonds. I didn’t think I could manage the same level of protection for an entire army. Especially if it was split into several squadrons around the palace. And even if I could, it wouldn’t solve the problem of the number of casualties that option two would generate.
“I can protect us. She can’t enslave me with Elvira’s circlet on. She was able to trick me before with that horrible curse, but I won’t let that happen again. Conrad and Rycon are right. This plan isn’t perfect, but it’s better than the second option. I can’t risk killing all those daemons.” The memory of that daemon’s eyes meeting mine, as Ash Nevra stroked her possessively, flashed through my mind. She looked so broken.
Amon came forward, placing his hand gently on the side of my face. His eyes were shining with emotion. He was looking at me with a cross between worry and pride.
“My brave, brave Raven.” He whispered before nodding and pulling back away.
“Ok.” He said. “We will go with option one and infiltrate the palace through the hidden entrance in the dungeons.”
Dossidian nodded. “That means we will need to leave tonight.” He said. “Who is coming?”
“I am,” Kasha said, surprising me. From the look on Rycon’s face, I wasn’t the only one surprised that Kasha would want to volunteer.
“No,” Rycon growled softly. “You stay here.”
Kasha’s head snapped to face him, and she narrowed her eyes. Suddenly the tension in the room was palpable.
“I don’t take orders from you,” she snarled, her tone icy. “I am coming. If anyone deserves to be a part of this mission and take her down, it’s me.”
Rycon’s pupils dilated, and his fists clenched, he opened his mouth to respond and I held up a hand.
“Enough, Rycon. Kasha can make her own decisions. If she wants to come, she will come.” I told him. He glared at me, and for a moment, I thought he would push the topic, but to my surprise, he let it go.
“I am obviously coming,” Dossidian said. I nodded. I turned to the magick folk.
“What about you two?” I asked. Looking at my friends, who had stuck by me this whole time since the beginning, I hoped they would say no.
“Mi a come,” Conrad said solemnly.
“Me too,” said Meredith. I pursed my lips.
“Are you sure? It might make more sense for you two to go back across The Veil, and begin working on mobilizing The Board, should we fail…”
“Rayven,” Conrad said, his voice more serious than I had ever heard him. “Wi a come. Just like Kasha, wi can make our own choices.”
Rycon gave me an angry look, as if to say ‘see?’
I swallowed but nodded. Fine. I guess all of us were going.
