Iturned toLuxos, and he needed no other command.
“Weare tracking her, and my troops stand ready for an attack.Shekeeps the prince with her at all times.”
“AndPallas?”
“Stillher prisoner.Theprincess never lets her leave her side.AsIhave said,Ibelieve she thinksPallascan be used as a bargaining chip.”
Ilaughed, “Foolishgirl.Butnonetheless, should the opportunity present itself, return her to me,Luxos.”
“Ofcourse,YourEminence.”
“Andyou know what to do with the dragon?”
“Yes,Plagisinformed me of the details.”
“Good.”Iwaved my hand as a dismissal.
Luxosnodded, andIfelt the magic of his shadows wrapping around him.
“Oh, andCommander…”Luxosfroze. “…don’t come back empty-handed again.”
Chapter 27
Tori
Thebeach was exactly asIremembered;Avlynhad steered us true.Thesmall cove was much calmer than the surrounding sea, and we moored as close to the beach as possible.Aftereveryone had settled,Imade my way to the back of the cove and found the small opening we had emerged from before.Junpressed against my side, lacing his fingers through mine.Ifelt my heartbeat slow down.Hewas with me; they were all with me.
Thesun was setting.Ourjourney had taken longer than expected due to the rough seas.Iwouldn’t be waiting.Thesoldiers lit torches, most staying on the beach as reinforcements.Ilooked at the huddling masses to seeKaleosstriding towards me with the rest of my cohort.
Weheaded down the tunnel.Itwas perfectly round and smooth, just asIremembered.Ilet my fingers trace over the eerily flawless surface to help guide me in the dim light.Ithadn’t taken us more than half an hour to escape the cavern, soIexpected a short journey.
Iwas wrong.Notfive hundred feet from the entrance, theway forward was blocked.Aperpendicular path cut through the tunnel, heading in a new direction.Whateverhad created this new tunnel had pushed up enough rock that our original way forward was blocked.
Kaleoslet out a whistle at my side. “DoIwant to know what made this?”Whateverit was, it bore a perfectly round, smooth tunnel through almost solid rock.Ishivered and stepped down into the new opening.Ipried at the rock that blocked my path.Itwas compacted, butIcould pull away a few smaller pieces.
Kaleosstepped up beside me and did the same. “Let’sget a crew of men in here tonight; we could probably have this cleared by the morning if it’s not too thick.”
Mystomach churned again.Anotherday of waiting.Ididn’t have time for this.Icould feel the weakness of our bond; it was stretched thin to the point of snapping.
“Yes, get the men in here.Iwill head down this way and see whatIcan find.”
“Likehell you are,Princess,”Avlyn’svoice chimed behind me. “Whatevermade this, nature or creature, is still about.Iwon’t have you wandering around making yourself a snack.Backto camp with you.”
Imade to argue, butAvlynshook their head and gave me a look that said,back to camp.Igrunted but pushed past them out of the tunnel.
Thesoldierson the beach had set up a few tents to protect themselves from the wind and huddled between them around a fire.NokiandRaulapatrolled the borders of the camp on guard duty.Iwaved to them, ducked inside atent, and was unsurprised to findPallasandJunhuddled together.Junwas reading, andPallaslistlessly poked at some coals that were placed in a hole to keep the tent warm.
Junpopped his head up from the pallet and gave me a concerned look. “Backalready?”
“Unexpecteddelays,”Imuttered, flopping down next to them.
Pallasfrowned. “Wedon’t have time for this, especially with your bond in the state it is.”
“Yes,thank you,Pallas.Ihadn’t considered that at all.”Idropped my head into my hands, willing the tears away.Ifelt an arm around my shoulder.IthoughtAvlynhad come in without me noticing, butIlooked up to findPallasnext to me.
“Sorry…” she mumbled.Iwas too shocked to say anything.
Junsat up straighter than an arrow. “Whatwas that?”
