“How did I end up in the palace dungeons if they’re not for common folk?” Lawrence asked.
“You’re not common folk anymore,” Samael replied. “You’re one of the greatest enemies ever to walk this realm.”
“I consider that an honor.”
“So do I,” Tucker said. “I’d also consider the duke and aristocrats far bigger enemies than us.”
“It’s all based on your perspective, I guess,” Samael said.
“And what’s your perspective?” I inquired.
Samael stepped over another dead guard lying beside a table. “Revenge.”
“Fair enough.”
“How do we get to those dungeons?” I asked Samael.
“We can take more tunnels to the other side of the palace, but they’ll have to be servants’ tunnels. There’s a chance someone could spot us in them, but for the most part, since it’s so late, that chance is low.”
“Where will the tunnels get us?”
“The kitchen.”
And the kitchen was directly over those dungeons. “What do we do from there?”
“There’s another tunnel from the kitchen into the dungeon so the servants can get food back and forth to the prisoners and guards.”
“We’ll take that then.”
“This is a bad idea, Ryker,” Samael said. “If you get caught again, you can’t help the children.”
I didn’t acknowledge his words. “How many guards are with the children?”
Samael was right, I couldn’t help them if they recaptured me, but I couldn’t stand the idea of them down there, huddled together with the rats, cockroaches, beetles, and whatever else skittered through the shadows. I wouldn’t leave the palace without at least trying for them.
“Ryker—”
“I’m not leaving here without them,” I stated.
“You always wanted to be a fucking saint.”
“How many guards?”
“Too many.”
“I’ll decide that. You’re taking us to them.”
Samael hesitated before bowing his head in acquiescence. I thought he’d caved a little too easily, but then I recalled him with Val’s son before leading the child away from his mother’s death.
He’d tried to shelter Georgie from what was about to happen. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I did now.
“You don’t like what they’re doing to the children,” I observed.
“I’m an asshole, Ryker, but I’m not a monster,” he replied.
“There are many in the towns who would disagree with you,” Tucker said.
Samael frowned at him. “I was doing my job.”
