Had the gargoyles been detected? Were the guards inside now moving the earl to safety? I really hoped not, but it was a possibility.
But wouldn’t more lights turn on if that were the case?
As I searched the windows, I saw no sign of movement within the upper floors, but I also couldn’t see into the hallways. They could be as bright as day for all I knew.
On the lower floors, lights shone in some of the windows, and occasionally someone would pass by. It was mostly servants, but a soldier swept past one window and then another as they made their way through whatever room they were in.
They didn’t move with any hurry and weren’t concerned about what was happening outside, as their attention remained ahead. It could all be an act, but why pretend everything was okay if it wasn’t?
After the rebellion, I was sure the earl had his security watching the new servants he brought to his estate. He’d never let them do anything beyond his control. None of the guards who passed the windows were ushering the servants anywhere; everything remained utterly calm within.
On top of the parapets, three figures appeared. They spread their wings before plunging over the side, skimming the wall as they descended.
When they vanished from view, I held my breath as I waited to see if they’d go after the earl on their own. Then I felt a shift in the wind and a draft from their wings as they hovered over us.
A second later, they landed beside us and closed their wings against their backs. Once hidden again, the sharp points at the tips of their wings were the only indication they existed.
“They’re dead,” Indon said as flatly as if he’d revealed his favorite color.
“That was quick,” Luna said. “Maybe we should try going through the tunnel if they’re able to kill that many so fast.”
“Do you really think the earl would have left the tunnel open?” I asked.
“Probably not, but we could walk right through the front door, and they could destroy everyone in their way of the earl.”
“We don’t have time for that, and it would put the three of you in jeopardy,” Indon said. “We’ll stick with the plan.”
“The plan didn’t include slaughtering all the guards on the parapet,” I reminded him.
I didn’t know why I bothered to point this out, as I wasn’t in any rush to saunter through the front door as Luna suggested.
“It’s best to keep you as safe as possible,” Indon said. “Besides, it will be difficult for us to maneuver through the hallways, and we certainly can’t fly through them.”
And not being able to maneuver to their full capabilities would put them in danger. That was why we were here; the gargoyles couldn’t easily get in and out of the castle, at least not without being detected or making a lot of noise.
We’d agreed to be as discreet as possible. We needed to get through this without the duke knowing.
There may not be many guards in there, but we couldn’t kill them all, and we certainly weren’t going to kill the servants. If the soldiers died, fine, as any survivors would head straight for the duke.
We couldn’t take the time to make sure all the combatants were dead. We had another stop to make tonight after this one.
And it wasn’t just us who needed to stay safe; the gargoyles were powerful but not indestructible. The Heart of Stone was a weakness for them, but it wasn’t the only one. Their wings could be destroyed, and while their exterior was solid, I assumed that a strong enough force would break it.
We couldn’t lose any of the gargoyles. They wanted to protect us, and I would keep them safe by not dragging them through the middle of a castle they’d struggle to navigate.
Indon studied the earl’s windows. “We must go.”
“We’re ready,” I said.
With that, I climbed onto his back, wrapped my arms around his neck, and flew with him toward the windows.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryker
I kept the second key in hand, placed the first between my teeth, set the tray aside, and rose. With care, I shuffled back to the bars.
My fingers skimmed the cool, unyielding metal until I discovered the flat plate with the keyhole. The bars dug into my flesh when I pressed my shoulder and cheek against them to stretch my arm through.
