“They’re evil,” Maximus said what should have been enough.
“They are—”thump thump“—butwearen’t.”
Maximus’ jaw tightened, but he nodded in understanding.
Satisfied, Fitz asked, “Can youlocka door with your picks, or does that trick only work one way?”
Maximus locked the door as quickly as he could with the minions constantly trying to force it open. He felt an odd satisfaction at imprisoning them in their own evil lair.
Then he picked the spear up, ready to fight some more minions.
The end of the hallway was empty—they’d already taken care of the guards patrolling nearby. Fitz and Maximus leaned around the corner. A pair of minions were talking at the end of the hall, gesturing expansively with their hands. After a few seconds, they left together, heading toward the front of the building.
“Sounds like Angelica’s fight might have finished,” Fitz said. “Looks like they’re all converging in one place. Should we check on her or take the opportunity to explore?”
Maximus didn’t care about anything in the lair except the Lord of Grimnight. He tightened his hands on the spear and growled, “Let’s finish this.”
“Remember, we’resneaking,” Fitz said. “Not running in full tilt.”
Maximus nodded and stepped quietly from their shelter.
The double doors of the former courtroom were thrown wide open, admitting a steady flow of minions to watch the show. Maximus could barely see anything over the towering minions’ heads without getting too close, but he could hear the conversation inside.
“Fyodor, I’m disappointed in you. You can’t even beat one little girl in armed combat?” A strange cadence obscured the voice.
“I’m sorry, my liege. Punish me as you see fit.”
The reply was too quiet for anyone outside the room to hear. Then louder, the speaker said, “So, you’ve come to challenge me yourself, Princess? How bold.”
While the minions were distracted, Maximus crept closer and peered through a gap between two guards. A cloaked figure lounged on a throne, one leg thrown over the chair’s arm as he leaned in the opposite direction, spreading himself open as if he didn’t need to worry about defending himself.
“I didn’t come to challengeyou,” Angelica said, her tone dismissive. “I came to challenge the Lord of Grimnight.”
The figure threw his head back and laughed, full of mirth and malice. The move sent his hood sprawling backwards, exposing a curtain of long white hair. “Angelica, Angelica, Angelica.” Each time he said her name his voice dripped with more condescension. “You never were the brightest champion, not that anyone could compete with Fitz.”
Fitz had also crept up next to Maximus, and hearing his name invoked, he blanched.
“Haven’t you figured it out by now?” Wilde pushed himself off the throne, his delicate lips curled into a cruel sneer. “Iamthe Lord of Grimnight.”
“No,” she said, the word so breathy it was almost lost in the expansive room. “No, that was … it was someone else. You were only his apprentice.”
“Not here, not now. I’m the one you’re here todefeat. Still want to fight me?”
“I—” she faltered, her sword slipping to her side.
“I’ll fight you,” Maximus declared, pushing past the minions. They raised their weapons but didn’t attack him yet, allowing him to enter the room and face the Lord of Grimnight.
Fitz groaned behind him, “What happened tostealth?”
A menacing smile spread over Wilde’s lips. He scanned Maximus, his black eyes lingering on his spear, then his gaze shifted to Fitz. After a second, the smile slipped and he demanded, “Where’s Treasure?”
If he needed to ask, Trey hadn’t been caught yet. Maximus would do his best to make sure Wilde never found him again. “He’s not yourtreasure, he’s his own person!” Maximus reared back, spear in one hand, and threw it with all his might straight at Wilde.
Wilde disappeared in a blink, and the spear clattered harmlessly to the floor. He reappeared several feet away, leaning against the throne in another overconfident posture. But he’d barely had time to pose before his eyes widened and he straightened. “Stop!”
Maximus had only a second of confusion before a heavy weight slammed into the back of his head.
“I told you not to kill them!”
