It happens as he passes the guard. The youth trips and skewers Warrior in the back with the dagger that’s in his hand, likely readying it to bang on the bars to make the humans quail. The guard gasps loudly and takes a quick step back, drawing the blade with him.
Warrior lets out a grunt and falls to one knee with a snarl. He catches my eye and I can see he’s wondering if I did it, and how.
But then he laughs.
'Trickly little Kismet,' he wheezes as he gets to his feet and puffs himself up, ignoring his injury.
‘I sensed something was different about you upstairs. You don’t need to be hurt first anymore. Good to know.’ He lets out another chuckle. ‘But it’ll take more than that to kill a fae like me.’
He keeps walking with a slightly limping gait, disappearing through a smaller door at the other end of the dungeon, and I seethe.
The wide eyes of Tavish and his men stare at the door Warrior just went through.
‘What manner of creature can't be killed with a knife through his back?' one of his friends mutters.
I roll my eyes at them. ‘We're in the Dark Realms now.’
The guard who stabbed Warrior is still standing where he did the deed, his hands shaking, his eyes darting around. He's afraid that he'll be punished for his carelessness. He has a set of keys hanging from his belt, I notice.
He’s so close, but just out of reach. I wonder how I'm going to get Fate to do something so specific as to get him closer to us. Can I make him trip toward our cells? I try, but nothing happens.
Fuck.
And then I hear an oomph and a thud come from the other side of the main door. It opens, and a huge figure stalks in, having to stoop to get through. I know the profile and gait immediately. My heart quickens as I grasp onto the bars of my cell.
'Morgan?' I whisper to myself, my spirits lifting.
The great half-orc comes into view, dragging an unconscious guard behind him whom he drops unceremoniously on the floor.
The other, younger one is still standing in the middle of the walkway, his mouth wide as if he can't quite understand what’s happening. He belatedly lifts the dagger that still drips with Warrior’s blood, but Morgan only needs two strides to reach him. He lunges forward and grabs the weapon, snapping the youth’s neck with his other great hand easily before he can utter a sound.
Morgan lowers the guard to the ground silently, glancing over his shoulder at the door to ensure no one heard.
Then he peers into the cells.
‘Bryn? Are you here?’
‘Yes!’ I whisper urgently and his relieved eyes meet mine.
‘Thank the Gods,’ he breathes.
He takes the keys from the dead man and unlocks my cell first. He pulls me to him, enveloping me in a tight hug.
'Does this mean the Underhill is here?' I whisper.
'No. Jak and I tried to reach the cowards, even to send a message, but their Ring was locked down. We can’t count on them.' He rolls his eyes. ‘Fucking cunts.'
‘Warrior is close,’ I whisper, pointing toward the other door.
Morgan’s eyes narrow. ‘Good.’
‘Orc,’ Tavish hisses from behind me. ‘Let us out!’
Morgan makes no move to do his bidding, instead putting his finger to his lips for quiet as he approaches the cell door.
‘Is this everyone?' he asks
'I think so,' Tavish nods.
