Page 42 of To Save a Kingdom

There was an un-ladylike snort from below, followed by the soft brush of fabric over wood as her balled-up tunic and trousers landed near where the ladder peeked above the loft’s edge. “Didn’t surprise any guards naked, didja?” Zadé asked. “I imagine that would’a caused quite th’ ruckus.”

Aliya rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you would’ve loved the entertainment.” Smoothing her shirt over her stomach, Aliya stepped into view, where she could check on Zadé. “But no. This place feels empty, haunted.” She rubbed her hands over her upper arms, as though the heat could banish the goosebumps. “I think something bad happened here.”

Zadé’s face turned somber. “Likely many evil things have been done here,” she muttered. “If we’re lucky, we won’t know the half o’ them.”

Aliya’s eyebrows furrowed. What did that mean? She opened her mouth to ask, but froze. Zadé had a friend imprisoned here. She could be sensitive enough to not rub fresh salt over that wound with irrelevant questions.

Climbing down the ladder, she came to rest next to Zadé. The other woman handed over her dagger, which Aliya secured to her waist. “Where are the horses?”

Zadé tilted her head to the left. “On the other side o’ the gate. They decided that was the best patch o’ grass, so I tied their reins t’ the portcullis. May as well leave ‘em there fer a quick getaway.”

Aliya nodded, drawing her blade from its scabbard. “In that case, let’s do this.”

Zadé studied her as a crooked grin curved one corner of her lips. “Thought yeh’d never ask, Princess.” Pulling the door to the gatehouse open, they stepped into the courtyard.

Zadé slipped in front of Aliya as they approached a door leading to the inner ring of buildings. “Best ta let me go first.”

Aliya wasn’t stupid enough to argue. Not only did Zadé have more battle experience than she did, her instincts were screaming for them to turn and flee. Her gut churned, like when Patrick was whisking eggs for a breakfast scramble. The sensation made her knees weak. Something had tainted the natural magic of the area, and the way her power was reacting didn’t bode well.

A wooden catwalk stretched over a pit lined with the same iridescent material on the walls. It almost pulsed in time to Aliya’s heartbeat.

Other than the phantom magical essences woven into Malkov’s cloak as he’d tried to kill her, she’d never seen anything so creepy.

“Zadé,” Aliya whispered, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“Me, too, Princess. But we’re here, we can’t turn back now.”

Aliya chewed on her lower lip. She could do exactly that and wait for reinforcements before they investigated the bowels of Brisimin. But she choked back her protest. This was important to Zadé. If Aliya had a friend or loved one imprisoned here, Zadé would be first in line to help without a second thought. The least she could do was offer the woman the same.

Swallowing, she leaned out and peered over the edge.

There were still no guards nor any signs of the prisoners.

Beneath them were several platforms about the length of a grown man and one to two paces across, covered in that mysterious iridescent material. Studying her surroundings for a way to get down, she spotted a pallet mounted on two tracks off to one side of the pit that raised and lowered from the catwalk to the ground.

Grabbing Zadé’s upper arm, Aliya gestured to the contraption. “Over there. It looks like a bigger version of the dumbwaiters Malkov has throughout the castle.” At least, between the kitchen and his suite, but they were likely elsewhere, as well. The servants made frequent use of them.

Zadé tore her attention away from below to where Aliya indicated. After a heartbeat, she dipped her head. “We can check that out in a minute. But first,” she pointed to where the walkway disappeared behind another door across the pit, “I wanna see what’s over there.” She met Aliya’s eyes. “Never leave an enemy at yer back, an’ all.”

Aliya nodded. That was smart. Hence, why Zadé was the general and she was not.

A few heartbeats later and they were on the other side. Zadé twisted the handle. The door swung open on well-oiled hinges.

Other than the gate at the front, there wasn’t a lock in sight. “Isn’t this supposed to be a labor camp?” Aliya asked.

Zadé chewed the inside of her cheek. “So rumor said. Rumor ain’t always right, though. If’n I know Malkov, this was nothin’ so simple.”

A raptor of some sort screamed overhead, making Aliya startle.

Zadé glanced at the bird as it flew past, then at Aliya. “Little jumpy, are we?”

Aliya furrowed her eyebrows. “Aren’t you?” She rubbed her arms and hugged herself. “Can’t you sense the wrongness here? It’s like someone took the area’s natural energy and poured dirty oil all over it.”

Zadé studied her for a moment, eyes narrowed as if trying to determine if she was joking. Finally, she pulled back. “No, Princess. I don’t feel anything. But I wouldn’t be surprised, what with Malkov’s obsession with stealing other people’s power and all…” Her words drifted off as her gaze unfocused as she gazed over Aliya’s shoulder. “No way…”

“What?”

When Zadé didn’t answer, Aliya grabbed her arm and shook the woman. “What is it?”