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36
SILAS
When I woke,the world still looked bleak and deserted outside our window.
"Anything?" I asked, dropping into the seat beside Jurak.
He shook his head. "Haven't seen a thing since we got here."
I watched the fields for a while, wondering how long it would be before the servants went back to work, or the palace stores ran dry. That was a problem for another day. Right now, I was determined to ensure the surviving residents could find a way to move forward, whatever that looked like.
As we made a second pass around the palace and came up over the courtyard, it occurred to me that Jurak was right. Not a single thing was moving down below. No servants were moving between the kitchen and the hidden door. Nobody was carrying empty trays back up to the kitchen to be refilled.
"How long have we been here?" I asked, hiding the quavering in my voice.
"I don't know. A while. This is our sixth pass."
"And you haven't seen anyone coming or going from the back door?"
"Not a soul."
"We have to get down there. Now."
Jurak's brows furrowed and he gave me a confused look. "Can't see anything from down there."
"That's because we've already missed it," I growled. "Take us down!"
Jurak did as he was told, following my directions toward the iron door and letting us down easy in the grass. He had hardly cut the engines before I threw the door wide and jumped out. I ran down the steps into the darkness. I nearly lost my footing, but I managed to jam my shoulder against the wall and keep myself upright.
I moved as fast as I could, but I was not surprised when I reached the second door and discovered it closed. With painful patience, I tried to open the door without making it scrape the ground. Every inch felt like it took hours to clear, and by the time I had a sliver just wide enough to slip through, my heart was pounding in my head.
Up ahead, I could hear Imrys shouting at someone, ordering them around like slaves. It was then that I realized I had no weapons, and I was no match for him. Even in the sanctuary, where I might be able to channel Re'Utu's power, he would have me beat. He was stronger than me, better trained than me. But I had to try.
I crept along until I reached the end of the passage, peering out into the room from behind the throne. It was no surprise that Imrys now occupied it, but a twinge of disgust filled me at the sight of him all the same. Was that how Anya had felt when she saw me sitting there?
From my vantage point, I could just barely see the outline of Tatyanna's legs, perched on the arm of the throne. Imrys's hand rested playfully on her thigh, toying with the shimmery fabric of her dress.
At first, I didn't see what I was really looking for. But then I spotted Anya, sitting on the dais with her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them. From here, she appeared unharmed, but I couldn't be sure. More than anything, I wanted to run to her, to scoop her up into my arms and press my lips to hers and breathe all the fire and life back into her. But I couldn't. Not yet.
Swallowing hard, I backed into the darkness. I had to backtrack.
I moved in reverse until I felt the alcove to Trydan's room, and then painstakingly pushed through the door without making a sound. There had to be something in here I could use. When I spotted it, I praised Re'Utu for his blessings. It was the first time in a long time.
Grabbing Trydan's scepter from where it leaned against the wall, I hefted it in my hand, testing its strength. Such a strange thing to leave lying around. It was a wonder he hadn't taken it with him. It was remarkable Imrys hadn't already found it. With its ornate carvings and golden glow, it seemed like just the sort of prop he would want for his big reveal.
With a couple practice swings, I was confident that it would inflict at least enough damage to give me the upper hand. If I hit him just right, it might knock him out. If not, it might just throw him off long enough for me to overwhelm him and get him under control. Either way, I hoped the people would act if they saw the chance, because I still wasn't sure I could take him on by myself, Guardian or not.
Retracing my steps, I reached the end of the tunnel and surveyed the room once more. No one had moved, including Anya. I forced myself to ignore her as I set my sights on the throne. I had a plan, and I was going to have to make it work. For Anya.
