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“Please, excuse me? I am desperately parched, could you please fetch me more water? I would be ever so grateful.”
The pacing feet stopped, and the door was pulled open slowly, the kneeling guard poking his head inside. “The pitcher.”
“Of course,” I said, as sweetly as I could, conveying every ounce of innocence I could muster.
I bent down to the pitcher, picking it up and sliding my thumb through the handle, leaving my four fingers free. As the guard reached for the same handle, I grabbed his gloved hand, pulling him down sharply and into the hole with me.
Stupid man, you should have known better than to kneel for me.
A smile stretched across my face as he tumbled on top of me…almost. I stepped back and out of the way at the last minute, the guard now flat on his back on the dirty floor. Dust rises around him, and before he could regain his balance, my foot crushed his neck in one swift motion. Both hands jerk to my ankle, but I am stronger than most men, and this one was small. It was laughable that the Red King would underestimate me, considering he knew exactly what I was; what I was capable of.
I quickly moved my other foot to his shoulder, stomping on his face until his neck snapped.
Too easy.
With the trap door wide open, it wouldn’t take much for me to climb out, I just needed to find something steady to stand on.
Dragging the guard’s body out of the way, I found a crate full of wine, pulling it just below the edge of the sun-shaped circle. I stood, carefully assessing the room I would climb into. There was only one guard, dead now, and I needed to be as quiet as I could on the creaking wood floor of what looked like a wine cellar.
Any other time, I would have fawned over the treasures, but I didn’t have time. My escape—and my life, depended on it.
I would not leave without Charity, but I also needed to figure out a way to lose Charles. He could stay with his King, he need not accompany Charity and I any further. She was mine, and it was so clear to me, and I would make that perfectly clear to him.
Otherwise, I would have to kill him, and nobody wanted that. I doubted Charity would.
I slid against the dark walls until I found a door, a very heavy door. I pulled on it, but it didn’t open.
My chest rose and fell rapidly now, and although I rarely became scared or even worried, right now my body wanted nothing more than to escape. To see the sunlight, to feel the dirt beneath my toes.
My pets.
I missed the ravens, I missed Lilitu, but somehow the ache deep inside my chest was hallowed only for Charity. I had finally found someone who filled the emptiness inside of me, only to have them ripped from my heart. Again.
It made me think of my parents, of my little sister, Frigg. She was once that person, who made me feel like home, who made me feel like maybe I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
The days that I’d wished I had gone with them to the Americas were rare, but while I was a prisoner inside these unknown walls, I thought maybe it would have been better.
No Charles and Charity, no vendetta against the men in black coats. It would’ve been easier, simple.
Only I didn’t choose that, I chose to rebel. I chose to be my own hero.
As I walked the quieted hallways, I realized it was late at night, but the castle was fully alive.
Servants bustled around with food, and candles were lit in rings above and on the floor below. I remained unseen in the shadows, my instincts far more powerful than any human’s. I managed to dodge most of them, until I came upon a set of young women who seemed to be gossiping about what was happening. The castle was abuzz with rumors of the woman Domenico held hostage.
“…she is here to revive the girl! Domenico is sure that she has the remedy…”
“But wouldn’t he want to keep her locked in the apothecary? That makes the most sense to me. She will need materials, will she not?”
I smiled to myself, glad that my hearing was as sharp as a foxes.
With this information, I decide I will find the apothecary room and summon Lilith.
I would be beyond these walls by sunrise, the hard part would be taking Charity with me.
15
CHARLES
