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Flipping the pommel in my hand, I opened the door, revealing two young females sitting at a table and peeling vegetables. A scream tore from their lips at the sight of us, and I wasted no time spilling their blood over their work. They weren’t to blame for their mad king or the kidnapping of Princess Gizela, but protecting both the babe and my mate were my top priority and I couldn’t risk alerting anyone – namely Kazimir – to our presence.
“Let’s hope no one heard that,” Anton muttered, clearing the room along with Slavian.
“Up the stairs,” I ordered, jerking my head to the steps that led to the bowels of the castle.
On silent feet, we ascended, sneaking off the first landing and venturing in the direction of the servants’ nursery. The sound of crying children was notably absent, and all who lived on this level seemed to be deeply asleep. No one opened their door to investigate the screams of the late-night kitchen maids.
At the end of the hall, a door was slightly ajar, and with as much gentleness as I could muster, I eased it open, hoping to find the little princess there. The room was empty, but as I flared my nostrils, I caught the scent of milk. The princess had been there, but judging by the empty crib and basic cot, it had been some time.
“She’s not here,”I informed Izidora.
“Liliana says to go up a few levels and search. Zuriel hasn’t found her either.”
I motioned for the others to follow, and we returned to the staircase, winding up to the next level and exiting in a similar manner. More doors stood wide, revealing barren rooms with nosign of life. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as we neared the end of the hall, and with a spared glance behind me, the others seemed just as tense as me.
Tightening my grip on my sword, I glided forward on silent feet, tuning into my heightened hearing to assist me. A single closed door drew my attention, especially the repeated swishing sound that drifted from behind it. Pausing, I listened for a moment before grasping the handle and twisting. With one swift movement, I threw it open, revealing five leather-clad soldiers waiting with wild grins. Three in the back had arrows notched and aimed directly at us.
“Down!” I shouted, hitting the floor with enough force to rattle it. An arrow whizzed over my head a heartbeat later. I treated my drop like a push up and launched myself back to my feet, charging forward and not stopping to see if Artur, Anton, and Slavian were okay. My blade clashed with the closest soldier, and with a mighty shove, I overpowered him and used his momentum to knock the arrow-wielder behind him off balance.
He blasted me with silver magic in return, causing me to stumble too, but I caught his waiting blade with the metal cuff on my wrist, allowing it to dent my armor but save my skin. I needed every ounce of my magic to ferry us back to the Iron Realm, so I gritted my teeth and swung at him, using my strength to force his back to the wall.
Beside me, Slavian and Anton battled, the former kicking a Night Fae in the stomach, sending him flying backward with a forceful grunt as all the air fled his lungs. Fire heated my backside as Artur cooked two in their armor, their screams piercing the air before gurgling into silence.
Only the one in front of me remained, and the tip of my blade was pointed at his throat. “Where are the others?” I growled, finding sick satisfaction in the way the male trembled.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he protested, and for his lie I pressed my blade into his throat – not enough to kill, but enough to draw blood.
“Let’s try a different question. How many others are there in the castle tonight?”
His throat bobbed, causing more metallic ruby to run down his neck. “Only a few. We were in here gambling when we heard the screams from below. Figured the intruders would find us eventually.”
“A likely story,” I grinned maniacally, causing the male’s eyes to widen. Vacillating between severity and levity was its own kind of thrill, especially with how thoroughly it frightened my prey before I slaughtered them like the weaklings they were. “Where are the others?”
The male whimpered as the tip dug deeper into his skin. “Other parts of the castle.”
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose with my free hand. “You’re making this difficult. Why don’t you want to please me?”
Utter confusion crossed his frantic expression, and I relished in the mental pain I was inflicting. “What?” he managed to stutter after a moment.
“Beg for your life.” My tone was like ice, spearing into him as hard as my blade.
He released a whimper that satisfied the parts of me that got off on others’ pain. “Is that a no?”
A lone tear slipped down his cheek, and the scent of piss filled the air. I glanced at Artur, who merely shrugged. In one swift motion, I removed the male’s head from his body, allowing it to fall at my feet with a satisfying thump.
“There are soldiers in the castle,”I relayed to Izidora.
“We know,”was her strained reply.
26
Being in the tunnels brought back distant memories of the mere days I’d spent in the Night Realm before Ruslan came for me. Bubble lights floated around us, provided by myself and Liliana, as we walked behind the walls, using the same passages to navigate the Royal Wing as we had when we snuck from my room to the High House Wing. A pang of longing swept through me as I recalled how much fun I’d had with my friends, and how all of that had been lost when Kazimir went insane and the remaining Nighthounds chose him over Liliana and me.
Were they all in Este Castle, totally unaware of who moved behind their walls?
“Only a bit further,” Liliana whispered, her voice barely traveling down the line and reaching Savich and me.
The cramped space was triggering a medley of physical sensations, from my heart galloping against my ribs to nausea churning in my gut.
