Page 82 of The Mad King and the False Queen

Claude stormed off, and his two guards instantly followed.

Martine approached Dagmara and extended a throwing star toward her.

Accepting the weapon, Dagmara tucked it into her bodice. “Thank you.”

“Of course…Princess,” Martine replied, as if the word was difficult to say.

Dagmara knew she was one mistake away from having her cover blown.

CHAPTER 30

Magdalena

Magda found herself once again in the void. She was alone, except for the eerie voice that raked against her temples, sending a chill down her spine.

“They’re coming for you…” the voice said.

This time, Magda felt more physically present in the space. She looked at her hands, turning them over and taking in how real the dream felt.

“They’re coming now,” the voice repeated, this time more urgent. “You’re in danger.”

Magda jerked upright, hearing the sound of Odie growling in her ear. Outside her room she heard shouting between the innkeeper and a rough, male voice.

“What’s going on?” Magda looked at Odie before leaping off the bed and pressing her ear to the door to listen in:

“I have one hundred witnesses putting that dog and the Azuremi girl at your inn last night. No one saw them leave. Where are they?”

Magda gasped. She recognized the voice. It could only be one person.

“You’ve never stormed my business like this!” the innkeeper shrieked.

“This is no longer business,” Vex laughed, “Ravi and that girl let out a wagon of my dogs and humiliated me in the streets. You know how much that cost me? This is personal.”

Odie grabbed onto the bottom of Magda’s skirt, attempting to yank her back.

The footsteps grew closer, as if Vex was barrelling down the hallway.

“You can’t go in there!” the innkeeper shouted.

Magda gasped, pulling away from the door before grabbing her knapsack. “Come, Odie!”

She ran over to the window, pushing it open, before staring at the street. All around the Inn’s walls were thick vines. Just below her, was a tented awning covering a storefront. She could only hope it would hold her weight while she jumped down. Before she could stop herself, Magda jumped outside, onto the top of the tent. She landed onto the soft fabric, which dipped under her weight, before rolling to the side. Quickly, she shifted her body before grabbing onto one of the vines, using it as a rope to drop herself down to the street.

Above, Odie’s paws were propped up against the open window, staring down at her. He let out a bark.

“Come on!” Magda yelled. She knew he was big enough to jump over the window sill and land on the tent. She hoped her demonstration of the maneuver was enough to convince Odie it was safe.

Odie barked twice more.

“Come on, Odie! You can do it!” she screamed louder.

Odie backed up, and prepared to jump through the opening. He began running toward the window, but just before he made the jump, something grabbed his hind legs and yanked him back. He let out a yelp as he disappeared.

Vex’s face appeared in the frame. “Look who has him now,” he chuckled. Then he vanished, no doubt taking Odie with him.

“No!” Magda yelled. She had to make it to the front door before they left with Odie. She pushed through the busy street, fighting against the crowd, attempting to make it there in time.

Suddenly, a man grabbed onto her wrist, pulling her back toward his shop.

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