Page 66 of Twisted Empire

The voices grew closer, and soon I could hear their footsteps too. I peered out of the nook. There was a man in a suit holding a bright flashlight with one hand, dragging a terrified girl behind him with his other one. She was clad in a black dress and an ornate golden mask.

“I’m sorry!” she cried again. “I didn’t mean to say no. Please don’t leave me down here again!”

My heart dropped. I recognized her voice now that she was closer. It was Pri.

I clutched the rock tighter and stepped out of the nook. The man stopped and let go of Pri’s hand in surprise. “You’re supposed to be dead,” he said, eyes narrowing.

He charged toward me. Fear flooded my veins, but I pretended Elias was right behind me. Guarding me. Encouraging me. Whispering in my ear. I’m right here, Doll. I’ve got you.

I lifted the rock and smashed it into one side of the man’s head as hard as I possibly could. Part of me expected him to be knocked out immediately and hit the ground with a thud like I’d always seen in the movies whenever anyone was hit in the head, but that didn’t happen.

Instead, the man let out a strangled cry and recoiled from the blow, staggering a few feet backward. He grunted and began to move toward me again, hands shaking and clawing at thin air, and then his knees buckled. Finally, he sank to the edge of the tunnel wall, letting out guttural groans as he touched one hand to his head.

A few seconds later, he made an attempt to get up again, but he couldn’t. All he could do was lie there and make terrible moaning sounds. He wasn’t unconscious like I’d hoped for, but he was badly hurt and he wouldn’t get up again anytime soon. Good enough.

Pri lifted her mask and stared at me. “Tatum,” she gasped, eyes wide and limbs trembling. “I… I thought you were dead.”

“Nope. Still here,” I said, a faint smile on my face.

“I saw you when Elias carried you in earlier. You really looked dead,” she murmured, casting her eyes over my bloodstained clothes. “What are you doing down here?”

“I’m here to try and help you and all the other girls. Elias is helping too. He faked my death so he could sneak me in with him. We knew it was the only way his father would allow him to return. With me dead.”

Pri touched a shaky hand to my shoulder, her eyes still wide and incredulous. “I can’t believe you’re alive. I’m so glad.” She took a deep breath and steeled herself. “Can I do anything to help?”

I hesitated. “Yes, actually. I need to go upstairs, so I was going to sneak into a coatroom to get a less conspicuous outfit, but it would be much easier if you just gave me your dress and mask.”

“Oh. Of course.”

We undressed. I gave her my bulky jacket to wrap around her petite body, and then I slipped into her dress. The plastic baggie of white powder remained tucked under my bra band, and I slid the pocketknife beneath the other side of the band along with the other small tools. It wasn’t comfortable and I probably wouldn’t even need them anymore, but it was best to bring them just in case.

Pri handed me her golden mask a moment later. As I adjusted it over my eyes and nose, she pulled the left jacket sleeve down over her hand and used it to wipe my chin and neck. “Blood,” she murmured, gesturing to her injured master. He’d finally lost consciousness as he lay slumped against the rocky wall. “Some of it sprayed onto you.”

“Thanks.”

She stepped back and gave me an appraising look. “Perfect,” she said. Then she motioned toward her master again. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll make sure he doesn’t wake up.”

I gave her a quick hug and then continued on my way through the tunnel. As I rounded a corner, I turned my head over my shoulder for a second and saw Pri crouching near the unconscious man, one hand reaching for the rock.

A grim sense of satisfaction coiled around my insides. I hurried onward.

When I arrived at the Catacombs exit near the stairwell, I carefully poked my head out to make sure no one was around. I didn’t see anyone. Stepping out, I held my head high and began to ascend the stairs. When I reached the second floor landing, I saw two guards talking to each other, but they ignored my presence, presumably thinking I was one of the other girls.

I kept going.

On the third floor landing, another guard caught sight of me from down the hall. “Hey, shouldn’t you be at the party?” he called out, a frown drawing his thick blond brows together.

“I’m on my way. I just have to get something for my master first,” I said in a lilting tone, disguising my real voice.

He shrugged and turned his attention to his phone. Breathing a sigh of relief, I hurried up the final few steps and reached the fifth floor. Just a few feet down the hall was Tobias King’s study door.

I cast my gaze around again to make sure no one was watching me, and then I entered the ten-digit code on the keypad which hung near the door. Elias had stored it in the phone for me.

There was a clicking sound, and the door opened as I turned the handle. I quickly shut it behind me and hurried over to the safe. The code for that was also in my phone. I just had to pray Tobias hadn’t changed it recently.

I keyed in the numbers. A light flashed red as the safe made a buzzing sound. The code was incorrect. Undeterred, I tried it again in case I’d put the numbers in wrong. I had a feeling I’d accidentally switched the order for two of them.

The light turned green this time, and with a pop, the safe door swung open. I pumped one victorious fist in the air. “Yes!”

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