Page 95 of Shadows of Ruin

We snuck through the corridors, ducking at noises but successfully avoiding the wandering guards. The dungeon lay far below the main palace floor, requiring us to make our way up several more flights of stairs and cross to the southern wing to get to our destination.

Clearing the second staircase, we rounded the corner, heading to the next set of steps, but a guard was coming through the door just as we opened it. Before he drew his weapon, Hale jumped forward and slit his throat. I almost tripped over my own feet reaching for the guard before he fell to the ground. When the hell had Hale become a damn killer?

Kalliah and I advanced, catching his body and gently placing it on the floor. Trying to make as little noise as possible.

When we lived through this, I would have to absolutely eat many of my annoyed words to Lana about Hale.

Fortunately for us, the route through the southern wing of the palace was less traveled, as it held mostly the staff and off-duty guards.

As we continued our escape, my strength slowly started to return. Maria’s powers had taken care of the large concerns, kick-starting my healing, but my magic flared since being freed from the warded dungeon, eager to escape. It continued toheal me, and I felt confident enough to take the lead, guiding my companions down the last hall.

Two guards spoke in low voices from the other side of the last remaining door we needed to breach before the kitchen hall.

I eyed Hale’s blade. He bowed his head at me. Glancing at Kalliah, I noticed she, too, had pulled a small dagger.

“You’re brilliant,” I mouthed to her. She rolled her eyes and set her focus on the door.

I mouthed the wordsone, two. On three, I thrust the door back, opening it as Hale swung his blade forward, catching one guard. I’d slit the throat of the second guard before he had time to fight back.

I heaved. These men had been mine. Now I’d been forced to take their lives.

I closed my eyes tightly, only for a moment. I couldn’t think about them right now. We had to get ourselves out of Ellevail so we could find Lana.

That was all that mattered.

We exited the doorway, all three of us running toward the kitchen through the empty hallway.

We skittered to a halt outside the kitchen and Kalliah took over, brushing by us. “Be ready to run out the side door.”

The second she called Leif’s name, chaos erupted.

Hale pushed open the door to find Leif in a cloud of flour, once again on Lucinda, with a false clumsiness mimicking his past transgressions. She screamed at him, raising a silver eggbeater above her head right as he ducked.

“Every time, Leif Ivans,” she screamed. “You’ll be fired now, mark my words.”

Kalliah grabbed my hand. “You’ll ruin the distraction if you stay to watch the show.”

The bedlam in the kitchen grew as others scurried around in the wake of Lucinda’s outrage. People tripped over each other, and I couldn’t stop laughing at Leif’s absolute success.

He shoved into us from behind as we exited out the side door of the kitchens. “Good to see you alive, now hurry up and run.”

Hale held the door, only shutting it once Leif passed through. He slid his sword from his waist and glided it through the handles. “Should buy us a few more minutes.”

We turned, fleeing across the gardens in the moonlight before a figure jumped in front of us. Hale held out his dagger, but I lunged in front of him when I recognized who approached.

“Your Majesty,” I said, my heart stopping. What the hell was she doing out here? Alone?

A gruff bark sounded around us, and Lucien appeared from behind the queen’s dress.

“He hasn’t given me a moment’s peace.” She ran a finger along the head of the pugron before she looked at me. “I knew you’d succeed,” she said watching Kalliah. Kalliah kneeled before her queen. “None of that now, you need to hurry.”

“Come with us,” I said, not bothering to hide the plea in my voice. If I could ensure her safety, everyone Lana truly loved would be together. Free.

The queen bowed her head. “I could never leave my people. I must stay here and fight for their justice. You are meant for bigger things, my dear. You must help Lana succeed so she is able to return home to her people.”

I swallowed audibly. The pressure of the journey to come settled into my bones. “I will not fail you, my queen.”

“We shouldn’t linger,” Hale said, glancing nervously around the garden, searching.

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