Page 146 of The Sins of Silas

He glowered. “I'm on for the next few hours,” he responded.

The new guard sighed. “Listen, the King has had more to drink this morning than ever before. He is not in the mood for disobedience, and frankly, neither am I.” He crossed his arms. “If I go up and tell him otherwise, you'll be the one to suffer, not me.”

The old guard paled, then quickly nodded. “V-very well.”

After giving him orders on where to go, the new guard stood at our cell door, watching over us all as the man left.

None of us dare spoke a word.

After the door slammed shut, the soldier smiled. “I can't believe I've never tried this before.” He laughed. His eyes widened as he took in my cousin. “Torrin? Is that really you?”

Torrin blinked, and I quickly asked, “Viola?”

The guard's eyes slid to me. “Duh.” He winked. “What, you can't recognize me?”

“Where is Dani?” Edmund interjected, rushing up to the iron bars. “What's the plan?”

“She's currently taking out soldiers on the outside. Discreetly as possible. I'm to deal with the inside.”

“They took Silas,” Lena interrupted, Saoirse holding on to her leg. “You have to help him. Waylon said he would be here before sunrise to start releasing us.”

“Does your thumbprint work, Vi?” I pressed.

She glanced down at her hand, the hand of a random soldier, and leaned her arm through, placing it on my cuff link. It didn't budge.

“Dammit,” she muttered, then her eyes lit up. “Wait!” She closed her eyes, and we watched as she shifted into Waylon. Placing a hand through the bars, she placed her thumb along the reader on my cuff. It snapped open, the gem losing its light.

“Genius,” I praised as she released the other one.

Waylon—Viola—smiled. “Your weapons are stored in the room to the left of the exit. The area is empty; I made sure of it.” She turned to my sister. “El,” she motioned, “Get over here. You need to heal as many of the injured as possible. Get everyone's strength up as best you can. All of you.”

Elowen nodded, reaching her arms through the iron bars and letting Viola free her. She quickly turned, healing Torrin first. He attempted to wave her off, but she insisted anyway.

Viola's gaze slid over us all. “This castle is massive. Where do you think Dimitri is?”

“He has to be with Silas,”Lena pressed as she was released next, rubbing her wrists as the device was removed. “Please, Vi, you need to make sure he's okay.”

Saoirse glanced up at Lena. “He said he would come back. He promised.”

Lena's saddened gaze fell on the child.

“I'll look for him. I didn't see him anywhere the whole time I was looking, but he has to be in here somewhere. Probably wherever Dimitri is.”

I didn't need my gift to see the alarm on Lena's face, on Era's.

“Get to healing,” Viola insisted. “Waylon will be down in twenty minutes.”

My heart was drumming in my chest as Waylon began releasing the Mages one by one.

I was powerful. I knew that much. Lena especially. But the other Mages here were weak—some starved. Even with all of us healing the many injured, I didn’t know how much fight those down here had in them. But determination gleamed in their eyes as they beheld my group—beheld Lena.

“Take out Dimitri, then the council, and you rule Faltrun,” Waylon mumbled as Mage after Mage stood in line, having the device removed from their wrists.

Polly, along with every woman with long hair, stayed back. Lena shot them each a raised brow.

Polly held her chin up. “The rage will be uncontrollable. I have felt fire in my veins for years. Now is not the time.”

Understanding shone in Lena's features asshe nodded at the women. I understood, too. Their magic would threaten to destroy them if unleashed after so much time.

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