Page 113 of Beg the Night

Athena stayed close behind me, thank fuck. My power was rattling the bars of its cage, desperate to escape me and protect her. I could feel the danger nearby like a prick on my neck. Yes, these soldiers were dangerous. They had weapons and far, far greater numbers.

But we were dangerous, too.

Benedict peered around a tree and held up a hand, signaling us to stop.

The two of us stepped behind another tree, making sure to keep him in sight, and waited.

Guard change. Right on time.

Lighthearted voices and laughter drifted on the wind, only angering my phantoms more. Like they deserved to laugh.

They didn’t deserve to even live.

Benedict was right. When the first wave of guards stepped away from the small door that led to the dungeon, that was our cue. The three of us moved seamlessly forward, barely a shadow. The guards were distracted chatting with one another, allowing us to slip by. Benedict propped the door open and ducked in, followed quickly by Athena.

I went last, reminding myself the whole way down the stairs that I was not a prisoner this time. This time, I was getting out.

We all were.

The door shut behind us, trapping us inside. There was truly no going back now.

“Quickly,” Benedict whispered. “We don’t have long before the guard?—”

Out of nowhere, an armed soldier appeared, and Benedict ran face-first into him.

My magic slipped from me in an instant, my shadows coiling around the guard’s neck and squeezing.

I didn’t apply enough pressure to kill him. Yet. Just enough to knock him out.

Benedict froze, his focus fixed on the body as it fell to the floor.

Athena pushed his back softly. “Go,” she whispered.

With a shake of his head, he strode forward once more. We ran into two more guards as we coiled through the underground hallways. I memorized every turn, burning the route into my memory. I knew Athena was doing the same.

“There.” Benedict stepped aside. At the end of the hallway was the massive, solid door that led to the dungeon.

My body buzzed at the sight. Beyond it was what we’d come for. The men we would set free before we got the fuck out of this place.

“We need the key.” Athena knelt next to the most recent incapacitated guard and fumbled with the ring at his belt.

There were at least a dozen.

She cursed beneath her breath as she ran to the door.

The pounding of my heartbeat sounded like footsteps stomping toward us. I kept my focus trained down the hall, sure I wouldn’t hear anyone who approached over the sound. Adrenaline pumped through my body. We only had seconds before more guards came down here for their shift.

We only had seconds to let the others free.

The first key didn’t fit. Neither did the second or the third.

But the fourth one clicked.

“Thank god,” she breathed in relief. It took a few minutes to undo each lock, and my nerves pulsed with each second.

“Let me.” I sidestepped her and pushed the massive steel door forward. It creaked and groaned, as if fighting against the pressure, but I didn’t stop until it was wide open.

And just like that, we were back in the dungeon we had spent so much time wishing we could escape.

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