Page 71 of The King's Man 4

“Stop. Moving him might make it worse.” I sidle into the cell and kneel. Lykos holds Zenon upright under the arms.

Megaera removes her hands from the boy’s ankles—

Zenon snaps his head up, rears back, and kicks Megaera square in the chest. She slams into the wall, and I lunge to grab her cloak, but my fingers only graze the fabric. Her head smacks against the wood, knocking her out.

I gather her in my arms. No blood.

I whirl to Lykos, who slams the cell shut, the lock clicking. Behind him, the young man drops his head, avoiding my gaze. River’s face flashes through my mind—caught up with the wrong crowd, back then...

“We risked our lives.”

“In return for your help, I won’t destroy her meridians. Today.” He grabs his spear.

“W-why not let them escape, uncle?”

Lykos pauses by the guards. “A cheated Skeldar vows vengeance. But a Skeldar who receives a double gift inexchange...” He claps the guard’s shoulder. “Good luck in the south.”

Megaera stirs, consciousness returning. She takes in the situation, her eyes narrowing. “He’ll be back.”

“What—”

She whispers in my ear, and I nod, understanding. Always thinking a few steps ahead. This is her strength. Perhaps—

I whisper back.

“For what?” she asks.

“Please do it,” I mouth, exposing my forearm to her.

I’m pulling down my sleeve when Lykos returns to the brig, Zenon in tow, both scratching uncontrollably at their necks. “What’ve you done to us?”

I spy the bright, patchy rash creeping up their throats and fold my arms. “She poisoned you.”

Megaera smiles slickly. “Why would I step into a cell at your request without taking precautions?”

“You—” Lykos stares at Megaera, his brow twitching. He’s suppressing his frustration, struggling not to be impressed.

The cell opens, and Megaera teases a fingernail up his throat with a sly gaze, relieving him of the itching torture. She helps the boy next, and I rummage in my bag for coins, dropping them on the table. Lykos had a point about leaving a gift. “In return for the boy’s freedom.”

We slink through narrow passages, up the steep stairs, and peer out the cracked hatch. When Lykos is certain the coast is clear, he opens it fully. We climb onto the shadowy deck, and—

The patrol rounds the ship’s stern and spots us—a thundering yell stirs movement below deck.

An axe flies.

Lykos curses, pulling Zenon into a protective hold.

I toss my belongings, deflecting the axe away from them.

Megaera’s shield rises around us.

Skeldars swarm up the hatch onto the deck. Rushing footsteps approach from behind.

They glance past us, their focus shifting, and straighten. We turn slowly to gauge the new threat.

My stomach churns. A neat circle of armed Skeldars is forming around us.

Lykos spits out a curse. “Any way to poison them all?”

---