Page 58 of Gods' Battleground

I felt him slip the cold metal ring onto her finger. Then they kissed again.

How long do you think it will be before the Night Prince’s guards find us?Bella asked him.

Half an hour, maybe.

Then we’d better move fast,Bella said slyly.

Kissing followed her words. And then the sensation of clothing being removed.

I cut off my connection to them real fast.

“What’s wrong, Leda?” Gin whispered. “Did something happen to Bella and Harker?”

Oh something happened all right. And it wasstillhappening.

“No, I’m just taking a break while they get themselves sorted,” I said. “They’re a little busy at the moment.”

CHAPTER 20

THE VAULT

While Bella and Harker were busy reacquainting themselves, the rest of us planned our dramatic exit from Midnight. We had to be ready to move when Bella and Harker returned.

And their return was very explosive.

I only got a quick warning from Harker towatch out!right before he and Bella burst through the doors of the Viewing Room, blasting every prince in sight.

“What do you think you’re doing!” the Night Prince demanded, storming toward them. “Stop shooting my guests at once! This is utterly unacceptable!”

“You know what is unacceptable, Your Majesty?” Bella countered. “Enslaving people and forcing them to fight for your amusement.”

And then my sweet, non-violent sister took great satisfaction in punching the Night Prince in the face.

“What is going on?” the Sky Prince exclaimed, pointing at Harker. “Why are you working with her? She is your enemy.”

“We’re only enemies here because you force us to fight one another,” I told him, but mostly I was addressing the princes’ slaves in the room.

Gin had managed to deactivate their collars.

“That’s your cue,” I said.

The slaves just stood there, looking pretty stunned.

“What are you waiting for?” I prompted them again. “You won’t get another chance like this one.”

That got them moving. The freed slaves turned on the princes and attacked with chairs, with forks, with wine glasses, even with cold tortellini chunks. They fought with anything and everything they could get their hands on. I grabbed the Night Prince when he tried to flee the room in terror.

“Guards!” he shouted, panic cracking his voice. “Guards! Guards!”

But the guards had their hands full fighting the freed slaves.

“It looks like it’s just the two of us, princey,” I said, dragging him down the hallway after me.

He kicked and he screamed and he wept. He even tried to bite my hand.

“I wouldn’t,” I warned, flashing him my fangs.

“You…you’re…”