Page 38 of Feral Guardian
I withhold my grumble.
He leads me to the end of the hall where an imperceptible door sits. He pinches his fingers against the small door latch, and it swings open. The passage is extremely narrow. Struggling to fit is an understatement, but this way, no one will see her.
Climbing down from the third-floor window might not be possible. Jumping would hurt, and Lily’s not in any state to do that. Going out the front entrance would be much too risky. This hidden staircase is the best option.
I turn to Duncan and hold out five gold coins. “For your discretion.”
He raises a brow at the money as he accepts it. “You told the captain you had five hundred.”
“If five isn’t enough, I could always take your head,” I growl.
Duncan shrinks back, equal parts fear and anger dominating his features.
Fuck.
I grab him and jerk his neck hard, snapping it with a single twist of my wrist. His body goes limp, and I tuck him under my arm. I close the servant’s entrance and walk back to our room with the deceased Duncan under my arm like a sack of grain, his feet dragging on the floor.
I didn’t want to kill him. I wanted him to be good, but I felt his depravity in his final stare. He would’ve fucked us.
I open the door and feel only slight relief at the sight of Lily on the bed. I pick Duncan up so his boots don’t scrape the wood, then kneel beside the bed and slide him under it.
“Princess,” I say, touching Lily’s shoulder.
“Lilianna,” I say louder, shaking her.
She moans and pulls back her arm, blinking up at me.
“We’re in danger. We must go. Now,” I say.
She comes more alert, though her eyes are red and unfocused. She tries to get up but rolls off the side of the bed and lands on the floor. I move to pick her up and she screams, her eyes focused on Duncan under the bed.
“You killed ’em?” she slurs, her voice panicked.
I pull the bounty from my pocket and uncrumple it, then hold it out for her. “He was coming for you. And more are. We must go. Drink the water, princess,” I say, grabbing the cup from the nightstand. She’s going to need to be alert.
Her hand shakes as she takes the cup from me and drinks it down. She coughs, her breathing coming in shallow pants.
“Come,” I beckon her, but she falters.
She drops to her knees and pulls Duncan out from under the bed.
I help her as she struggles. “What are you doing?”
“He has things,” she says. “He’s dead. He doesn’t need them.”
She rifles through his pockets and pulls everything out. She finds a blade, a snuffbox, some coin—my coin—and a comb. Quickly, her green magic transforms her dress into a pair of trousers and a blouse. She stuffs the things into her many pockets and palms the blade, then stands on her unsteady feet.
“Ready,” she says with determination as she sways.
I slide my hand along her cheek and cup the back of her neck as I lower my forehead to hers. “I’m so sorry, princess. I didn’t want to kill him.”
Her other hand comes up to my arm, squeezing it tight. “I know.”
I break away and sling Kor’Tar’s saddlebags over my shoulder before I lead her from the room. The hall is empty, and I speed her toward the maid’s entrance. I’m sure Pierre and Lucas are waiting at the bottom to capture us, but they’re imbeciles if they think they can overpower me.
The stairs are a tight, precarious fit. I go first and Lily stumbles into me several times. I catch her and wrap her arms around my neck, then her legs around my hips. It’s awkward with the saddlebags hanging off one side, but we manage.
“Hold on to me,” I whisper to her. “I have you.”
