Page 10 of Forged By Heart and Claws
“Do you swear your loyalty to me?” I stared at him hard, aware of Briar edging closer. Though I could have asked for a vow, I didn’t. There was something far simpler and more potent.
“Of course, Your Majesty. I mean no harm to you or your family, and I am wholly loyal to you.” He bowed his head lower. “I’ll get you to safety.”
Briar’s hand squeezed my arm.He’s lying.
That was all I needed. I'd learned about her ability to smell lies when I’d visited her in Colm's prison, and I loved how useful it was now.
I walked alongside him. “Where are we going?”
He hinged a look in both directions as he stepped into the intersection of the halls. “Left, to the north near the Night Rose Gate.”
I gave a nod of assent as my mind spun through this. We were entering a smaller cross-corridor with six hallways branching off. The most likely point for an ambush was a few hundred feet more, at the northernmost passage. Thatwas where the halls returned to their typical grandeur, the chandeliered ceilings higher and carved statues offering cover.
I held my hand up to signal the others to remain farther back and folded my wings against my spine. My wounds stung and itched with the movement. “Lead the way. We’ll go single file to avoid drawing attention.”Briar, throw something to the left to distract him. Something small.
“A wise course, Your Majesty.” Otnell dipped his head forward once more, straightened, then strode forward. His boots made no sound on the slick marble as he rolled his feet. I walked half a step behind him.
Briar fell behind by two steps, and soon I heard something roll and bounce with a softclack clack. I glanced back and saw a small glass bead.
Otnell turned in the direction of the bead. Lunging forward, I seized his neck and snapped it. The sickening crunch of bones exploded in my ears. Holding his body, I dragged him to the ground and set him against the wall. Then I pointed in the opposite direction to signal our new course.
Briar nodded, her expression grim.How much farther?
Past this next connection point, and then to the northwestern hallway and up a staircase.So long as no one made a sound, we might avoid the ambush. I led the way with silent steps, and we ventured into the cross-corridor. The calls of searching guards echoed farther ahead. My muscles ached. I glanced back to see if we’d been followed. Nothing moved in the darkness.
Suddenly, Yuki yelped, the sound echoing off the walls. I spun around, gripping my dagger.
She clutched one hand to her chest, blood dripping from her fingers.
“Did you hear that? They must be this way!” a deep voice shouted from the far end of the northern hall, about two hundred feet away.
CHAPTER 3
Briar
Yuki stumbled, and I slowed to help her stay upright. We were still holding hands. My heart raced, and the scent of fresh blood filled my nostrils. She leaned back against the wall, clutching her other hand.
“We need to hurry before they escape,” another guard growled, his voice carrying down the hall.
Vad’s attention snapped from Yuki to the hall ahead.
From the corner of my eye, I watched as at least eleven dark forms rounded the corner about two hundred feet away. The heavy clanking suggested they all wore plate armor and carried weapons.
“Feck,” Vad snarled.
Blood poured down Yuki’s fingers and wrist, then dripped onto her beaded green gown. Something like green-coated metal protruded from her pocket, causing my blood to chill.
No. Please don’t let this be what I fear.
More shouts and yells rang up and down the halls, indicating even more guards were heading toward us.
Thalira slipped in alongside Yuki and looked at her hand. “What happened?” Thalira whispered. When she reached out to grab Yuki’s hand, her hand touched the top of Yuki’s pocketwhere the metal protruded. She jerked back and looked down despite not being able to see the small cut along the top of her hand. It wasn’t as deep, but it was deep enough.
Biting my lip, I carefully grabbed the handle of the green-coated dagger and lifted it from Yuki’s pocket.
A sour taste filled my mouth. It looked exactly like the one that had fallen from Myantha’s dress and the one the assassins had used on me, which meant the green had to be poison.Please tell me we can access the antidote that you gave to me for the poisoned weapons,I said to Vad.
It's in the Healing Hall in the opposite direction. We need to reach the family quarters, and then we'll take a back way there. There isn't time to go directly without getting caught.
