Page 61 of Cage of Darkness
“We need to get out ofhere,” Odar said. “Someone is bound to find us if we stay here muchlonger, and Allyssa’s wounds need tended to.”
Kerdan withdrew his dagger. “You’reright.” He stood, his mask of calm back on. He went over to Eliza’sbody and slid the dagger over her throat as if he’d done it athousand times before. “Let’s go.”
Odar scooped Allyssa up and hurriedout of the bedchamber, Kerdan at his heels.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Out in the hallway, six sentries laycrumbled on the floor, their throats slit and blood pooling aroundtheir heads. Allyssa averted her eyes, burying her face againstOdar’s neck. She breathed in the smell of him, unable to believeshe’d just escaped death.
“Do you want me to carryher?” Kerdan asked as he came alongside Odar.
“No. I haveher.”
Her body started shaking from shockand the wet blood coating her shirt.
“Hurry,” Kerdan said. Theywent along dark hallway after hallway, not encountering anyone. “Inhere.” He opened a door and ushered them inside an empty bedchamberlit only by moonlight. Odar laid her on the bed while Kerdan pusheda large piece of furniture in front of the door.
“Don’t light any candles,”Kerdan said. “We need to act quickly. It won’t take long until thebodies are discovered. We have an hour at most.”
“I’m leaving with Allyssa,”Odar said. “We’re going to Fren.”
“Not yet,” Kerdan replied.“We have a deal.”
Odar spun and grabbed Kerdan’s tunic,slamming him against the wall. “She almost died!” His body emanatedlethal rage. “We’re leaving—I don’t care what you say.”
Kerdan raised his hands in surrender.“You need to calm down and listen to me.”
“You don’t tell me what todo.” Odar released him and came to Allyssa’s side, inspecting herarm. The bleeding had finally subsided. Going over to the dresser,he pulled open the drawers, rummaging inside them, looking forsomething.
Ignoring him, Kerdan asked, “Can youwalk?”
“I’m not sure.” She scootedto the edge of the bed and swung her legs over the side, hissing inpain.
When Kerdan moved to help her, Odarswiftly stepped in front of him and took hold of her elbows. Shestood on wobbly legs, her side stinging, tears in hereyes.
“Your ribs are probablybroken,” Odar mumbled as he helped her sit back down. Taking atunic he’d found in the dresser, he ripped it intostrips.
Kerdan turned away, his hands ballinginto fists.
“What are you going to doabout your father?” she asked him. When Kerdan faced her, his eyesheld pure desperation, making her heart ache for him. No one shouldbe in his position, forced to confront the reality of what hisfather did to his mother. It was inhumane.
“I’m going to do what mustbe done.”
Her blood ran cold. “Which is what,exactly?” There was nothing he could do to fix the past, to makewhat the king did okay. And if he confronted him, what would theking do to protect his secret?
“I’m going to kill him andtake the throne.”
Odar froze mid-strip. Allyssa placedher hand on Odar’s arm so he wouldn’t interfere.
“Is that what you want?”she asked.
“No.” Kerdan rubbed histemple. “But I must avenge my mother’s death and protect Russek.”He went over to the window, staring outside.
Odar tenderly lifted Allyssa’s shirtup under her armpits and began wrapping the strips of fabric aroundher torso. When he finished, he tied off the end and lowered hershirt. Carefully pulling her arm away from her side, he wrapped astrip of fabric around her wound. When he finished, he said, “We’releaving.”
“After we kill the royalfamily,” she insisted. Kerdan’s plans changed nothing.
Odar took both her hands, holding themtight. “The queen’s mother is dead. If that isn’t enough incentive,please realize we need to get out of Russek before the king ismurdered and this kingdom is thrown into chaos.”
