Page 52 of Cage of Darkness
“What the bloody hell isgoing on?” she demanded. “How dare you treat me in such away!”
“Will you shut your mouthfor one second and listen?” He whacked the door, making her jump.This side of him scared her. “Scream.”
“What?”
“I want you to scream.Now.”
Allyssa couldn’t muster up her voice.Kerdan grabbed her shoulders, shoving her against the door with athud, and she yelped.
“Good,” he whispered. “Nowkeep your voice down.” He yanked her to the back of the storagecloset where a small door only three-feet high stood. He opened it,and Odar climbed out.
“You better have a bloodygood reason for bringing me down here,” Odar muttered as hestood.
She flung her arms around him,squeezing hard. Actually touching him, being so close, reined inher temper and nerves.
“We don’t have much time,”Kerdan mumbled.
She released Odar and took a stepback. His eyes never left hers as he said, “What’s thematter?”
“Jana is refusing to leavethe castle,” Kerdan said. “Our plan is no longer feasible. We mustcome up with something else.”
If the queen refused to leave, thenshe probably knew some sort of an assassination was planned. “Doyou have any other ideas?” she asked.
Kerdan clasped his hands behind hisback and started pacing about the closet. “Only one.” He glanced atAllyssa, his face hard.
“You want us to kill themwhile they’re sleeping, don’t you?”
He gave a curt nod and stopped beforeher. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see any other way.”
Odar ran his hands through his hair.“You expect us to murder four people before you let usgo?”
“That is correct.” Kerdanresumed pacing.
“Can you do that?” Odarasked Allyssa. “Can you sanction the murder of four people when youcouldn’t stomach the idea of killing one before?”
She closed her eyes and rememberedtheir conversation in the forest when he’d wanted to kill Soma, butshe wouldn’t let him. The weight of that decision crushed down onher. If only she had been strong enough to end Soma’s life then.She opened her eyes, looking into Odar’s rich, brown ones. Shedidn’t like the idea of killing; however, it had to be done. “If itstops the war and saves thousands of lives, the loss of four isworth it.” Plus, she hated Jana and Soma. She wanted them dead, sothey could never hurt her again.
“You’ve changed. The girl Iknew a few weeks ago would never agree to do this.”
“I’m not the girl I wasbefore we came here. This place has changed me.” Fury eclipsed thesadness of her heart. How dare he accuse her of changing like itwas a bad thing? And if he had left when she’d wanted to, maybethey wouldn’t be here. Maybe none of this would have happened. “Areyou saying you don’t want to partake in Kerdan’s newplan?”
“I have no problem goingthrough with it,” Odar assured her, placing his hands on hershoulders. “It’s you I’m worried about. I don’t want you to backout or change your mind halfway through the mission. It’s all ornothing.”
“I can do it.” He didn’tknow what she had endured in the dungeon. One day she would be ableto talk to him about it. But not now, not yet. If he knew, hewouldn’t be questioning if she could murder them. He’d know forsure she could do it.
Odar’s hands fell from her shoulders,and he took a deep breath. “There’s one major issue I foresee,” hesaid. “When the royal family is found dead and the two of us aregone, King Drenton will know we killed them. He’ll be moredetermined than ever to go to war against Fren andEmperion.”
“I understand what you’resaying,” Kerdan replied. “I know my father and can assure you hisdevastation over losing his wife will delay the war. I will usethat time to find a way to stop it permanently. I give you myword.”
The two men stood therestaring at one another. Finally, Odar spoke, “The problem is, Idon’t trust your word. We’re taking care of your problem forthechancetoescape. You’re asking too much.”
Kerdan took a menacing step towardOdar. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t trust you either. All youhave to do is breathe a word of this to Shelene, and I’ll bearrested for treason.”
“Boys.” Allyssa insertedherself between them, pushing them away from one another. “Arguingwill do us no good, so stop gabbing like sissies and let’s plan thedetails.”
“I need to think about it,”Odar muttered. Before she could say anything else, he turned andexited through the small door.
She groaned. Sometimes, he could be sopigheaded.
