“Kane is planning to take over Silverstone and Faris.” Caleb began to search for the flint as well. “Not everyone agrees with the latter: many have family and friends in the vampire village.”
“Wasn’t it obvious all along?” Roxanne’s voice echoed through the room as she stood by the entrance: her arrow drawn. “Kane didn’t make his wish of bringing the whole Kingdom—including vampires—to their knees a secret.”
Caleb shook his head. “While he openly shared his goals with his supporters, not many believed he actually wished for the vampire village to fall.” Caleb sighed, moving onto the next row of stones. “Needless to say, now that he is on the throne, he is not very good at sharing his power.”
“How much of his army is still by his side,” I asked; my lungs squeezing tight from the lack of air in the stone room.
“Majority, but I’m sure given the opportunity, some will run for their dear lives,” Caleb’s voice lowered. “Just like what happened when the palace was taken and humans fought back. Many in his army aren’t warriors, merely lunatics who decided Kane's world is the paradise needed. He has about a thousand people in total.”
My finger froze above the stone.A thousand?That was far more than what we had: Silverstone and Faris combined. Numbers weren’t on our side—that was certain.
“But they don’t have many weapons,” Caleb continued. “They are saving the Royal steel for the attack on Faris, as there are only about two hundred royal steel weapons in their possession. If we manage to make Royal steel for every person in your army, we stand a chance.”
A chance.
“My advice,” Caleb sighed. “Is to combine your forces with Barren’s.”
The room fell into silence, the drops of water from the ceiling echoed down the chambers—
“There.” I pointed at the brick that had an odd gap, connecting to the stone next to it. “It must open somehow.” I pushed on the stone’ every corner.
“Let me.” Francis unsheathed his dagger, the blade sliding into the gap like butter. “I feel something.” His lips turned into a thin line, his eyes shut close. “Something like a lever.”
“Try my dagger,” I unsheathed my weapon. “My blade is thinner.”
Francis eyed my dagger before taking the offering. “It’s stuck,” he said, battling with the stone.
Simon rushed into the room, a finger tight to his lips. “I hear steps from the opposite side of the tunnel," he whispered. “We need to hurry.”
“Got it,” Francis whispered, pushing the dagger upwards.
The stone opened wide, revealing a hidden pocket within. A sparkling golden flint lay atop a wooden board, its sides shone bright even in this lightless room.
Francis held out the flint, crimson stones decorated its every corner—
A loud ringing vibrated through the walls of the forge, the bells from the palace’s tower pierced through the air.
My eyes widened as I met my companions' startled expressions—
“What in the Kingdom—” Simon unsheathed his sword: a dagger in his other hand.
“We have to go.” Caleb rushed to close the wicked stone, charging towards the door. Roxanne and Simon rushed down the stairs before him.
“Kane knows someone has invaded the palace, he is going to drop the portcullis.” He held the door for Francis and I as we hurried out of the forge.
“Portcullis?” I yelled to Caleb as my heart skipped a beat. Francis pushed me up the stairs, his hand tightly holding mine. “They haven't worked ever since the Crimson War!”
“They do now!” Caleb yelled rushing after us. “Run!” He screamed to Simon who stood by the corner at the end of stairs,waiting for us to make it all the way up before breaking into a run.
