“I do.You wouldn’t want to wait if it was.”
“I wouldn’t,” he agreed.“You’ll come back to me?”
“I’ll do everything I can to come back to you.”
“Good.I’ll do the same.”
Dimri wanted to stay here in the peace of the garden.He wanted to move closer and kiss Roque.Instead, he stared at him for a moment longer before turning.There was no need to say goodbye.They’d see each other tomorrow morning before the fight.Besides, Dimri hated goodbyes.They made him feel emotional, and while Roque was one of the few people Dimri didn’t mind being emotional with, he felt like if he allowed himself to tonight, he’d break.
So he walked away without looking back.He could feel Roque watching him, but Roque didn’t call for him to stop.He didn’t say anything.He just watched Dimri walk away, while Dimri prayed they hadn’t just wasted an opportunity they might not have again.
Chapter Eleven
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THE MESSAGE ARRIVEDat dawn, carried by one of Dimri’s spies—a scarred demon with bat wings who looked like he hadn’t had a good time flying to the palace.One of his wings had a tear in it, and Dimri winced at the thought of how painful it had to be.He didn’t have wings, but he didn’t need to have them to know.
“They’re moving,” the messenger gasped, leaning against the doorframe of Berith’s office as his wounded wing hung down.“Ramiel’s people are coming, but it’s not just the main army.”
Dimri felt his stomach drop.He’d been expecting this moment for days, but knowing it had finally arrived freaked him out.Around the room, everyone’s expressions turned grim.This was it.
“Explain,” Berith ordered.His tone made it clear that he was done playing.He wanted this mess to be over.They all did.
Dimri’s spy straightened, his good wing fluttering slightly.“The main army is approaching as expected.But there’s a second smaller one headed for the old tunnel entrances on the north side of the palace.”
Berith frowned.“Those tunnels have been sealed for decades.”
“Not all of them,” Dimri said quietly.He’d explored those tunnels as a kid when he’d started working at the palace.Some of them had never been sealed, while others had been, but those seals had failed.They made good places to hide for a kid—and for enemy forces.“If they get inside...”
“They could come up anywhere in the palace,” Berith finished.“Even behind our defenses, maybe in the throne room.There was a tunnel that ended there, right?”
Roque nodded and turned to Dimri’s spy.“How many demons will be sneaking into the tunnels?”
“Maybe thirty or forty demons.I didn’t stick around to count them.I didn’t want to risk it.”
“How do they know about the tunnels?”
Dimri chuckled darkly.“That’s anyone’s guess, but Ramiel’s been here before, and he had at least one spy in the palace.”It wasn’t like thehowactually mattered, anyway.
“We have to split our forces,” Mikal said.His tone suggested he didn’t like the idea.He’d have limited resources already since they were sending guards out to protect the vehicle Berith was supposed to be in.
“If we don’t, they’ll hit us from behind while Berith is fighting Ramiel,” Dimri said.“Ramiel doesn’t know we’re aware of his plans.We can use that to our advantage.I won’t deny that dividing the guards we have is a gamble, but there’s no other way.”
“You know the tunnels?”Berith asked.
Dimri nodded.“Like the back of my hand.”
“How many guards would you need?”
Dimri hadn’t known exactly where he’d be during the fight.He’d been planning to move around the palace and help wherever he was needed.Apparently, he’d be needed in the tunnels.“Not many.The tunnels are narrow, so having too many guards would just mean we’d get in each other’s way.Give me eight, maybe ten.”
“That’s not enough,” Roque said.“Not if you have to fight forty of Ramiel’s people.”
“We won’t be fighting them head-on.We’ll use the tunnels against them, hit them where they don’t expect it.”Dimri looked at Roque.“It’s what I’m good at.I sneak around and hit from the shadows.Even though they know the tunnels exist, I guarantee that I know them better.I’ll use that knowledge to keep them out.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Roque insisted.“You’ll be outnumbered four to one.”
Dimri understood where Roque was coming from, but he was getting annoyed.He didn’t need Roque to try to convince him not to go when he already wished he didn’t have to.His job was to protect Berith.Roque should understand that and focus on whathe’dhave to do while Dimri was lurking around the tunnels.“And you’ll be facing Ramiel himself with whatever force he brings to take down Berith.Don’t talk to me about dangerous.”Because Roque would also be in danger.There was no way out of that.
