And then he was gone.
At the agreed upon hour, I took the hidden passageway from my room and went to the dungeon myself. The palace was asleep, its hallways dark.
That darkness would hopefully shield our escape, and this time, I would be the one to spirit Raewyn away from Seaspire, never to return.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, I crept forward into the dungeon.
As expected, the jailer was away from his post. I took his ring of keys from its hook on the wall and made my way down the corridor of cells.
There, up ahead, I spotted Pharis waiting, ready to cover our escape with his shadows. He must already have subdued the guards on Raewyn’s cell because I saw no one else.
As I picked up my pace and headed toward him, movement in the dark cells on either side surprised me. The dungeon was full tonight.
Suddenly, torches blazed to life. The cell doors opened, and soldiers streamed out, surrounding me.
My eyes met Pharis’. His were steady and unsurprised, the bright sea blue of them glowing with the reflected flames.
What’s going on?I asked, frantic.
And then Father stepped out from the cell in front of me. His large form blocked my path.
“You were right,” he said, looking sorely disappointed.
“I told you he’d try again,” Pharis said. “Lovestruck until the bitter end, poor sap.”
What? Youtoldhim about this? And let him set a trap for us?I asked him mind-to-mind, utterly shocked.
There is no us… remember?Pharis said.
He walked forward, stopping at our father’s side.
“The love spell ends tomorrow morning,” the King vowed. “And then I will have both my sons back. Thank you for your loyalty, Pharis.”
Turning to me, my father said, “As for you, you’ll spend the night down here, where you’ll be safe from your ownstupidityuntil this curse is broken. Jailer, lock him up. Put him next to the girl so they can say their farewells.”
Sneering at me, he said, “Never let it be said the King is not merciful.”
And then I was yanked off my feet, dragged to the end of the corridor, stripped of my weapons, and tossed in a cell, which was locked behind me.
A chain was placed and locked onto the door for good measure, and two guards were posted just outside the bars.
In the cell beside me, the sweetest voice in the world arose.
“Stellon? Stellon is that you?”
Chapter29
End of the Road
Raewyn
A loud clanging noise had awakened me—or at least I thought I was awake.
Perhaps it was a dream. Why else would Crown Prince Stellon Randalin be locked in the cell next to mine?
“It’s me, sweet,” he said.
Thrusting an arm through the bars separating us, he sought my hand. I crawled over the rough stones and gave it to him. He reached for my other hand as well.
