Joy.
Oscar was feeling joy.
“She’s killed herself!” he hissed excitedly. “Ophelia? Do you hear me? Answer me!”
There was stone-cold silence. Oscar took the first step, holding himself steady on the walls of the stairwell as he looked down upon the crumpled mass below.
“Ophelia?” he said again. “Do you hear me? Are you dead, you little bitch? Are you finally dead and gone and I no longer have to—”
His tirade was cut short when he suddenly grunted, his body jerking. His eyes widened and as he emitted another sound, his body jerked again and he began to groan.
“Nay,” he breathed. “Nay, nay! What is… What is…?”
He never finished. He jerked one more time before suddenly lurching as he plunged down the steps, headfirst, and endingup crumpled against the wall near Ophelia. For standing behind him on the stairwell was none other than Randa with that heavy fire poker in her hand.
A poker that was covered with blood.
Her father’s blood after she had stabbed him in the back, more than once.
And she was glad for it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Creston had neverbeen to Sidmouth.
Just past the nooning hour, the group from Blackchurch entered the outskirts of the bustling fishing town. The glistening sea was to the south and fishermen were bringing in their nets after having brought their catch into market. The fish market stretched about a quarter of the length of the long, sandy beach and was still busy at this hour.
But Creston didn’t notice any of it.
His eyes were on the castle to the north.
“Cres,” Tay said, riding beside him. “Now that we’re here, we cannot all rush the gatehouse. It would be less threatening if only one man approached and asked for admittance.”
Creston had his eyes on the castle, incapable of looking at anything else. “Then I’ll go.”
Tay could see the expressions of the men around them, all of them knowing how determined Creston was to get to Ophelia. They’d literally ridden all night and into the day to get here, only stopping once to rest the horses, so they were all edgy and weary.
But that didn’t mean they were going to be foolish about this.
Tay had a plan.
“I do not think that is a good idea,” he said. “Listen to me, please. Sidbury knows you and so does Lia’s mother. If they are both here, and they know you on sight, then they will know why you have come.”
Creston tore his gaze away from the castle, looking at Tay with a frown. “Of course, they will know why I have come,” he said. “I am here to collect my wife.”
“Think,” Ming-Tang, on Creston’s other side, said. “Creston, if your wife has come here and told Sidbury that we know of his plans, he will be on his guard. He might have an archer shoot you down before you can even get inside. He will recognize you on sight, but he will not recognize the rest of us. Fox, for example. He does not look like you, so he could simply be a random knight asking for admittance. But once inside, he will take care of the gate guards and admit the rest of us. It is much better that way.”
Creston almost argued with him but thought better of it. Given the fact that he taught underhanded maneuvers and tactics to recruits, he knew Ming Tang was correct. He understood.
“I have a better idea,” he said. “Send the Executioner Knights in first. This is what they do, after all. They are spies and operatives, so this is something they are better suited at. Brenton?”
Brenton was near the rear with Myles, but he heard his name. “Aye, Creston?”
“Will you and Myles go in first and neutralize the gate sentinels?”
Brenton and Myles pushed their way forward, until they were riding in front of Creston. “Aye,” Brenton said. “We can do that. We’ll open the gate for the rest of you, but I suggest one of you cover the postern gate from the outside in case your wife’s grandfather tries to escape.”
“I will,” Amir said. “Ming Tang will come with me in case it is a two-man job.”
