“Get back, you fool,” Wellion said, unhooking the keys from his belt. The man recoiled as he slid the correct key into the lock. “We’re freeingyou.”
“You…youare?”
“Yes, he really is!” The wife rushed in and threw her arms around her husband briefly. He winced, her embrace likely aggravating some injury, but hugged her back just as hard. “Oh, look what they’ve done to you,” she sobbed, running her hands through his matted hair, over hisface.
“There will be time for that later,” Riann said as Wellion moved to the next cell, not interested in watching the lovebirds reunite. “We must move quicklynow.”
“What are you doing?” Tariel demanded as Wellion bypassed the next cell. “Aren’t you going to free thisman?”
Wellion glanced back into the cell, where the old man lay curled in on himself. His eyes were vacant as he stared at the wall, seeingnothing.
“You can try,” he said, unlocking the cell for her. “But he will only slow usdown.”
He ignored Tariel’s indignant stare as he moved to the last cell, leaving her behind to see for herself. He doubted even a witch with magic as powerful as hers could do anything for the man’s mental state—he was too far gone, his mind broken bymadness.
“What is all this noise?” Lord Raffis cried as Wellion approached. “Has someone come to ransomme?”
“Yes.” Wellion smirked as he opened the cell. “Ihave.”
“Y-you?” Lord Raffis scrambled back against the wall as Wellion entered the cell. “N-no, you cannot killme!”
“Who said anything about killing you?” Wellion yanked the man to his feet, annoyed at the way his jowls trembled. “As I said, I’m going to ransom you myself. I’m getting out of here, and I’m taking you back to the capital. Are you coming, or would you rather stay here in this cell androt?”
“He is serious,” Ralith said, his voice filled with urgency. Wellion turned to see his face was transformed, all traces of anger and despair gone—he supposed the taste of freedom, and the love of a woman, could do that to a man. “He freed metoo.”
The nobleman relaxed. “Very well then,” he said, brushing himself off as he straightened to his full height. “I will see to it you are paid handsomely once you return me to myhome.”
“Yes, yes,” Wellion said impatiently as he ushered him out. “Now, let’s go. I’d like to survive long enough to collect this handsomereward.”
He herded the group out of the dungeon, then toward a chamber on the lower level that connected to the secret passages that ran throughout the keep. Many of the entrances were useless, the passages collapsed, but Wellion had explored this one several times—it led to a tunnel running beneath the keep that would take them straight to the valleyentrance.
“Help me move this bookcase,” Wellion ordered Riann. The two of them pushed it aside, revealing a panel that opened when Wellion pushed onit.
“Well, that’s handy,” Riann said as a chilly draft swept into the room. “Where does thislead?”
“Out,” Wellion said. He grabbed the torch hanging just inside the passage and used a flint to light it. “Hurryup.”
He led the way, and the others followed. It was a little strange, not hearing their footsteps echoing behind him in the stone passage, but he put the thought out of his mind and focused on the pathahead.
They traveled a good thirty minutes in utter silence, the only sound Wellion’s own breaths that frosted the icy air in front of them. He was glad he had thought to bring his cloak and wear a warm tunic beneath his armor. Fall was rapidly approaching, and soon enough, winter would behere.
“Do you hear that?” Tariel whispered as they approached. “Someone iscoming!”
Wellion froze as he heard footsteps. They were approaching a crossroads just up ahead. “Prepare yourselves,” he barked, drawing hissword.
A group of bandits rounded the corner, Sallara in theirmidst.
“You didn’t really think that I would let you escape with the hostages, did you?” she purred as her men pointed swords atthem.
“Sallara, please.” Wellion met his sister’s gaze. Beneath the icy look, he could see the hurt in her eyes—his decision had wounded her. “It doesn’t have to be likethis.”
“You’re right.” She smiled and spread her arms wide. “Come back to me, brother, and I will forget all about your treachery. We belong together, you andI.”
“You know I cannot do that,” Wellion said, gripping the hilt of his sword. “Please, don’t make me hurtyou.”
Sallara laughed. “There is no chance of that happening,” she said, and she smacked her hand against the wall. One of the bricks depressed beneath her hand, and Wellion’s heart dropped at the sound of a loud screech abovethem.
“Watch out!” he cried as a row of spikes descended. He grabbed Tariel’s arm as he lunged forward, and knocked aside the nearest man’s sword before he could run Wellion through. The man tried to strike at him, but Wellion used a hidden blade in his sleeve to slice the man’s throat. Blood arced through the air, and he ducked to avoid another man’s deadlyswing.
“Noooooo!” Natha’s scream of anguish rent the air, and Wellion turned just in time to see her husband push her clear from the path of the spikes. Bile rose in Wellion’s throat as the spikes impaled Ralith, and the wet squelch of his body being smashed into the stone floor made him feelsick.
“No, you don’t!” Riann cried, jumping in front of them to meet another man who tried to attackthem.
Wellion wrenched his gaze from the horrifying scene and threw himself into the battle. He and Riann cut down four more bandits in quick succession, and Tariel used her magic to throw several more back, buying them sometime.
“You think you’re so clever, using your magic to knock down my men,” Sallara sneered. She flung out her hands toward Tariel, and magic blazed from the center of her palms. “Why don’t you see how you fare against arealwitch,then?”
