“Fuck,” he murmurs. “I don’t think he saw us.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“No.”
“Okay. We’ll wait right here then, just in case he did see us and clears his own way through,” Raef suggests. “Then boom. Surprise attack.” He jabs his sword through the air for a dramatic effect.
“Just for a minute,” Daegan says. “And then we need to keep moving. What if he runs to tell someone first, and they ambush us from another angle?”
“True.” Raef crouches down, his sword at the ready.
Daegan takes the other side, and Rhydra goes behind Raef. I crouch behind Daegan, and then we wait in silence. There’s no noise at the castle tonight. Not that there ever is. People are usually inside at night. But still, it feels eerie for some reason. Maybe that has to do with being back here after so long, knowing that this is no longer home. I feel nothing as I look up at the looming dark castle.
“Why don’t I just go check really quick?” Kezra suggests.
“What if he spots you?” I ask. I know she’s quick, but seeing gold fairy dust in the air could bring more unwanted attention.
“I know how to be inconspicuous.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“Be right back,” she sings in response.
I barely blink a few times before she’s returned. “The buffoon has not noticed anything around him.”
“Well, our plan to stick by the exit route is probably screwed. We’ll stick with you a little bit farther until we find a good spot to hide out,” Raef says.
“Let’s go then.” Daegan is already standing, leading the way across the massive expanse of ground leading to the castle. We need to be fast here. I already feel incredibly exposed, even though it’s easy to stick to the darkness. Fortunately, we don’t need to carry any torches with us that would draw attention, because there are enough light orb posts scattered around the grounds so that we can just barely see where we’re going. This works to our advantage more than it hurts us.
Kezra sits on the pack on my back as I run so we can minimize her gold trails she leaves behind when she flies. She’s told me that she can keep the shimmering gold to a minimum, but why risk being noticed at all.
Daegan runs from one scattered tree to the next, pausing behind a few here and there to make sure it’s still clear. We finally encounter a few more guards who are standing in the distance talking by the garden. We’re still a safe enough distance that there’s no way they can see us in the dark, but they, on the other hand, are illuminated by several orbs nearby.
Their chatter is muffled, and we don’t waste any time trying to listen in on them. Instead, we create some distance from them while still running toward the castle.
When we reach the back entrance, there are two guards standing watch. Daegan takes the lead, crouching down behind a wall, hiding in the shadows.And then he charges, like a lethal beast in the night come to seek vengeance, and drives his sword through both their necks in one swing. Blood sprays, but for once I feel completely fine at the sight. Am I desensitized? Am I a monster? Maybe. But my heart is pounding and my blood is hot, and they’re only standing in our way.
Daegan waits as we catch up to him just outside the door.
“Okay,” Raef says calmly. “I think this is a good spot for Rhydra and me to keep watch. Make sure our exit path to that section of the wall stays clear. It’s too risky for all of us to run through those halls. And remember, if anyone gets split up, the entire order meets back up in Morne.”
We all nod in agreement, then Daegan pulls the unlocked door open and peeks in. He motions for me to follow, and as I do Kezra finally hops off my shoulder and flies ahead. “This is my time to do what I do best,” she sings quietly. “Spy.”
Could she be detected here? Definitely. But if she sticks to the warm light orbs, her golden trails can’t be seen as easily. They blend into the light somehow. Of course, if someone is looking closely, they could see a small fairy flying, but fairies are still notoriously excellent at evading notice.
We make it through the first long stretch of hallway undetected, encountering not one living creature, which isn’t out of the ordinary. It’s the middle of the night, so there shouldn’t be many people wandering through these halls.
I place a hand on Daegan’s arm and step ahead of him. He pauses and lets me pass. I know this place a lot better than him. And I know that just around the corner is a door that leads down to the dungeons, but I’m wondering if it’s best to stay above and save time.
I decide it’s best to stay above. It’s a far walk to my father’s wing, but it’s dark enough to sneak through the shadows, and there are many rooms to hide in and pillars to take cover behind. As soon as the thought comes into my mind, Kezra rounds the corner, motioning for us to hide. We slip down a smaller hallway and dip behind a stone pillar almost completely shrouded in darkness. We wait in silence. His slow, controlled breaths match mine.
I can’t see his face, but I can feel the unusual heat from his body and catch his signature scent as he boxes me into the dark corner. We wait a little longer, until the footsteps pass and fade into the distance.
“The way to his wing is clear, even if the future is not,” Kezra informs us, popping up out of nowhere.
I glance up at Daegan, who pinches his eyebrows at her.
I laugh it off silently, grabbing his hand and leading him back to the main hall. After several more turns, an empty staircase, and long, dark, eerily quiethallways, we arrive just outside of my father’s wing. Of course, there are two guards stationed just outside the first hallway.
