Page 45 of Lion and the Lamb: Easter

“Then I’ll die trying.”

“Nay, Lionel, please. If they’re taking the tunnels, they will need to come out of them at some point. Instead, be waiting for them with your guards.”

“There are lots of passageways, Rachael. I don’t know where they all lead,” said Lionel.

“Mayhap not, but I know someone who does.”

Rachael took his arm and they headed back out of the church. He trusted her, but just hoped whatever she planned would work, or he’d just made a huge mistake by walking away.

* * *

“Areyou sure there are not other exits from the tunnels besides the six you told me about?” Lionel asked Gilly who they’d managed to find when Winifred finally started to work with Lionel instead of against him.

“Aye, that’s it,” said Gilly standing far away from Lionel, looking like he wanted to run.

“Are you positive?” Lionel asked again.

“Father, Gilly has worked on the docks since he was a boy,” said Winifred, even though to Lionel Gilly was naught more than a boy right now.

“I’ve played in those tunnels as a child and know them like the back of my hand,” said Gilly. “They are most likely going to bring out the barrels right here since you have guards posted in the other spots.”

They stood at the back door of a fishery, and just the stench of the place was already making Lionel feel sick. If he never had fish again in his life, it would be too soon.

“Look, here they come,” said Winifred as several men peeked out the door and then rolled out the barrels atop the carts just as the sun started to set.

“Raff, are you ready?” asked Lionel, slowly pulling his sword from his sheath.

“Aye, my lord.”

“So are we,” said Willard who was not only his steward but at one time had been a knight. Three more guards stayed hidden in the shadows with him, and ready to fight.

“Rachael, take Winifred and get out of here. This is going to be dangerous and most likely bloody,” said Lionel.

“I still can’t believe you think my uncle has anything to do with this,” said Gilly.

“Do you mean to tell me you didn’t think it odd when he suddenly turned into a priest?”

“He said he used to be one long ago before I was born,” said the boy. “He told me he was just trying to help out since the church needed a priest.”

“And you believed him?” Lionel shook his head.

“I still don’t think he’s guilty,” said Gilly.

“Well, mayhap that will prove it,” said Lionel, nodding as Father Anthony appeared, helping the dockworkers steal the goods. “Move in, men. Try to take them alive so they’ll confess,” said Lionel.

“Come, Winifred.”Rachael tried to pull the girl away from the battle that was about to begin.

“Wait. Where’s Gilly?” Winifred stopped and turned around to look for him.

“There he is,” said Rachael, spying the boy rushing toward the middle of the fight that had just broken out between the smugglers and the guards.

“Gilly, nay!” cried Winifred, trying to go after him, but Rachael held her back.

Rachael watched as Lionel fought like the lion he truly was, horrified when even more smugglers emerged and the fight became worse. Father Anthony had managed to get out of the way, but Rachael cried out when she saw the priest pull a dagger from under his robe and raise it to Lionel’s back. Lionel was too far away and there was too much noise for him to hear her.

“Father!” cried Winifred as the priest brought down his blade.

But then Gilly burst out of the shadows and knocked his uncle to the ground. Lionel turned around, putting his blade to the priests’ throat.

“Gilly just helped Father,” said Winifred with a smile. “That should prove he’s innocent.”

“Yes, it should,” said Rachael, happy for the girl that the lad she loved wasn’t really guilty after all.