Chapter 49
Stassi dragged her feet down the hallway, exhausted from her extended shift.
Her talk with Sam put her behind on her duties again.
The last time she ran late, the king choked her in his office, but today, one of the morning shift maids that usually delivered his food said the king was out for the day.
Stassi could have told the head maid she quit without finishing her duties, but that would leave them for someone else to do. Even though she wouldn’t feel guilty once leaving The Capital, she couldn’t do that to someone.
Eleven years as a palace maid, and she was quitting because a handsome Angel told her to. She would be lying if she said the man didn’t consume her every thought while at work. Her memories of him didn’t exist when at home, but here, she often walked with her head down to scan the floor for cats.
“I’m losing it,” she muttered. What would it be like to have someone like Sam interested in her?
Not that she needed to worry about it. He looked like someone who liked his women young with perky bodies, and while she wasn’t old, she was no spring chicken, nor was her body perky. Sighing, she put away her maid cart, lost in thought, as she meandered to the staff breakroom.
Stassi’s parents would be overjoyed at the news of her quitting the palace. They were the best parents someone could ask for and were always supportive, but they hated the idea of her working in The Capital and losing her memories every day.
She understood their concern. It was strange at first, but she quickly adjusted to the sensation.
When she turned the corner, she crashed into someone and fell on her butt. A wolf stared back at her, and her first thought, because she was an idiot, was to say, “Sam?”
The wolf cocked his head, and the man she ran into helped her up. “Sam who?”
Realizing her mistake, she brushed off the back of her skirt. “No one.”
“Excuse us,” the man said. “We must be going.”
She looked up then, recognizing him from somewhere. He and the wolf skirted around her as she searched her memory for the man’s face, and when she remembered, she gasped. “Wait!”
The man and the wolf walked faster, and she jogged after them. He was The Butcher’s father. Stassi saw him on the news after Aurora’s arrest. If he was here, something was happening, and the way they were hurrying away from her only solidified her suspicions.
“I spoke with Samyaza!” she called out as she jogged toward them, cringing at how her voice bounced off the walls. Yelling his name wasn’t her brightest moment.
The duo stopped and turned back to her, meeting her in the middle, and the man asked, “When?”
She tried not to look out of breath after such a short jog, but there was no way they missed her wheezing. “Today. Last night, I meant. He was here.”
The man looked down at the wolf, and Stassi stepped back. “He told me about everything.”
The man’s wise eyes slid to her, assessing. “Why? Who are you?”
“My name is Stassi, and I’ve spoken with him a few times,” she answered defensively.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I was supposed to listen for anything important about the king, but I work nights, and the king wasn’t around.
” The wolf chuffed, and she eyed him nervously.
“I know where the stolen soul is, but that’s it. ”
Both the man and wolf reacted to her words, and the man reached out to touch her shoulder. She side-stepped his grasp, and he held a hand up. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you. You said you know where Cora’s soul is?”
She nodded. “It’s in the king’s office. He keeps it in a cabinet.”
The two looked at each other, then back at her. “Do you know who Rory is?” the man asked.
Wasn’t that what Sam called Aurora? “The Butcher?” she asked for clarification.
“Yes. Have you seen her here today?” His eyes looked hopeful, and Stassi felt terrible for telling him no.
“I haven’t.” She hesitated. “I heard another maid say the king is out today.”
The man turned to the wolf and nodded. “Stassi, do you know if guards are near the king’s office?”
“There are always two.” The man nodded again, and she regretted what she was about to say, even before she said it. “I can take you there.”
“I’m Patrick,” the man said, tipping his head to the wolf. “This is Keith. He’s a shifter. We would appreciate it if you took us most of the way. We will trail behind you, and when we get close, you leave. You don’t need to get mixed up in this.”
Stassi mapped out the way in her head. “When I adjust my bun and turn left, you stay straight and take the next right.”
Patrick nodded, and the wolf looked side to side before shifting into a gorgeous man. Flustered, Stassi stepped back. “You should warn people before you do that.”
“Next time, I’ll growl,” he replied with a charming grin. “Lead the way.”
She considered stopping to grab her cleaning cart to look less conspicuous, but it was out of the way. Walking as nonchalant as possible, she made her way to the king’s office, listening to the footsteps of the men who trailed far behind her in case they stopped.
When she approached the turnoff, she grabbed her bun and adjusted it, but before she could turn, Tag rounded the corner leading to the king’s office. Why was he still here? He worked the night shift.
“Stassi,” he said with a hint of surprise.
“Hey, Tag. What are you still doing here?” Was her voice calm, or did she sound like someone gearing up to tell a lie? She was terrible at lying and ended up saying something ridiculous if put on the spot.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he said with an amiable smile.
Fiddling with her skirt, she considered pretending to faint because he would carry her to the infirmary and away from Patrick and Keith, but instead, she rambled, and that was never good.
“Last night was chilly, and I forgot my jacket at home,” she said.
Shut up, Stassi. Just walk away. “Luna let me borrow her jacket because she said it was hot. How can anyone be hot in this place? It’s freezing.
” Why didn’t she just say she was looking for another maid?
She wanted to weep, but she was too far in now, and he was watching her with suspicion. Or maybe it was amusement.
Seraphim, please let it be amusement.
“Well,” she laughed nervously, wondering where in the hell she was going with this story. “I was cleaning the king’s office, and it was hot in there, so I took the jacket off and forgot to grab it before I left.”
No. No. No. No. No. No. Why did she say that? He was going to take her exactly where Patrick and Keith told her not to go. She was never lying again. It never resulted in anything positive.
She held her breath, and when Tag laughed, she tried to release it without being obvious. “You are something else,” he said, still laughing. “You can run in and get it. The king isn’t here.”
“Thank you,” she said, marching to her death. Keith and Patrick must have hidden when Tag appeared. She glanced over her shoulder but didn’t see them.
They saw where she was going to turn, meaning they could find the office and didn’t need her help anymore. She would pretend to look for the jacket, say she must have forgotten it somewhere else, and leave without incident.
She hoped.
Dume headed for the stairs to search the second floor of the east wing after having no luck on the main floor. He poked his head into every room he passed but found nothing except a few maids cleaning empty rooms.
He grabbed the knob of the last door in the hallway but remembered it was the head guard’s office. Before he could run up the stairs, the door swung open, and a young Aatxe guard stepped into the hall, closing the door behind her.
She caught sight of Dume walking away and called out to him. “I’m sorry, sir, but I need you to stop and show me your badge or pass. No civilians are allowed within The Capital without one.”
Dammit. He pivoted on his heel with a flirtatious smile. “Hey. I don’t recognize you. Have you worked at the palace long?” Women hit on him often, and while he never gave much thought to his looks, he hoped they got him out of the deep shit he’d stepped in.
The guard tossed her red braid over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. “Show me your badge or pass.”
He was screwed.
Holding up a finger, he reached into his back pocket, feigned confusion, and checked his other ones. He pulled out his wallet and pretended to search through it. “I must have dropped it,” he lied. “I’ll run back to the gates and have them print a new one.”
Before he could leave, she grabbed hold of his elbow.
“I don’t think so.” People usually believed Aatxe because they’re known for their honesty.
Unfortunately, they’re also loyal and thorough employees.
“I will take your mystic card and call the gates myself, but until then, you’re going into a holding cell. ”
Lauren told them to incapacitate the guards, but he couldn’t bring himself to hurt an innocent. Once in the cell, he would request to speak to Adila. If what Rory told him about the Scales of Justice was true, she was on their side. Maybe she’d even help him look.
When they stepped into the palace courtyard and turned toward the judgment chambers, Adila herself and another woman were walking in their direction.
Dume looked at the guard holding his arm. “I need to see the Scales of Justice.”
She pushed him faster. “I don’t know what you’re playing at, but I can’t let you near her.”
Fine. “Adila!” he yelled, making the Royal turn, and the guard dragged him along faster. He was bigger than her, but all Aatxe were strong, no matter their gender. “I’m friends with Sam and Lauren,” he shouted over his shoulder. “It’s important that I speak to you.”
“Please, stop and let him speak,” Adila said to the guard holding him, who looked at Dume curiously.
She steered him over to the Royal and her companion. “You have a message for me from the commander?” Adila inquired regally.
Dume’s eyes slid from the guard to the other woman standing beside Adila. “It’s best we speak privately,” he said carefully. “It concerns a newly released inmate.”
Adila’s lips tightened, and she nodded. “Heather,” she addressed her friend before turning to the guard. “Jenessa. Please, excuse us.”
Heather looked at Dume with narrowed eyes but nodded and walked to the palace with Jenessa.
“Follow me,” Adila said and hurried into a back door of the judgment chambers. Once inside, she took him through a series of doors before they stepped into a dark hallway underground, lined with old, rusted cells, and pulled out her phone to use as a flashlight. Dume did the same.
“Is this a dungeon?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes,” she replied as she continued down the hall. “It hasn’t been used in a very long time.” She took another few turns, pulled him into a small, dark room, and closed the door. “What’s happened?”
Dume shined his light around the room and shuddered. “Gedeon has Rory,” he explained. “We can’t reach Sam because he’s in Vincula, and a group of us came with Lauren to look for her. A guard caught me and was hauling me to a holding cell.”
Adila listened intently and when he was finished, said, “We must find her. If Gedeon kills her, Caius won’t survive it.”
Dume felt the blood drain from his face. If one of them dies, does it kill the other?” If Caius died, would it kill Rory?
Adila was already opening the door to leave. “No, but the Aeternum bond is strong, and Caius won’t want to live in a realm where she does not exist.”
Dume hurried after her. “Do you know where he would keep her?”
Adila shook her head, making her golden waves sway over her back. “No, but his office and chambers are a good place to start.”
“Lauren was going to Gedeon’s chambers to look. Is there anywhere else you can think of?” he asked.
“Then we’ll check his office,” she replied. “They’re next to each other, and we can make sure he hasn’t hurt Lauren while we’re at it.”
Dume blew out a breath and took long strides to keep up with her. “I don’t think this is a good idea. I think we should split up.”
“It doesn’t matter what you think,” she deadpanned. “I know my brother, and his rooms are probably the most secure locations in this palace. If he has her, she is there or in the area.”
“Lauren said if we find him to lie low and call her. We can’t just barge into his office.”
“How stupid do you think I am?” Adila scoffed.
“Gedeon’s guards might tell him everything I do, but they’re still required to follow my orders.
If I tell them there is a problem somewhere and demand they follow me, they must do it.
” She shrugged. “They’ll just report the incident to him later.
We might not be the ones to fight Gedeon, but we can at least clear the way for Lauren. ”
She turned and walked away, leaving Dume no choice but to run after her.