2. Chapter 2 #3
“She goes downstairs when the corridor shift changes,” he says. “You’ll take her.”
Benny doesn’t answer.
“That’s an order.”
“You don’t command me.”
“No, but Frances does, and he’ll agree once he starts thinking about the children instead of a dead House.”
“Get out,” I say.
Klaus looks around Benny at me.
“You don’t give orders here.”
“Neither do you, apparently, or I’d already be underground.”
His mouth tightens.
“The shift changes soon,” he tells Benny. “Have her ready.”
He leaves. The door remains open behind him until Benny pushes it shut. This time, he turns the key.
For several seconds, none of us speaks.
Elise begins putting the medical supplies away. Her hands are no longer steady.
“He’s not taking you underground,” Benny says.
I stare at him. “He just ordered you to do it.”
“Klaus doesn’t command me.”
“Sure. You are just like everyone else here, telling yourself you are ‘helping’ me.”
Benny takes that without looking away.
Elise closes the medical tin. “Klaus just lost his brother this morning.”
“I know,” I say. “And I’m sorry his brother is dead. But I’m not letting Klaus bury me with him.”
“He won’t,” Benny says.
“You expect me to trust Frances to stop him?”
“Frances would never allow it.”
“Frances allowed men to shoot me full of tranquilizers and drag me into a van.”
Benny’s jaw tightens.
“He ordered me brought here,” I continue. “Klaus has armed men who agree with him, and now he’s angry and scared for the children. Both emotions make people do stupid things very quickly.”
Neither of them argues.
I look at Elise. “You saw what happened at the gate.”
“Yes.”
“Believe me now. I don’t want anyone else here hurt. I just want to get back to my mates.”
Benny shakes his head. “Your mates are the reason Klaus is afraid.”
“They’re coming whether you release me or not.”
His eyes sharpen. “You’re certain?”
“They know I’m alive. They won’t stop until they find me.”
Elise looks toward the door. “Does Frances know that?”
“I haven’t had much opportunity to explain anything since my kidnapping.”
Benny ignores that. “How close are they?”
“I can’t tell. The bonds don’t give me distance.”
“Can you speak to them through it?”
“No. I can feel them. They can feel me. That’s all.”
“Then how do you stop them?”
“Get me out of here. Once they reach me, I’ll tell them there are families here. I’ll tell them you helped me escape. I’ll convince them to leave with me.”
“After we kidnapped you,” Benny says.
“I didn’t say I’d lie.”
“If you tell them what happened, they’ll come through that gate.”
“No. They’ll want to. I won’t let them.”
“You’re asking me to trust men I’ve never met.”
“I’m asking you to trust me.”
That stops him.
“I won’t tell the Council how to find this valley,” I say. “I won’t lead anyone back here tonight. I’ll get my mates away from your gate and make sure nobody comes looking for revenge.”
“And after tonight?” Elise asks.
“I won’t promise that this disappears. My security was shot. People died. You have records about my family that I have a right to see. All of that still has to be dealt with.”
Benny’s expression hardens, but I keep going.
“I’m promising that I won’t bring violence back to the people living here. You wanted to serve my family? Start by believing me when I tell you what I need.”
Silence settles over the room.
Benny glances at the ring on the table, then back at me.
“You sound like Frances.”
“I’m much angrier than Frances.”
Elise almost smiles. Benny doesn’t, but some of the tension leaves his shoulders.
“If we let you go,” he says, “Klaus will send men after you.”
“Then don’t let him know I’m gone until I have a head start.”
“He’s changing the corridor guard.”
“Use his order,” Elise says. “Tell them you’re taking her to the storerooms.”
Benny looks at her.
“You already know the way,” she continues. “The passage behind the kitchens reaches the service door.”
“It’s guarded.”
“Send the guard somewhere else, figure something out.”
They have moved from debating whether to help me to planning how.
Hope hurts almost as much as my side.
Benny studies me for another long moment. “Can you make it down the slope?”
“I made it across your courtyard in a lot worse shape.”
“You also fell twice.”
“I’ll fall downhill faster.”
That earns the smallest pull at the corner of his mouth.
Elise stands. “I’m coming. Her dressing needs to be checked, and nobody will question why I’m with you.”
“They’ll know you helped.”
“Yes.”
Benny reaches into his coat and removes a long iron key from the ring at his belt. He sets it on the table beside the ring.
“The passage runs behind the kitchens to a service door in the outer wall. Outside, there’s a wooded slope and an old cart track that comes out below the bridge watch.”
“How many guards?”
“One at the door. I can relieve him before Klaus’s men arrive.”
I put Frances’s ring into the front pocket of my pants. Then I pick up the key.
“I’ll get my mates away from this valley,” I say. “No one comes back tonight. You have my word.”
Benny looks at Elise. She nods.
He turns back to me.
“Then we need to move before the corridor shift changes.”
“Then let’s go.”