Chapter 10 Luciana
LUCIANA
Convincing Luka to let me leave him behind—convincing all of them to let me leave them behind was harder than I anticipated. But I had pled my case. If we wanted to get Lennox back today, I had to go in alone. It was the only way my plan would work.
I needed to get in and out while drawing as little attention to myself as possible.
It was early, the sun hadn’t even begun to rise yet.
Which I hoped made it the perfect time to sneak into the Panateia’s compound.
Everything else had already been set.
The trap was laid.
My spell was complete.
Next, all I had to was get inside.
Should be easy enough, the Panateia didn’t appear like the smartest group.
I crept through the darkness toward the large building, leaving the cover of the trees behind as I made my way across the open expanse between the forest and the flat-topped building.
I pulled the hood of my cloak lower on my face as I approached the entrance I had scoped out last night. There only appeared to be a couple of guards who stood watch, versus the several at the other entrances.
I pressed myself flat against the metal wall, palming the dagger strapped to my thigh as I turned to peek through the window cut into the door.
One singular guard sat perched against the wall, his weapons strapped to his body as he struggled to keep his eyes open.
Poor broad was tired.
It would be a disservice if I didn’t help him get some proper rest.
A good hit to the temple was exactly what he needed.
I winced as the door creaked as I opened it an inch.
The guard's eyes snapped open, his body standing at attention as he looked around for the source of the sound.
Well, it was now or never.
I pushed the door the rest of the way open, ducked down, rolling across the floor as he reached for me, his movements clumsy as he reached for his sword.
I kicked out with my leg, sending him toppling as his legs swept out from under him.
With one swift hit on his temple with the handle of my dagger he was out.
“Sweet dreams,” I murmured as I rose to standing, pulling my hood back over my head. I kept my body pressed against the wall as I made my way down the long hallway.
Now where were they keeping Lennox?
“Hey! Who are you?” My spine straightened as the voice rang through the hallway. I looked behind, finding a tall guard with dark hair cut close to his scalp jogging down the hallway toward me. I kept my eyes on him as I took steps backward.
“I said, who are you?”
A door opened behind me, before I even had a chance to turn, hands were clasping around me.
A hand closed around the hand holding my dagger, their thumb pressing into the pressure point in my wrist, causing my weapon to fall to the ground with a clang.
More doors opened, dozens of guards filled into the hallway, most of them dressed in casual clothing, hair disheveled as they rubbed the sleep from their eyes with one hand and grasped their weapon in the other.
It appeared I had found the guards’ quarters.
“Take her to the cells and notify Adreona,” the guard who first spotted me ordered.
I bit back a snarl as the arms holding me gripped tighter and cuffs were bound around my wrist.