Night Visit to The Ministry of Justice
When they got to the Ministry of Justice, the three of them hugged the shadows, barely daring to breathe.
Cassidy and her father, Prince Ashworth, pressed themselves against the cold stone walls, following Jed's lead.
They slipped from one pillar to the next, using the darkness to sneak past the patrolling guards and inch their way toward the west cell block, where the Marquis of Stonehaven was being held.
As they crept along, Cassidy couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Half the guards were either asleep at their posts or clustered together, drinking and laughing.
*And this is supposed to be the Great Dungeon?
* she thought. They were a three-person shadow army, and no one had even glanced their way.
If the Marquis really got murdered tonight, none of these idiots would even notice.
*So much for the Emperor's finest,* she scoffed internally.
When they finally reached the west cell block, they found the guards who were supposed to be on watch slumped over a table, completely passed out.
A feast of half-eaten food and wine lay scattered across the tabletop.
A bottle of strong liquor had tipped over, its contents dripping onto the floor in a sticky puddle.
And right in the middle of it all were the Second Prince and the Duke of Crestfall, both dead asleep.
Cassidy's stomach dropped. She almost swore out loud.
"Damn it," she whispered. "Don't tell me we're too late."
Ashworth looked just as shocked. He shot a glance at his daughter, a silent and grim understanding passing between them. Something was terribly wrong.
Hiding in the darkness, they held their breath. By the faint moonlight filtering in from a high window, they fixed their eyes on the Marquis's cell.
Suddenly, a soft *click* echoed from the cell next to the Marquis's.
The lock had been opened from the inside.
A moment later, a figure in prisoner's clothes shuffled out.
He was hunched over, but his steps were steady as he made a beeline for the Marquis of Stonehaven's cell.
After a quick look around, the man produced a key, unlocked the cell door, and slipped inside.
He then pulled a hemp rope and a dagger from his robes.
His plan was obvious: strangle the unconscious Marquis and hang the rope from the crossbeam to make it look like a suicide.
Cassidy's eyes went wide. "Jed," she hissed. "Go."
The word was barely out of her mouth before Jed launched from the shadows, a blur of motion charging straight for the assassin.
The man had just started to throw the rope over the beam when he heard the movement behind him. He whipped around, his eyes flashing with a vicious glint. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a spray of gleaming silver needles flying from his sleeve, aimed right at Jed's face.
Jed twisted out of the way with an impossible, fluid grace. The needles thudded into the iron door behind her, their ends still vibrating. Before the assassin could make another move, Jed had already closed the distance and lashed out with a fierce palm strike.
The man didn't even flinch. He moved with a strange, unnerving rhythm, lunging at Jed with his dagger.
Every strike was powered by some deep inner strength, aimed to kill.
For a moment, the cell was filled with the clang of steel and the thud of fists against flesh, the impacts making the iron bars hum.
Hiding in the shadows, Cassidy and her father watched the fight with a little too much excitement.
"Dad, I bet Jed wins," Cassidy whispered. "If I'm right, you owe me a hundred bucks."
Ashworth glared at her. "Dream on. I'm betting on Jed, too. If *I* win, you owe *me* a hundred." He wasn't an idiot. He had to bet on Jed. If she lost, he and his daughter would be dead meat.
The thought sobered him. "Cassidy, we have to help," he muttered.
"What, you don't want to enjoy the show a little longer?"
"If we keep 'enjoying the show,' we'll both be joining your grandfather in the afterlife."
Just as he finished speaking, Cassidy saw the assassin flick his wrist again, sending another fan of silver needles whistling right toward them.
A cold fury settled in Cassidy's gut. She grabbed her father's arm and yanked him behind a stone wall just as the needles zipped past.
Ashworth was furious. An attempt on his life? A Prince of the Empire? These people had a death wish. He drew his longsword, pushed off the ground, and charged.
The assassin was startled by Cassidy's speed, and when he saw Ashworth rushing him with a sword, his confidence wavered. That split-second of distraction was all Jed needed. She saw her opening and slammed a palm strike into his shoulder.
Caught off guard, the man grunted and stumbled back. Ashworth seized the opportunity, thrusting his sword straight at the man's throat.
The assassin dodged, a wild light in his eyes. He suddenly grabbed a black porcelain bottle from his robes and moved to smash it on the ground. It was a poison bomb. Once it shattered, toxic smoke would fill the prison, killing everyone inside, including the Marquis.
Seeing this, Cassidy tapped into her speed. She moved in a flash, and just as the bottle was about to hit the stone floor, she snatched it right out of the air.
The assassin's eyes widened in shock. This girl had no trace of inner energy, yet she moved with a supernatural speed no normal person could ever hope to match.
He was distracted again, and a massive force slammed into his chest, a second heavy punch from Jed.
Before his pained grunt faded, a chilling cold touched his neck as Ashworth's longsword closed in like a viper.
At the same time, a feathered arrow whistled through the air, fired from Cassidy's bow, aimed right for his shoulder blade.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood. Under the triple attack, he was done.
Knowing he was outnumbered, he flipped his wrist one last time, throwing a handful of sleeping powder at Jed and Ashworth as they rushed him. Using the cloud of dust as cover, he stumbled through the prison door and ran for it.
Caught completely by surprise, Jed and Ashworth inhaled the powder. Their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed.
Cassidy, standing safely around the corner, saw the assassin bolt. She shot forward, chasing him like a lightning strike. She was several times faster than the badly injured man.
She easily caught up to him, matching his pace. Tilting her head, she gave him a cheerful little wave.
"Hi there! Where are you off to?"
The man stared at the woman who had suddenly appeared beside him, his eyes bugging out.
She looked so fragile, yet she was keeping up with him effortlessly.
In fact, she was running even faster, a speed no human should possess.
He didn't dare dwell on it. He forced what was left of his strength into his legs, trying to pull away.
Seeing him speed up, Cassidy thought he wanted to race. A grin spread across her face. She kicked it into high gear, instantly leaving him in the dust. Then, she turned around, jogging backward while giving him a taunting middle finger.
"Had enough yet? I can run way faster than you!"
The assassin looked up at the woman running ahead of him, a smug smile on her face as she flipped him off. He was completely baffled.
*Damn it,* he thought. *I've run into some kind of super-fast idiot.*
He didn't have time for this. He channeled the last of his energy and threw a palm strike, sending a powerful gust of wind straight at Cassidy's face.