Chapter Fourteen
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Aurelie made a show of gripping her arm as she stumbled across the archives, fingers digging into the edge of a bookshelf as if struggling to hold herself up. “Go and alert the others,” she gasped at her fellow knights, gritting her teeth as if in pain. “It’s unlikely the demon came alone.”
If they questioned why or how she was in the archives, there was no time to ask.
They hurried off, shouts echoing as they relayed orders across the hall.
Aurelie counted the seconds, waiting until she was certain that everyone was sufficiently distracted before she hurried deeper into the archives and to a familiar tapestry draped across the wall.
Her heart hitched at the sight of it. The flooring had since been replaced, and the tapestry meticulously cleaned, and yet Aurelie swore she could still see the imprint of her family’s blood along the floor and woven into each thread as she stood before the door she’d been forced through as a child.
This was the spot where her mother and brother had taken their last breaths. As she stood there, bracing herself, all Aurelie could think was that she wouldn’t let her father be taken from her, too.
She remembered precisely the hidden divot on the wall her mother had pressed to open that door and barreled through it without missing a beat.
Aurelie moved quickly into the darkness beyond, her boots echoing softly along the descending stone corridor.
She took the steps two at a time, slowing only so her vision could adjust to the complete lack of light.
She held the wall with one hand, guiding herself down each step and through every blind turn. And when she was nearly at the hold, she heard it—quiet, nervous breathing. Sharp, shallow, and certainly not her own.
Aurelie froze, every muscle going stiff.
Someone else was down here.
Could it be another demon? Was this how Severin had gotten into the castle?
Aurelie set a hand atop her hilt, holding her breath and adjusting her pace to a crawl as she crept step by step down toward the source of the sound. She unsheathed her blade, taking each step with the utmost silence and quieting even her breath as she listened.
The figure sounded smaller, its breathing light.
A woman? The envyborn Severin had said was his friend?
Aurelie couldn’t afford to take any chances. She lunged, and was met immediately by a startled cry.
A familiar cry.
She threw a hand forward quickly, catching the lurker before they stumbled backward on the steps.
“Ilaria?”
“Aurelie?” The princess sounded relieved. “Light, you gave me a fright. What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? You’re the one skulking about the darkness.”
“I snuffed out my light when I thought I heard someone. Here, give me a moment.”
There was a sound of shuffling, and soon a match was struck. Ilaria quickly relit a candlestick she’d been clutching, illuminating her face.
“There. That’s better.”
Aurelie, however, was at a loss for words.
The sight of Ilaria was a shock. Despite Yuri’s healing, the princess’s face remained a grim reminder of the attack.
Four jagged scars cut across her skin, beginning at her right temple, slashing across her eye, and curving past her lips.
The wounds had been cleaned and treated with ointments, but Aurelie doubted the scars would ever fade.
“What are you doing down here?” Aurelie asked, clearing her throat. She wouldn’t have expected Ilaria to be up and moving yet.
“I took off when I heard the shouting. What in the blazes is going on?”
“All is well,” Aurelie promised. “No one’s in any danger, but there’s something I must tell you.” Time was sparse, but if she was to take Severin’s offer—if she was to risk everything—she needed at least one person to understand that she was doing this for Rhovar.
Ilaria’s eyes narrowed, wary. “Are you in trouble?”
“Swear that you will not tell a single soul what I’m about to tell you,” Aurelie demanded, speaking quickly. “No matter what I say, no matter how much you hate me for it, you must swear it.”
The princess wilted, free hand fretting at her skirts. “Of course. I swear it on my life.”
Aurelie told her everything. She told Ilaria of the demons she’d hunted the night of the attack, and how each had nearly claimed her life.
She told her of the final moments in which she believed she might die, and finally, she told her the truth of what had happened in the woods.
How she’d realized the demon was bonded, and how she couldn’t deal the final blow.
“I never thought I’d be faced with killing one of our own,” Aurelie admitted. “I wasn’t prepared.”
All the while, Ilaria stared at her, face twisting in a horror that darkened by the second. “But you had the demon’s tail…”
“I cut it off to save the beast. I needed blood so it would look like the demon put up a fight.”
Ilaria shook her head, trying to make sense of it.
Aurelie couldn’t blame her. If the situation had been reversed, she wasn’t sure how she’d react.
She waited for her friend to say something.
To be angry, to reassure her, anything. Instead, Ilaria’s expression unraveled as she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth.
She’d gone pale, looking as though she might faint.
“We have to do something.”
“I have to do something,” Aurelie corrected her. “I’m going to see my father.”
“Your father?” Ilaria’s voice pitched higher, incredulous. “Have you lost your mind?”
It was beginning to seem that way.
“I need to see him. This is my only chance.” She tried to shove past Ilaria, but the princess caught her by the shoulder.
“If you’re going, then so am I.”
Aurelie whirled. “You most certainly are not—”
She stopped short at the sight of the scars along her friend’s cheek, put their by her father’s hand. Suddenly, her mouth was too dry to speak.
“Please,” Ilaria pressed, sensing her hesitation. “Let me help you. I can distract the guards.”
Aurelie wanted to argue, but there was little time. And Ilaria could make this simpler …
“I have an idea,” she said, praying she wouldn’t regret this. “Let’s hope you’re as good at performing as you are sneaking around.”
Ilaria stiffened. “What are you—Aurelie!” She squealed as Aurelie drew her blade across her own right arm. Not a deep wound, but enough to draw blood.
“Have you lost your mind?” the princess hissed, trying to stop her.
“We need to sell this. Hold still.” She grabbed Ilaria, smearing the blood onto the bodice of her dress. It was difficult to see just how covered Ilaria was in the dim light, but she hoped it was enough.
“Aurelie? Where are you?”
She startled at the sound of Yuriel’s voice in her head. She’d never been able to respond to Azriel, though her father had said it was different for a bonded. One day, it was likely she’d learn, but for now she needed to give the angel something to keep him off her trail.
She thought of Ilaria, of wanting to protect her. She hoped that Yuri could sense her determination. That he knew she was fine and well, and would be with him soon.
And, of course, that he had absolutely no reason to come looking for her.
The walls pressed closer as they descended. Sparse torchlight cast flickering shadows, the air taking on a tinge of iron. Aurelie slowed as they neared the hold, motioning for Ilaria to stop. Then she held her breath, listening.
The hold sounded like the archives, quiet except for the scrawl of a quill across parchment. She heard the soft murmurings of three velari, and the heavy boots and jangling keys of two guards who’d remained to keep watch.
Aurelie tucked back into an alcove, pressing herself flat against the wall as she turned to Ilaria. “Your job is to get them out of there. Do you think you can manage that?”
Ilaria swallowed. “Is there an alternative?”
“The alternative is that I knock them out.”
“Ah. Then I suppose it’s time for a show.” She squinted her eyes shut as if gathering her wits, then threw herself loudly down the stairs.
“Demons!” Ilaria shrieked, stumbling into the hold like a frightened bird. “There are more of them! By the Light, we’re under attack!”
Aurelie pressed against the shadows, watching.
Several velari shot to their feet, startled. Guards rushed toward her with swords drawn, hesitating at the sight of the princess. “Ilaria?” One of the knights, Eldran, did a sweep of her condition. “What are you doing here? You need to get to the safe room.”
“I thought this was the safe room,” she whimpered. “Everything is dark, and … Light, there’s so much screaming.” She wrapped her arms around herself, clutching tightly and staring around as if in a daze.
“Get her to safety,” Eldran commanded the second knight. “I’ll stay and—”
“There’s not going to be a kingdom left to protect unless you help them,” she hissed, jerking her face to stare at the man. “Get me and the velari to a safe room, Sir Eldran, and then go help our people. That’s an order.”
He hesitated, glancing down to the right, to where Aurelie presumed her father was being held.
“We already sent most of our forces. The king—”
Ilaria gasped softly, teetering on her feet for a moment before pretending to faint. It was the most graceful fall Aurelie had ever seen.
“Light,” Eldran hissed, tugging his hands through his hair with a long sigh. “Lucas, grab her. Velari, come with me. We’ll get you to the safe room.”
The second knight bent to scoop Ilaria from the floor and hauled her over his shoulder.
Aurelie had to hand it to her, Ilaria was a far better performer than she’d expected. The princess hung limp in the knight’s arms, and Aurelie pressed far into the alcove, holding her breath as they hurried through the corridor.
She counted the seconds, waiting until the sound of their steps faded. Then she hurried into the hold, off in the direction of Eldran’s glance.
Most cells sat empty, though glances inside revealed the remnants of past occupants—scratched walls, scattered straw, a broken cup …