24. Davon

Chapter 24

Davon

I scooped up a handful of the grains from the tray, shoveling it into my mouth. It felt gritty, like sand between my teeth, but it was food. I followed it down with a swig of water from the jug, feeling a bit of my strength returning. My body ached from the fight, but my mind remained sharp, focused on one thing only: escape.

“How long have you been down here?” I asked, looking at the three Veerenads.

Valdar sighed, running a clawed hand through his matted hair. “Too long. Months, perhaps. It's hard to tell the passage of time in this place.”

Krekk nodded, his tail twitching behind him. “We've tried to escape. Many times.”

“And?”

Torinar snorted. “And we're still here, aren't we?”

“The king expects us to try,” Valdar said. “He likes the game, the chase. But we've stopped playing. ”

I frowned, not understanding. “Why?”

A sly grin spread across his face. “To lull them into thinking we've given up. But we haven't.”

An idea began to form in my mind. A risky one, but it was better than sitting here, waiting for whatever fate the king had in store for me. “What if we distract them?”

The Veerenads exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with interest.

“What do you have in mind?” Valdar asked.

I gestured to the tray of food. “They'll be back for this, right?”

Krekk nodded. “Later tonight. They collect the trays after the evening meal.”

“Then that's our chance.” I kept my voice soft. “When they arrive, tell them I'm sick, that I won't wake up. They'll be confused, maybe worried if the king said I’m to remain alive, and when they are . . .”

Grins spread across the Veerenads' snouts.

“We attack.” Torinar’s words came out in a low growl. Making a fist, he smacked it into his palm. “I welcome this.”

Valdar laid a hand on my shoulder, his eyes gleaming. “It could work.”

“And once we're free of this place . . .”

“Leave the rest to me,” Valdar said. “I'm not without resources. The king is wrong to believe the city thinks I'm dead. The guards have seen me. While some may be loyal to him, I doubt they all are. I have supporters inside the city, and once they know I'm alive, they'll rush to help me. ”

I nodded, hope sparking in my chest. “Then we rest. We need our strength for what's to come.”

The Veerenads agreed, settling down onto the stone floor. I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes. I was ready for the fight ahead. The moment I was free, I'd find Maggie, and we'd escape this nightmare.

I drifted in and out of a light sleep, cold from the floor seeping into my bones. The sound of footsteps coming down the hall jolted me awake.

“Now,” Krekk hissed, his tail flicking in anticipation.

I closed my eyes, pretending to be unconscious. I slowed my breathing, trying to mimic the deep, steady rhythm of a deep sleep.

The door creaked open, and three Veerenad guards stepped inside. I watched them through my lashes, taking in the lazy expression in their eyes and the uninterested glances at the tray on the floor. They paid us no attention, used to seeing the three defeated prisoners and maybe me as someone with a head injury who wouldn't have enough strength to battle a tiny mevarn.

“The Zuldruxian isn't waking.” Concern sharpened Valdar’s voice. “I think he's dying. That's not what the king wants, is it?”

One of the guards grunted and walked over to kick my leg. I forced myself to remain limp. The guard stooped down beside me; his breath hot on my face as he gave me a shake. I flopped, letting my head loll to the side.

“What should we do?” one of the other guards asked, uncertainty creeping into his words .

“Let him die,” another said.

“You're sure? Don't know if the king wants that,” someone said.

“We could bring a healer,” the first guard said, standing up. “Just in case.”

The others agreed, and they hurried out, the door shutting behind them with a heavy clang. I opened my eyes, glancing at the others who gave me feral grins.

We didn't have to wait long. Rapid footsteps echoed in the hall again, and the door swung open. A Veerenad healer stepped inside, her gaze taking in the room warily. With my eyes barely slitted, I watched as a solitary guard stood at the doorway, his spear gripped loosely in his claws. They hadn’t sent others?

The healer approached and bent down to examine me. As she touched my shoulder, Krekk, Torinar, and Valdar rushed the guard. They moved as one, a blur of scales and claws, taking the guard to the floor before he could react.

I sprang up, a growl ripping from my throat. The healer yelped and scrambled backward until she hit the stone wall.

“I'm all better.” I flashed her a smile.

She stared at me, her eyes wide with shock. Leaving her and the unconscious guard inside the cell, we rushed out into the hall and shut the door, the lock clicking.

Valdar turned to us, his eyes filled with excitement. “Finally.”

The other two grinned.

“Let's go.” Valdar loped down the hall with us following. Lights flickered high on the walls, casting long shadows on the stone floor. We moved swiftly, silently, our senses on high alert.

As we rounded a corner, a guard stepped into our path. His eyes widened in surprise, but before he could raise his weapon, Valdar lunged. He grabbed the guard's throat, silencing his cry with one twist. Krekk and Torinar joined in, wrestling a second guard to the ground and ending his protests just as quickly.

I scanned the hall, my body tense, ready for more guards to appear, but the way remained clear for now. I turned back to the others, watching as they bound and gagged the guards with strips of cloth torn from their own tunics.

Valdar straightened, his chest heaving. He looked at us, a fierce grin spreading across his snout. “We're not stopping until we're free.” He looked my way. “I thank you, friend.”

“I’ll help.”

He braced my shoulders. “Seek your mate. Rescue her and leave the city. I believe things are about to get busy, and I’ll be happier knowing you and she are safe.”

“I’ll come back with others then. You won’t have to fight alone.”

“Come back for my coronation.” A feral smile split his snout. “Do stop at the gate on your way into the city to admire my uncle’s head I’ll mount on a stake.”