28. Davon

Chapter 28

Davon

I raced down the driveway, pursuing the carriage, but it sped up, clattering down the streets of the city. No matter how fast I ran, it outdistanced me.

“Maggie,” I panted, coming to a stop. I clenched my hands to fists, but I couldn’t reach her.

My mate was gone, but I would not allow the king to keep her. Since my only chance of finding Maggie lay with Valdar and the rebels, I returned to the palace, finding most of the guards defeated and Valdar standing in one of the front parlors with a grin of victory on his snout.

He caught one look at me and stomped over, bracing my shoulders. “Why didn’t you take your mate and run?”

“Your uncle stole her from me.”

“When he escaped,” he snarled.

“Do you know where he took her?”

Valdar's grip on my shoulders tightened, his eyes locked onto mine. “Sit, Davon. We must talk. ”

I growled, my muscles coiling with the need to spring into action. “I can't. Maggie's out there. I need to find her before he hurts her.”

“I understand your urgency, but rushing after them won't help. We need a plan.”

I paced, my heart slamming in my ears. Every instinct screamed at me to rush through the city until I found the carriage, to tear the city apart until I rescued my mate.

“Where did he take her?” I asked, my voice a low rumble.

Valdar leaned against a table, his arms crossing on his scaled chest. “There are caves beneath the city. A network of tunnels where he can hide and regroup. I assume he's taken her there because that's the only place he has left to go.”

“I'm going after them.” I stormed toward the door.

Valdar held up a hand, his eyes narrowing. “Not yet. The city isn't fully under our control. My supporters are fighting, but it's not safe to rush through the streets. You risk being caught in a battle and killed.”

I stopped pacing, my breath coming in sharp bursts. I hated this, hated waiting, hated not acting. But Valdar's words made sense. I couldn't risk Maggie's safety, and if I was dead, I couldn’t rescue her.

“What do you suggest?” I asked, my voice barely more than a growl.

Valdar gestured to a chair. “Sit, Davon. Let's plan this out.”

I reluctantly did, my body rigid with tension. The scent of old wood and the faint metallic tang of blood from the battles outside filled the room. Valdar's calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the chaos raging inside me.

“We'll wait until the city is under our control,” Valdar said, his voice steady. “I assume that'll be by sunset. The drug . . . Only a few will put up much of a fight. After sundown, we'll make our move. I know those caves. I can guide you through them.”

“And what about the king's guards?” I asked. “He'll post them throughout the caves.”

A cold smile played on Valdar's snout. “We'll eliminate them, one by one. Silently and with stealth. We'll make our way to where he's hiding and surprise him.”

Grim determination settled over me. “And Maggie?”

“We find her, free her, and get her out of there. The caves are vast, but I know the ways in and out. We can use that to our advantage.”

A plan began to form in my mind, a map of the caves taking shape as Valdar described them. I could see us moving through the darkness, taking out the guards, finding my mate and returning her to the surface.

“We'll need weapons,” I said. “And we'll need to be prepared for anything. The king won't give up his pet without a fight.”

Valdar nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. “Agreed. We'll gather what we need and leave as soon as it's safe.”

The waiting was the hardest part. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to act, to find Maggie and tear her away from the king. But rushing in would only put her in more danger. I had to be smart, patient.

“Try not to worry.” Valdar’s hand landed on my shoulder. “We'll get her back, Davon. I promise you that.”

I looked up at him, my jaw set, my eyes hard. “The king’s going to pay for what he's done.”

Someone brought us food and multiple jugs of water.

“Eat,” Valdar said, dishing up a full plate and sitting at a desk to consume his meal.

The scent of roasted meat made my stomach growl despite my ragged nerves. I tore into the meal, juices filling my mouth, and washed everything down with gulps of water. Valdar did the same, his eyes narrowed in thought as he ate.

The sun began to set, casting long shadows through the window. The noise from outside slowly died down, the fights becoming fewer and farther between. A group of male and female Veerenads, dusty and bloodied from battle, entered the room, their gazes locking onto Valdar.

“Sire, we control the main parts of the city,” one said, his chest heaving. “The remaining guards have either surrendered or retreated. I have packs tracking them down. Once we catch them, we'll make them swear allegiance or make sure they can never support a usurper again.”

Valdar stood and braced the male's forearms. “Thank you, General Kro Ek. I couldn't do this without you.”

The general looked at me, his eyes gleaming with respect. “I'm sorry about your mate, Zuldruxian. We'll do everything we can to get her back.”

Valdar nodded, his voice steady as he explained our plan to his general. “I believe the king has taken her to the caverns. We'll enter through the secret passage and make our way from there.”

Kro Ek grunted with approval. “I'll put together a force. Meet us at the weapon's room when you're ready.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Valdar turned to me. “It's time.”

We made our way to the weapon's room, the clang of metal and the murmur of voices growing louder as we approached. Inside, Veerenads armed themselves with swords, spears, and shields. I strapped on a set of armor, the cool metal a solid weight against my chest. I chose a sword, its hilt fitting perfectly in my hand, and a dagger that I tucked into my belt.

Valdar led us out the back of the palace, the cool night air a shock after the sweltering warmth inside. We moved silently, sticking to the shadows as we made our way through a copse of woods behind the building. The wall loomed ahead, a dark silhouette against the starlit sky.

“We'll follow the wall until we reach the entrance,” Valdar whispered, his voice barely audible. “Watch out. The king may have guards posted in the area.”

We crept through the woods, the soft crunch of leaves underfoot the only sound we made. The wall stretched on endlessly, but Valdar moved with confidence. The scent of damp earth and night-blooming flowers filled my senses, and the rustle of small creatures in the underbrush made me turn with a jerk, my body on high alert.

Finally, Valdar stopped, his hand signaling for us to halt. He pointed to a section of the wall where the stones jutted out slightly, casting a deeper shadow. He stepped forward, his fingers tracing the edges of the stones. With a soft click, a section of the wall swung inward, exposing a dark passage. Valdar looked back at us, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

The jerk of his snout asked if we were ready, and we nodded, tightening our grips on our weapons.

I followed Valdar into the darkness.

The dark channel swallowed us, the cool air and the scent of earth surrounding us as we made our way deeper.