Chapter Twenty-Six

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Tabitha

The doors creak open, giving way to a dark underground tunnel. Cobwebs pull and break as the doors fall open, the sharp scent of earth hitting my nose. I've never actually been inside this tunnel, but glancing at where we are to the castle, I know it is long. Hopefully it isn't filled with rats and giant spiders. Don't get me wrong, I'm not terrified of the critters, but being in the dark and hearing rats skittering around? That's a little much, even for me.

"Once we reach the end, it'll open up to the dungeons. They're big. Maze-like. I can't recall how to get to the stairs that lead to the main hall, so we'll have to be careful as we search for them," I explain.

It was a miracle I got out of the dungeons at all when I escaped. I'd played in them when I was a child. I wasn't supposed to, of course, but that's where the best hiding places were. Me and the staff's children would play together often and hide and seek was our favorite game. How could it not be in a place so big?

"We will close these after we are all inside, in case anyone walks by," Theodas says.

That makes sense. I'm not sure I would have thought of that.

"It'll be dark in there." Raisi offers me his hand. "Do not let me go, no matter what."

"I won't."

Trust me, I won't.

Kozzanth takes the first step down confidently, as if he's walked this way a hundred times before. As if he has no fear of what may lurk inside. I'm grateful for his bravery.

I step forward, and because of the light outside, I make out Koz standing at the bottom. Once I'm on flat ground, I grab his arm and wait for Raisi to come to me. He takes hold of me once he is beside me, and then Theodas steps in and carefully closes the doors as he moves down. The light is slowly snuffed out, and soon enough it's so dark it makes me dizzy. I can't see a thing. Can't tell which way is up or down. If someone turned me around a few times, I'd be completely helpless.

I hold Raisi's hand tighter. "It's okay. I've got you," he whispers, but down here, it sounds like thunder.

We start moving, our footsteps echoing like the ticking of a death clock. All the while, I repeat over and over again that I'm okay. That soon enough, we will be out of this. I'm not so sure it's the dark that's bothering me, but rather knowing we are in a tunnel. Closed inside without an easy way to escape. Though I am not touching the walls, I feel them. And they are suffocating.

Even though my men can see and alert of any danger, not being able to is making me crazy. My heart is pounding, my breath coming in sharp pants. They are my eyes, and that is a hard thing to accept. I can't help but feel like we're walking to our doom. Like the walls are going to come alive and snatch us up.

A gentle tug on my hand has me stopping, and before I can ask Raisi what is wrong, his lips are on mine. A small squeak escapes me, and his hands come up to cup my cheeks, holding me firmly in place as his tongue slips past my lips. I sigh a breath of relief, getting lost in the feel of him. In the way he smells. The image of how he looks in my head. When he pulls back, his lips still flutter against mine and I feel his smile.

"What was that for?" I whisper.

"You were tense. Thought it would help."

I huff out a laugh, imagining his grin.

"Good idea."

"I'll do it as often as you need me to."

His hands slide down to my shoulders, then my arms until he finds my hands. "Close your eyes. Pretend there is light in here, and we're just playing a game. Maybe it'll help."

I close my eyes. Funny enough, it helps a little.

Soon enough, Koz is telling us there is light ahead. I open my eyes and see the faintest glow down the corridor. It gives my nerves a brief break, knowing we are almost out of this tunnel. Only to have that shattered when I realize we aren't safe when we exit. In fact, this is probably the safest place on castle grounds.

I reach for the dagger in my belt and pull it out. Koz gave it to me when we got closer to the castle, just in case. Father's guards will be trained well, but I'm confident all of us will be able to handle them. Together. Between my Dravens' magic and fighting skills, I doubt I will end up stabbing anyone. But at least I am ready if I need to.

The torches flicker gently, casting dancing shadows along the walls when we reach the end of the tunnel. It's eerily silent. We move carefully, ensuring our footsteps barely make a sound so we don't alert anyone to our presence.

We're so quiet I hear my heart beating, which is why I don't expect it when we nearly bump into a group of guards when rounding the corner. My three Dravens do not hesitate to step forward and reach for their weapons with one hand while casting spells with their other. The guards are in a heap on the floor before I can blink. I'd have been dead if I did this alone. My hesitation will get me killed. It may get them killed too.

We wait a few beats to see if the fighting caused any attention, but it doesn't seem like it has. So, we keep moving. Sticking to the stone wall, we move quickly in a line, prepared to fight if we come up on more guards. Knowing how silent they are only has me on edge. They could sneak up on us at any point.

The next time it happens, it is only two guards, and Kozzanth takes them both out with ease, snapping their necks. He gives Raisi a cocky smirk, to which Raisi rolls his eyes. When we reach a dead end, we turn and head back, only to realize we didn't go back the way we came.

"This is worse than a maze," Raisi says, just as a group of guards rush from a nearby hall. Their eyes are only for me, and though my men go at them, there are too many. One manages to get me in a choke hold, tugging me away and shouting that he has me. It takes too long for me to realize my dagger is in my hand. I raise it up and stab into his thigh, causing him to yelp and loosen his grip. I move away, spin, and kick as hard as I can against his knee. There is a snap. He cries out as he falls to the floor, and Theodas is there to slice his throat, ending his life.

"More will come," I say, panting.

"We are prepared," Kozzanth says, his face splattered with blood.

We keep moving, passing cells that are hardly big enough to turn around in. Some are empty. Some hold prisoners—not all of them are alive. Some are skeletons. Some are in awful stages of decomposition. There are humans. Beasts. Children… I fight back tears as I walk by these people, knowing the first thing I will do is free them. Not only that, but ensure they are fixed up. Dahlia will have her hands full living here.

We reach more dead ends than I can count, and my frustration is evident. But my Dravens assure me we will make our way out of here.

With the number of guards we've already killed, it's obvious my father knows we are here. It's why we were rushed by the guards and didn't accidentally stumble upon them. How long has he known? Did he see us outside? Did we miss guards in the trees?

Too many questions, Tabitha. Too many…

Eventually, we come upon the stairs, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Only to let disappointment wash over me when I realize these steps will lead to my final battle.

A battle of death. A battle of life.

Whose life will be lost? And whose will begin?

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