Escaping the room at last, Mouse surveyed his surroundings. The hallway wiggled a little at the edges, but it held up in the end. The carpet under his feet felt… squishy, but he refused to look down and find out why.

“Hey, Mouse. Headed out?” Cel said, pushing off the wall beside the door.

“If I said no, would you believe me?” Mouse replied.

Cel chuckled. “So? Where’re we going?”

“Dungeons. Brittany got arrested.”

“At last.”

Mouse frowned at her. “I’m pretty sure she’s been falsely accused. If we visit her, I might be able to figure out why, and who’s framing her.”

“Huh? But… didn’t we just find out it was her last time?” Cel asked, frowning.

Mouse waved his hand. “Sure, sure, but… that was then, this is now. Different bitings. A different perpetrator, if I’m right.”

“If you say so.”

The dungeons crouched at the rear of the castle, beyond the stable and past the palace’s main rear entrance. Old trees stood over a detached, low stone building that sunk into the ground. Between their heavy branches and dappled shade, the dungeons almost faded into the background. Mouse marched up to the building, trailing Cel behind him.

A pair of guards stumbled to attention and lifted their pikes. “No entry.”

“I’m here to see a prisoner,” Mouse replied, crossing his arms.

“No visitors. Strictly off-limits,” the right guard replied.

Mouse arched an eyebrow. “Do you know who I am?”

The guards glanced at one another. One shrugged.

“I am Moussaesa, Princess of Soanna. Summoned here by your very own Mage-Emperor. Who are you to deny me entrance?”

The left guard looked at the right. Shrugging, the right guard rubbed his nose. “We’ve got orders. No one comes in.”

“Shall I summon the Mage-Emperor, then? Have him order you to let me through? Or can we save everyone a lot of trouble and just let me through?”

The right guard opened his mouth. Before he could speak, the left guard leaned in. At a stage-whisper, he muttered, “She’s his favorite! The Mage-Emperor visits her bedroom daily! Now isn’t the time, Rob!”

Maintaining the haughty look, Mouse shriveled on the inside. What is with this rumor? I mean, it’s true, he comes to my room every day, but not—not to—ugh! It’s convenient, but this is the worst!

The right guard coughed and stepped aside. “Don’t go telling anyone about this.”

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Mouse harrumphed and rushed by him. Cel tossed the guards a friendly smile and hurried after.

Dark, damp stone awaited them. Walls stained from water, a dank, human smell clung to the air. On either side, cells marched down a single hallway. Iron bars, marred with rust, blocked the prisoners from escaping. A few prisoners lurked inside the cells, quiet and defeated, but most cells laid empty, awaiting a future prisoner.

Mouse glanced at the cells from the corners of his eyes, only interested in one prisoner. Brittany, where’s Brittany?

Cel nudged him. She pointed ahead.

Brittany lounged behind bars at the end of the cells, sitting with her head kicked back against the wall. She nodded at them, giving Mouse a smile. “Good to see ya.”

Mouse leaned against the wall and nodded at Brittany. “You didn’t do it, did you?”

Brittany yawned, shaking her head. “Wasn’t me. I said it already.”

“Who did?”

She shrugged.

Mouse frowned at her. “You don’t look very concerned.”

“Night comes around, I’ll be out of here. These humans have no idea how to hold a vampire.”

“Do not do that. You’ll look more guilty than ever.”

Brittany shrugged again. “I’ll be back in the undead kingdom by then. The humans won’t be able to do a thing.”

Mouse put his head in his hands. “Brittany, are you trying to make this an international incident?”

“I’m not trying to do anything. Someone set me up. Ask them if they want an international incident.”

Mouse huffed. The last thing we need right now is the humans going to war with the undead, or some kind of stupid political standoff between the two nations. The blight was—is deep in human territory. The humans need to focus on that, not some made-up incident with the undead. He scrubbed his forehead, then looked at Cel. “Dammit. We’ve got to figure it out by tonight.”

“Knew I could count on you, cherry,” Brittany smirked.

“You—you stop that,” Mouse snapped, pointing at Brittany. “Be a little less belligerent, could you? Help me out here.”

Brittany sighed. She nodded at Mouse. “I’ll give you until midnight. Clear it up by then? No international incident.”

Mouse pushed off the wall. He strode off out of the dungeon, trailing Cel again.

At the door, he paused and looked back. Why isn’t Xenozar kept out here? Why keep him in the palace?

Mouse shook his head. A mystery for another day. Today, let’s focus on Brittany.

Cel nudged him. Mouse looked up.

A group of dark-clothed humans hurried at them. One carried a bag of lumpy items, while another tapped a whip in his hand. Mouse furrowed his brows and stomped out to meet them. "No."

"Excuse me, milady," the leader said. He started to walk around Mouse.

"No. I mean it, no. You are not going to hurt Brittany."

"It's fine, they couldn't if they wanted to," Brittany shouted from the dungeon.

Mouse ignored her. He glared at the humans. "On the authority of His Majesty the Mage-Emperor, you are not to touch this woman."

"Oh, and you're the messenger? Sabelyn sent us here, you know," the man replied.

Mouse tossed his hair and looked down his nose at the humans. "And who has higher rank, His Majesty, or Princess Sabelyn?"

The man snorted. "You really want us to believe the Mage-Emperor sent you to stop us? You might be his favorite to bed, but you don't have any authority in this castle."

Unconcerned, Mouse shrugged. "Ask him yourself. Or don't, and risk his wrath when you injure one of his consorts."

The man hesitated at that. One of his followers glanced up. Under his breath, he muttered, "Wouldn't hurt to ask. I mean, she is part of his...er, women."

"And then what? You want me to stand between the Mage-Emperor and Sabelyn?" the man complained.

"If Sabelyn complains, tell her I stopped you," Mouse said confidently.

The man hesitated a second more, then sucked in a breath and shrugged. "Alright, alright. Let's go see the Mage-Emperor. But if you're lying to me..."

"Then I'll see you on the dueling grounds," Mouse replied. I could use another duel.

The man waved his hand, chuckling through a gaptooth. "I'm not a fool. You can take your duels, but I'd watch your drink." He walked off, his underlings following behind.

"Been there, done that," Mouse muttered. He turned to Cel. "Shall we?"