I had no time to explain.

Lariel’s eyes flicked to the windows along the palace’s lower level. With a grunt, she adjusted her grip on her bow, pulling an arrow from her quiver and shooting it into the nearest window, glass shattering loudly.

“Go first!” she hissed. “I’ll cover you from here.”

A crash from behind made me whirl around. More guards were already onto us, and on the wall, I could see Ina and Alynna struggling against a wave of guards, reinforcements scaling up to their position. Ina looked exhausted, her arm resting on Alynna's shoulder for support.

A single look at Lariel told me she wasn’t going to back down, not with her leg bleeding and a sword in her hand, even if it meant defending our entry point alone.

ALYNNA: Hurry up, lover boy! We'll hold them, but don’t make us wait too long!

I shoved myself through the broken window, landing inside a dusty, darkened room of the palace’s lower level. It smelled of damp stone and the metallic tang of weapons mounted along the walls and on iron stands. This room was an armory, and luckily for us, it wasn’t occupied at the moment.

Men cursed and yelled behind the windows. I would bite my fingernails if I could, hoping that Lariel didn’t get caught by our enemies.

I leaned back through the window, my heart pounding hard and saw my elven lover running backward, shooting arrow after arrow. She had single handedly killed half a dozen, but behind us, more guards kept joining their comrades in chasing us.

After a moment, Lariel was already next to the window. I pushed glass shards from the window frame and stretched my hand, helping her slip through. She landed with a gasp, limping but steadfast. Her gaze darted over the abandoned armory, and she immediately set about reloading her bow.

“Do you really think the passage will get us past the guards?” she asked with a heavy breath.

“If we’re lucky,” I said, helping her to the end of the room and opening the door that led to the hallway. “It leads to the base of the outer wall. That’s where I’ll signal Alynna and Ina, if they’re able to catch the carriage outside the gates.”

I thought of my crew outside the walls. They’d be willing to help, however, I didn’t want to put them at risk.

But if they could manage one thing, maybe this would work.

CONNOR: Anyone close to the main city gates, on the north wing? You have a target. A carriage with the city guard’s insignia—look for it near the west side entrance. I need you to tail it, or at least tell me where it’s going. Our royal family is still there, and they’re alive, but barely. And be careful. Those people with them are sorcerers, not guards.

ZYRA: We're already past the south gate. Going back in would be suicide.

CONNOR: Oh. Gotcha. Alynna? Now that we’re in, we’ll try to get out, but see if you can stop it.

ALYNNA: I’ll go check them. I’d say you owe me a drink and some kisses. Wait… I see it from here.

CONNOR: Can you stop it? Like, light one of the buildings on fire, creating a distraction.

ALYNNA: Wow. Don’t think that’d be necessary. Fire in a city reminds me of certain events. We don’t want to burn the place down. But leave it to me. I think I’ve got it.

CONNOR: I’m glad to hear it. Inform me on how it goes.

Lariel raised an eyebrow, clearly dubious but with the ghost of a grin, as if her trust for Aria and me gave her confidence.

“Let’s go,” I said, and she replied with a curt nod.

We had to get out.

The grid's outline showed a hidden passage, pointed at in red by Aria’s power, in another room opposite from us, then twenty paces to the left, cleverly disguised between two stacked shelves of shields and swords. A flicker of a grin tugged at the corner of my mouth; for once, this damned maze of a palace was giving us an advantage.

Together, we pushed through the shadows of the armory, tracing the outlines of the grid’s map in my mind. We dashed out into the hallway, shutting the door behind us, the rumble of steps echoing above us. They would come for us.

I tried to open the next room, and when I found the door locked, I delivered a powerful push-kick that broke through the hinges and let us through.

As we reached the end of the line of shelves, I stopped short, my eyes narrowing at a faint groove running along the wall’s edge. Aria was highlighting a brick that didn’t fit the texture of the others.

“Here. This is it.”

With a firm push, I pressed into the groove. For a second, nothing happened, but then a deep grinding sound echoed through the empty hall as the wall shifted open, revealing a dark stairwell descending sharply beneath the palace. I recognized it from my earlier vision of the royal family and their captors.

This passage seemed to have more than one access, as the staircase continued from above.

Cold, damp air drifted up from the depths, smelling of moss and stone. It would’ve sucked to be imprisoned there and chained to the wall.

With the echoing steps of our enemies behind us. I flicked a look at Lariel, and together we began our descent, the secret passage closing behind us with a powerful clang.

The passage twisted beneath the palace, leading through a network of tunnels that seemed to spiral downward, then upward. I almost cursed, fearful that we’d lose them.

I couldn’t reach the royals anymore with the grid, and the idea of having sorcerers from Hath-Aman kidnapping young people sent shivers down my spine. Those visions I’d seen… I wouldn’t wish those things upon my worst enemies, much less random kids who’d never even killed a fly.

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As we reached the top of the second stairwell, we found ourselves facing a thick wooden door reinforced with iron studs. I pressed my ear to it and listened. Silence. I had to undo the latches and locks but had no problem pushing it open, and we emerged into a narrow tunnel that looked like a water passage built directly into the outer wall.

This was it, we crawled through it, pushing through the pain in our wounds but determined to finish our duty.

The iron bars that connected the passage to the city gave way easily. They were more of a decoy. Then, we had the chance to jump. I feared that guards would be expecting us with arrows pointed at our face, but my worries were unfounded.

Outside, the night sky stretched above, and a thick line of bushes from the outer gardens shielded us from the street, glimmers of light reflecting off the city’s rooftops. The guards on the wall, busy with the growing disturbance, hadn’t noticed us.

CONNOR: Alynna, Ina. We’re beyond the wall—west side alcove. How’s it looking?

ALYNNA: I’m busy at the moment…

CONNOR: Alynna?

ALYNNA: Wait.

That was a bit of a relief, if she meant fighting the captors. I could only hope that and not that she’d got caught up on the wall. We could still pursue them through the night, but we’d lose a lot of distance.

The night air outside was brisk, and the shadows made it easy for us to slip unnoticed toward the city’s main roads. There was silence, except for the echo of brawls on dark sections and screams of women in what apparently was the red light district. Whoever had built those secret passages had thought well.

It was probably not possible to enter from outside, and it was well hidden. I wondered how many people knew about them. The sorcerers had been informed, however.

“Let’s go!” I hissed, and Lariel moved through the shadows, into the dark streets. The walls of the castle rose up behind us, echoing with the sound of soldiers giving orders. I could even see some marching through the road.

I was still wearing armor so I didn’t need to hide so openly, but Lariel had to be careful.

ALYNNA: I must tell you. I almost reached them, we’re a few blocks from the North gates. Had to break into the stables, but left something for you. It’s close to the North Gate of the palace, so get them before the guards do.

I summoned the grid again, stretching my view across that section, noticing guards sprinting away, there bound to a small tree, were two horses, one roan, another white, neighing and trying to get out.

CONNOR: You magnificent warrior girl, you did it again.

ALYNNA: I’m blushing. Aye, my future-husband. Let’s give these bad boys a beating.

I signaled to Lariel to stand guard and dashed toward the point where Alynna left them. I soon heard the neigh of a horse, and moving closer to the corner, next to a large house, I found the two horses bound to a tree. A drunk villager lay down close to them, lying on his belly with a bottle in hand.

“Great!” I said, moving toward one of the horses, slowly and securely, it was saddled and bridled, ready to ride. It seemed well trained and calm as I approached.

“Hey, buddy,” I said in a whisper, reaching to cut the rope of this and his white companion. It was a nice color for Lariel. I cut through part of the rope while I mounted the roan, pulling the other rope and spurring, moving back toward Lariel.

LARIEL: Connor? What’s going on?

CONNOR: Alynna got us a little transport.

LARIEL: Horses? Oh no…

CONNOR: What’s wrong?

LARIEL: I… well. I have bad experiences with such animals.

I grinned, taking the reins of one of the horses and handing the other to Lariel. “You fought a dozen guards back there without breaking a sweat, but you’re worried about a horse?”

She gave me a look, eyebrows knit together. “I almost broke my back years ago, and I was always afraid of them kicking me,” she muttered, but with a sigh, she climbed into the saddle, looking uncomfortable but determined.

The horses shifted, snorting in the cold night air, sensing our urgency. I leaned forward, patting my horse’s neck to steady it as I surveyed the road ahead.

“Hey you!” shouted a voice. Guards moved in and out of the torchlight, their shadows stretching across the cobblestone. “Where do you think you’re going! Stop in the name of this holy city!”

“Alright,” I whispered softly, signaling to Lariel. “We’re going to have to push through. Ready?”

“Comrades! I captured an elf!” I shouted, trusting that my armor could gain a few seconds. “We need to move her to the prison cell.”

I cast her a glance, finding a confused glint in her eye. A wink gave her all the prompt she needed.

She gave a small nod, clutching the reins tight as we kicked off, moving toward the main road.

“Stop at once!” one of them shouted. “Who authorized you to do this?”

“I have a letter!” I said, lifting both hands up.

They lifted their spears, holding them offensively as we rode on.

I cast her another glance.

“Now!” I hissed, digging my heels quickly.

“Oh no, she’s armed!” I shouted, intending to distract them, as Lariel nocked an arrow, which flew true and struck one of them in the eye. The others were left scrambling for their weapons, a couple running toward us. I spurred even harder, willing to run my horse over them. But I worried more for Lariel.

I tightened my grip on the sword strapped at my side, readying myself as two of them stepped directly into our path, their spears leveled at us.

“Hold on!” I called Lariel. I didn’t slow, steering my horse sharply to the left, and swung my blade low, parrying the spear and catching one of the guards in the shoulder. He staggered back, yelling, as I whipped the horse around for a better angle.

Behind me, Lariel moved quickly, her bow drawn in a heartbeat. She still looked uncomfortable, both due to her pain and her wariness of the horse, but she was obviously an experienced rider.

She loosed an arrow at another guard, the arrow embedding itself cleanly in his thigh. He dropped his spear with a shout, and Lariel’s horse kicked past him, her movements fierce and focused.

But more were coming. I could see their shadows converging down the road toward us.

“Go!” I urged, kicking my horse into a gallop as we broke through the line. Lariel stayed close, her gaze darting around, ready to counter any more guards who dared get in our way.

Once we hit the open street, I looked to the main north road, where Alynna had said she’d caught up to the carriage. The path down the cobbled road was clear enough, but I could hear the faint sound of more guards’ voices behind us, their footsteps closing in.

We rode hard and past, scaring citizens who dashed away from our path, guards who desperately tried to stab us.

I approached, summoning the grid to see if it was within my range.

Turns out I didn’t need it.

“Connor!” Lariel called, pointing down the road. I saw it then—a carriage, silhouetted against the moonlight, rolling relentlessly, with two figures on horseback flanking it.

“We’ve got them,” I muttered, pushing the horse to go faster, feeling adrenaline surge within me. We rode past Ina. I caught a glance at her under the soft glow of the city lanterns. Her face was pale and clammy, but we had no time to help her.

CONNOR: Ina, stay close to us, please.

INA: ….

“Alynna!” I shouted. She glanced my way, her face splitting into a grin as she notched another arrow.

“Took you long enough!” she called back, her voice as sharp as a blade.

She galloped toward the carriage, forcing the sorcerers inside to lean out, eyes wide as they realized they were boxed in. One of them raised a hand, preparing a magical blast.

He was either stupid or too confident for his own good. With a swift motion, and before he could cast his spell, Alynna’s arrow struck him through the chest, the sudden burst of pain cutting off his magic, when a second arrow struck him in the forehead, prompting an outpouring of blood.

I closed the distance, Lariel following close, as Alynna turned her horse to block any retreat.