Page 126 of A Dance with the Fae Prince (Married to Magic 2)
“I think they’re in here.” My hand lands on the door handle. “Are you ready?”
“After what happened in the hall, I’m ready for anything.”
“Yes you are.” I try and turn the latch, but it won’t move. I bite back a loud groan of frustration.
“It’s all right, I can take care of this one.” Raph releases my hand and the glamour disappears. His nimble fingers pick at the door and he mutters to himself. I hear the soft click of the latch coming undone. He smiles up at me sheepishly. “Don’t…tell my parents about that particular ritual, okay?”
“Your brilliant secret is safe with me.” No wonder he can get anywhere and into anything. I grab the latch again and debate how I want to proceed. Do I open the door and go in ready for a fight? Or do I try and sneak in? Unsure, I crack the door slowly. A sliver of light cuts through the doorjamb and I can hear the words more clearly.
“…you hear the echoes of screams, don’t you? Those are cheers of delight, as your fake king gets torn apart by the courtiers he would try and rule,” Allor sneers.
I open the door a little farther, poking my nose in. There’s a bloodied table in the center of the room, and all manner of wicked-looking instruments on the walls. In the back are several cages, all full of people whom I recognize from Dreamsong—namely Shaye, Giles, and Vena.
Allor paces in front of the cages, as though the bars are designed for her—to keep her out—rather than keep her prisoners in. Because if she had access to them, well, her threats make it clear what she would do.
I open the door a little bit more, the hinges are silent, and I ease myself in, staying against the back wall. Vena’s eyes dart over to me only for a second. Giles is slumped against the wall, not moving. I’m sure Shaye notices me as well, but neither her words nor demeanor betray anything.
“You would hope those are cheers of delight,” Shaye says loudly to Allor, as if trying to keep the attention on her. “Because if they’re not, it’s going to be disastrous for you, isn’t it? What do you think our new king will do to the Butchers who served Boltov so faithfully? He seems like he’s a generous man but—”
“I don’t want generosity from the likes of him.” Allor scoffs.
“No? And here I thought you wanted the generosity of kings. You don’t seem to have any problem kissing Boltov’s boots.” Shaye leans into the bars. “Maybe that’s because you realize that without him you’re absolutely nothing.”
“How dare you!” Allor rages, lunging for the cage. As she rattles the door, I slowly take a bulky steel mallet off the wall. It’s so heavy my muscles tremble just holding it up. “You are the one that is nothing. You are the one in the cage, not me.”
“I escaped the cage he put around me long ago.” Shaye smiles, keeping Allor’s focus on her and her alone. “But I do feel sorry for you, that you’re not strong enough to escape. Weak body, weak mind. It’s so very sad.”
“I’ll show you who’s weak.” Allor fishes in her pockets. As she produces a key, she sees me in her periphery, now only a step away. “What the—”
I don’t hesitate. I swing. The hammer meets the side of her head with so much force it flies from my hands and slams on the floor with a clang so loud I’m certain it’s alerted half the castle. Allor falls to the floor, motionless. I stand over her, panting softly. With one strike my pulse is racing even faster than when Boltov attacked me. Every inch of my body is aflame, panicked, ready to fight.
“Nice hit.” Shaye whistles.
“I—Do you think she’s dead?” I ask uncertainly. I didn’t expect to make good on my threat to Allor in the woods that day. I guess she was the next fae I killed.
“I hope so? I think it would be very poetic if one of their lead Butchers was killed by a human.”
As Shaye speaks, Raph picks up the key that Allor dropped and begins to unlock all the cages. Shaye is freed while I’m still staring down at Allor. She rests a hand on my shoulder. “I don’t think she’s dead. Which is also good, because I’d like the honor of killing her if it’s all the same to you?”
“By all means,” I murmur.
“What’s happening?” Vena asks, emerging like she had been sitting in there by choice and not force. “I take it that the fact that you’re here is a good sign?”
“Davien has the magic of the old kings. The abdication ritual was finished. He’s up in the main hall fighting off the Butchers but he needs help,” I say quickly.
“Reinforcements are coming.” Vena looks to Shaye, who’s dragging Allor into the cage she was just trapped in. “You know where the others are being held?”
“I don’t know anything about the castle; I told you that already.” Shaye rolls her eyes. “But I can make an educated guess.”
“Do that,” Vena commands as Shaye locks the door to the cell on Allor. “The rest of you who are able to fight, come with me.”
“I can lead you back to the main hall!” Raph says excitedly.
“That is no place for you.” Vena frowns. Raph deflates some and frustration reddens his cheeks.
“Raph, I need you,” Shaye says. “I need your little fingers to get into any locked doors there might be standing between me and the rest of our friends. Plus, after we free everyone, we’re going to need a guide back to the main hall.”
“All right.” Raph looks up at Vena. “You’ll free my father, right? He’s in a cage in the main hall.”
