Erador hid behind a tree as Gillian crossed the clovers to the dungeon. He followed her since she left Lucrethia. She’d checked behind her on more than one occasion as if to make sure she wasn’t being followed, and now he knew why. She was going to see the prisoner and this wasn’t her first time.

  Gillian set her lantern down and lit it with a match. Erador waited as she proceeded down the steps, until he could no longer hear her footsteps. He approached the opening and stared into the darkness. The idea of returning to this place should’ve unsettled him, but anger overpowered his fear. His suspicions on who that prisoner was ran through his mind.

  He ignored Shade’s warning to not go and inched down the stairs to soften his footsteps but his breathes became heavy as the damp, stench suffocated the fresh air. When he reached the bottom, he moved toward a corner and watched. Several cells ahead, Gillian set the lantern on the ground in front of the bars. She dug a wrapped napkin from her pocket and placed a piece of bread in the cell's slot.

  “I’m sorry it’s taking so long.” Gillian nudged the bread. “You should eat.” She shifted closer. “I promise—”

  “I don’t care about your promises.” The prisoner snapped. “I told you I was done but you still brought me here.”

  Gillian lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”

  “If you are, then you’d let me out.” He banged on the cage, causing Erador to jump. “Let me the fuck out!”

  The prisoner reached out and grabbed Gillian, ripping her forward and slamming her into the bars. She cried out and tried to pry his fingers from her shirt. Erador raced to her and tore the prisoner's hands off and pulled her away. Her relief was replaced with shame but Erador didn’t address her. He grabbed the lantern and pulled Gillian to the stairs.

  The prisoner banged on the cage, the sound rattling through the dungeon. “Wait until I get out of here! Odinaty will find out. They'll fucking come for you!”

  Erador didn’t need to ask her who that was. Her ashamed expression indicated that she knew he'd caught her. The signs were already there: the missing glass in the grave, the different hair color on the body, the clover in her boot that night, and Eli telling him there were no other prisoners in the dungeon. He wanted to yell but he pushed her ahead, prompting her to move up the stairs as he followed. His feet forced down hard on stone that it made her rush up faster. As they reached the opening, Erador grabbed her arm and forced her to the center of the clovers.

  “Why were you hiding him?" he said.

  Gillian lowered her head. “Because…”

  “Spit it out!”

  “I…” She scratched her cheek. “I was afraid Iviel would be killed.”

  “Your plan was to keep him in the dungeon forever like the Raven?”

  “No… I thought he could become one of us but…” She looked back at the dungeon.

  “Not so sure now?" Erador raised his eyebrows. “People change especially when you screw them over.”

  Gillian bit her thumb nail and walked a few paces past him toward the dungeon. “We had a plan.”

  Erador turned toward her. "What plan?”

  “Iviel agreed to help me take the princess, if he could live in Lucrethia.”

  The last words whispered from her lips and her body tensed as if she were expecting him to yell. As he let out an aggravated sigh, her shoulders curled in. He tensed his grip on the lantern handle and tried to gather his emotions before answering.

  “You weren’t supposed to conspire with anyone in Odinaty for this mission," he said, his low voice shaking.

  “It was hard to do on my own! The mirrors in the castle have orbid so he had to bring one in. There was nothing else I could do."

  She couldn’t access reflections that had orbid but it wasn’t the only way in.

  “Why didn’t you use a window?” Erador asked.

  Gillian hesitated. “I’m not ready. I haven’t had the training because Judgment became...”

  Maybe Gillian would have better control of her element, had Judgment not become old. There was no one here who had her rare element. It was yet another reason Erador was angry about what happened to his father.

  Erador wanted to place all the blame on Gillian but it wasn't just her fault. His father pressed them to get the healing blood that wasn't real, for a spell that was fake. The Paradins contributed to what could be their end.

  Erador let out a sharp laugh and set the lantern down. “You think any sane person would think to come here.”

  “Miraline did.”

  Miraline came about two years ago. It was unexpected for someone to want to join Lucrethia, especially during this time. She heard about Lucrethia’s good reputation from a traveler and decided to leave her small town after her grandmother died. Judgment bought her dreams of wanting to be a part of community and Erador did too but now he wished he hadn’t.

  “I said sane,” Erador said, tensing his jaw. “She’s not the example to use here. Did you ask Judgment if he could stay?”

  She shook her head. “I messed up.” A cry slipped from her mouth. “I didn't mean for it to happen like this.”

  Gillian hugged herself as tears fell down her cheeks. Erador didn't feel pity for her. According to Eonidas, they were chased inside the ballroom, but now with Iviel in the picture, he was missing pieces of the story.

  “What actually happened?" he said.

  “Iviel was going to lead the princess away from the ballroom but he didn’t come and that's when we left. We were chased inside. I found the princess on the balcony with him."

  It was similar to Eonidas's story but the plan seemed rushed.

  “Why didn't you wait and make a better plan? The mirror was there."

  “I thought it might be found and removed."

  “You knew it was going to put us at risk! If we're gone, Judgment can't be saved. Did that not run through your head?”

  “No,” she whispered.

  Erador cursed and rubbed his head. He couldn't comprehend their actions. When he looked into the dungeon, he realized why. They had been living in this state for twenty years. They were hopeful. No. Desperate for Lucrethia to be what it used to.

  “What made you take him instead of the princess?” he said.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I was afraid he would tell them who we were.”

  It was already too late when they went to the ball. The only good thing is that the knight didn't care as much about him. If they took the princess, they'd probably all be dead. He wasn't sure if them taking Iviel was the better choice. Why did they bother keeping him alive? Why would she jeopardize her chance to redeem herself for this boy?

  He realized why from how pathetic she looked. It was because no one here cared about her and this boy must've shone some understanding. That didn't mean he was genuine.

  “You aren't telling the whole truth,” he said. “Most people in Odinaty would never step foot here, especially a council member’s son, but he wanted to leave with you? You must've built some kind of trust and maybe he did to set you up.”

  Gillian hugged herself as a tear slid down her cheek as if she just realized he betrayed her. “I thought... I thought he wanted this. He agreed to fake his death in front of everyone. He didn't know we were there for the princess. I thought we could do both at the same time but he changed his mind.”

  “Did the others agree to this plan?”

  “No… They didn't know,” she said. "Everyone thought Iviel was dead and I was scared he was too, but... when Eonidas laid him on the ground, he tried to run.”

  "Everyone knew?”

  "Only Fedra and Eonidas know he's alive. The others already left.”

  No wonder they were hesitant to show him the body.

  “Where did you the get corpse?” Erador asked.

  “Hawth. He said it was a follower who died recently.”

  Erador rubbed down his face and turned away, trying to not think about how much he wanted to choke Hawth for lying again. Was that true or did Hawth kill him? It wasn’t just his fault, his father trusted the wrong person. He shouldn’t have left Gillian in charge. The Raven was there when they put Iviel in the cell. Iviel lied about not knowing he was freed. Someone could let Iviel out too, anyone who wanted to get them in trouble.

  “Wait,” Erador said. “He was there when the Raven was let free.”

  Erador grabbed the lantern and ran to the dungeon and down the steps. He ignored Shade who pleaded him not to go near the door with orbid. Gillian called after him but he didn't stop until he reached the prisoner’s cell. He caught his breath as Shade’s pleads dissipated and looked through the bars. Iviel sat on a cot with his head down.

  “You were here when the prisoner across from you was let out.” Erador raised the lantern. “What did you see?"

  “Why should I help you? Iviel said, looking at his hands. "You're just going to kill me.”

  Gillian caught up to Erador and stood at a distance from the cell. "He's a lot safer here,” she whispered.

  Iviel shot up to his feet and charged at the bars. "Don't you fucking say anything.”

  Gillian hid behind Erador.

  “What do you mean?" Erador said, facing her.

  Gillian's eyes widened as Iviel yelled at her not to speak.

  “Gillian,” Erador said, drawing her attention back to him.

  “He said someone was trying to kill him in Odinaty. It's why he wanted to fake his death.”

  Erador looked to Iviel for confirmation because he thought it was a lie. Was he doing it to gain sympathy from Gillian? Iviel's silence indicated that what she said was true.

  “Why him?”

  “He…" Gillian paused as she checked Iviel. “He as shown support for the impure so it made him a target.”

  “If he really was in danger wouldn’t he have told his father? Wouldn’t he have protection from the kingdom?”

  Gillian shook her head. “He doesn’t trust them.”

  Whether it was true or not didn’t matter. Odinaty’s bigotry wasn’t his fight.

  Erador moved closer to the cell. “It sounds like the only ally you have is right here,” he said, pointing to Gillian. “And you’ve already messed that up. I’m giving you a chance.”

  “What will that do for me?” Iviel said.

  “I might put a good word in to my father who is the leader of Lucrethia.” Erador pointed at Iviel’s swollen wrist with a sparkling metal band around it. “And I’ll have that wound fixed.”

  “I want to be free.”

  “I can’t just let you go," Erador said. “We haven’t formed any trust. Why don’t we start small?”

  Iviel moved to he cot and sat. Erador knew he had him when his shoulders fell and he touched the band on his wrist.

  “I heard a woman that night.”

  Erador turned his head to hear his whispering. “What did they say?”

  “Something about… a deal. If he agreed to kill someone, he could be freed.”

  “Kill who?”

  Iviel shrugged. “I didn’t hear a name.”

  “Did you see this person?”

  “No… They were wearing a cloak.”

  “Were they wearing anything purple?”

  “I don’t know. It was too dark. He agreed and then she left.”

  “Do you know if he was still in his cell?”

  “By the next day he was gone. That's when you came."

  Erador moved away and waved Gillian over. “Give him something else to eat, blankets and new clothing. I want his band removed.”

  “But if it's removed, couldn’t he use his element?” Gillian whispered.

  “The door is still here," Erador said, looking at the door to the Raven's cage lying on the ground. "I can’t feel Shade.”

  Erador grabbed the lantern and left.

  Gillian chased him up the steps. “How am I supposed to take it off? He might run.”

  Erador reached the clovers and turned around. “Ask Eondias for help.”

  She nodded.

  "Who has the key to Iviel's cell,” he asked.

  Gillian’s gaze widened as she looked into the trees and pointed. The hairs on Erador’s neck rose as a plant rustled behind him. He looked back but nothing was there. It was probably an animal.

  “Don’t change the subject. Who has it?”

  Gillian nodded quickly. “Hawth.”

  Erador grunted in frustration. He didn't know what to do with Iviel. Keep him here, move him, or an option he didn't want to consider? Odinaty could find Iviel and every lie would be exposed. A dead person couldn’t talk. He knew Lucrethia’s future if this was to get out. Eli was from Odinaty, but he wasn’t a council members son. He faked his death, so no one would look for him unlike Iviel who was taken. His father wanted his body. Iviel was a liability. He couldn’t be free.

  Erador moved toward the trees. A shadow zipped through the trees and disappeared. He froze and searched the darkening forest.

  Gillian rushed to him. “Can I come with you?”

  Any desire to mock her left him when he had the strange feeling that someone was watching. He didn't want to be alone either.