Chapter 69

They droned on and on for an hour.

"A monster in human flesh…that's all he was," Demos said.

Richard (the man whom Nolan had 'forgotten') hissed, as he had for the past hour, "Enough time has been wasted, Demos. Monster or not, if we dally any longer, we too will be on pikes!"

That sentiment was more folly than wisdom.

"With what weapons shall we break out?" Nolan asked pointedly. "Better yet, how shall we get out of this cell? Have you a key we know not of?"

Richard exchanged a glance with the royal hostage, Jayne. Yet, was she a hostage now? The city had fallen, so was she not free?

Jayne produced a ring from her rags.

"Before they threw me in here, they gave me this," she said, raising the ring to the light emanating from Nolan's prosthetic hand (which he had generously decided to unveil). It was black as a shadow, and its edges looked sharp.

"Shadownite," Demos whispered, his fingers twitching. Nolan should have averted his gaze, but the vile man caught him looking. With a glower, he relaxed his fingers.

Jayne clasped the ring in her fist. "They promise to return me to my kingdom if only I would marry one of their princes."

"And they take your family's throne," Nolan finished. "If you refuse, they'll leave you here to rot."

Jayne nodded. "My father has no sons, and my mother is long dead."

"So what can this ring do for us?" Rodian asked.

Richard groaned, pushing off the floor. "Jayne will inform Gaius that she consents to the marriage. Eventually, someone will come to escort her from here…and we kill them. We take their weapons and make a run for it."

Demos sniggered. "You think Gaius will let you go so easily?"

No matter how he saw it, the traitor would be the death of him. Nolan felt the word out with his tongue, "You?" He set the bait. "You mean us."

"You don't tell me what I mean, boy," Demos retorted sharply.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Anger flashed on the fool's face. He reached for Nolan's collar, but Nolan caught his arm with his prosthesis in a tight fist. Instantly, Demos's arm began to spasm.

A scream would have ripped its way out of him if Rodian hadn't caught his neck and covered his mouth. Still, he screamed, though muffled. Nolan dropped his hand and struck him in the face. The metal thunked against his jaw. Again and again. Demos's body sagged into Rodian's arms.

"He would be a thorn in our side," Nolan told them, but his eyes were on his prosthetic. Powerful. That was powerful.

"I, for one, am more than glad to leave him here," Jayne said.

Richard looked outside the cell, ensuring no one heard the spectacle. "Do not get ahead of yourselves. Neither is the door is open nor are there any weapons in our hands yet."

Rodian nodded. "If he wakes before we can leave, we must put him down again."

Everyone agreed.

***

Nolan's tension eased when he saw that Gaius wasn't present among the two soldiers who appeared to take Jayne. The cell's lock clicked open, and the door swung inward.

The men in arms strode in. "Her Highness Jayne Saville, r—"

Richard threw himself into the guard. Rodian and Jayne rushed the other.

The cell was a cacophony of clunking metal and grunts. The soldier struck Richard's chest with his elbow as they rolled on the stone, and Richard's grip nearly gave. Nolan dashed into the brawl a moment later.

A cry behind him almost made him freeze as he shimmied the longsword out of the man's scabbard. He had never held the sword before, but [Swift Hand] appeared to have worked its magic, for it already felt like an extension of his arm.

He slid the blade under the man's helm and through his throat. A moment later, he was on the floor, his head ringing. It felt wet. He rolled in panic and saw Jayne and Richard throwing themselves at the lone guard. A bloody sword slashed at Jayne, who spun away narrowly.

With a groan, Nolan mustered his strength and threw the sword in his hand. It fell a few steps from Jayne's feet.

She fell to her knees as she ducked away from a wild swing. Then she rolled and picked up the sword. She rose and swung at the soldier, but he effortlessly parried her blade.

Richard shoulder-bashed him in the opening that provided, and Jayne took the opportunity to bury the sword in his guts. The black tabard and chainmail gave little resistance.

Nolan got onto his hands and knees. "Where's R…oh." Rodian's head lay not far from Demos, but his body did not.

"Come!" Jayne urged, lifting him by the arm. He took her support, and then they were making a run for it.