Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(35)

I always thought Zade's property and house were huge, but even in the dark, the Grand Chancellor's makes Zade's look like a playhouse for children. There are at least four floors with towers at each corner, all of it made of some type of white stone.

Not only is it huge, but it's lit up like a load of fireworks. To think he's doing that with lower class women and warlocks who owe debts makes me want to go hex all his lights out.

It's disgusting. Even the Queen doesn't have so much property, and she has the staff living with her, plus half of court. How does one person become so obsessed with themselves?

“How could we get in?” I whisper.

“To that lit up monstrosity?” Cynthia says, “Who knows. It might be better to go during the day with how bright it is.”

“But then we have to fight the lights of day as well,” I say.

“And it's likely guarded with spells and not just people,” Chadwick adds. “Especially the dungeon. Just look at the colors we can see and think of all that we can't see.”

“Just standing here is making me nervous,” Cynthia says.

“What do you think, Bethany?” I ask.

“There's someone coming,” is her reply.

We all bunch down further, hiding in the forest close to his property.

“Who is it?” Cynthia whispers.

“Quiet,” Chadwick replies.

Whoever it is, is coming closer. No, not just closer, straight for us. Do we hex whoever it is or do we run? There's nowhere to run to. Anything we do will get us caught. I reach out my hand to send a hex his way.

“Wait.” Bethany yanks my hand down. “It's Nathaniel.”

“What?” I ask.

“The Grand Chancellor's son.”

I knew that, but knowing it and having it make sense are two different things. Despite knowing that he's one of the people that stuck up for Serena, I still want to hex him. He may have been spelled to take those women's magic from before the tournament, but I still remember what it did to Cynthia. Watching her almost crushed under his power. A power he still carries.

I put my hand back up, but Bethany pulls it back and whispers, “You guys stay down.”

Then she does the stupidest thing ever. She stands.

“Bethany,” Nathaniel exclaims. “What are you doing here?”

“Just thought I'd look around the area.”

“You have to go. It’s not safe.”

I stand. “Why not?”

“Shesh. How many of you are there?”

Like I'm going to admit that. Before Bethany can answer, I say, “Enough.”

He glances at me out of the corner of his eye and then turns back to Bethany. “There's very little time before they will come out as well. You're here for Zade and Daniel, aren't you?”

Bethany and I give each other a look. I say, “What if we are?”

“You can't break them out. The spells my Father has guarding this place are too intense for even an army.”

I want to collapse to the ground. That can't be it. “There has to be something we can do.”

“Not that I know of right now, but I promise you I will do what I can to help you.”

“You will?” Bethany's voice is so hopeful, but I have my doubts.

“How?”

“I don't know yet, but we'll figure something out. If there's somewhere I can meet you in two days, we'll have time to discuss things then.”

Is this a trap? “I don't know.”

Serena jumps up, “We'll do it.”

“Good. There's a big rock about a mile east of here in the forest. Meet me there.”

“How'd you know we were here?” Bethany says.

“You're not the first people to try and break someone out of here, you know. Father put me on guard duty after the way everything turned out at the tournament.”

“Lucky us,” Bethany says.

“You guys have to go. Now.”

“We'll see you soon.”

I drag Bethany with me as Serena takes off. The boys follow behind us, seemingly not worried about showing their presence now. As soon as we're out of danger, I ask Bethany, “How do you know Nathaniel?”

“I've talked with him at Serena's ball and several times at the tournament.”

“Must have been some good talks if you already trust him so much.”

She shrugs. “Sometimes you just know when a person is trustworthy.”





***





I don't say anything when we return to our hideout. Neither do Cynthia or Chadwick. But Serena goes straight to Annabelle. Neither is seen for the rest of the evening.





Chapter Twenty-Four





We wait for Nathaniel at the rock he told us about. It's bigger than I am so it’s not easily missed. We're early of course. We're all too anxious to be anything but. I just hope that he really isn't turning us in. Of course, if he were doing that, he could have gone ahead and done that two days ago when we were at his house. Bethany seems to trust him. That will have to be enough.

There's a crinkling of leaves. I put my hands up, ready to hex whoever it is if it turns out to be a trap. It's just him. I put my hands down, though they tingle to stay up and on guard.