The Bound (Ascension #2)(24)

“Get in there,” the guard said. He wrenched Ahlvie forward by his arm and slammed the door in his face.

Yeah, Ahlvie hadn’t made any friends.

“See you again soon,” Ahlvie called cheerfully.

The guard glared at him and strolled away.

“Why must you irritate him?” Maelia asked him.

She was seated on the wooden bed in the cell next to him. Her forest-green dress was tattered from the fight with the beasts, but she managed to look demure and important. The guards underestimated her. He knew the ruthless killer that lurked under that facade. She’d taken down enough beasts with her sword that he was glad she was not against him.

“I have so little amusement in here,” Ahlvie said with a wink.

Maelia blushed, which was why he kept doing it. Though he was pretty sure she still didn’t like him.

“You should focus on more important things.”

Ahlvie prowled over to the bars that separated them and lowered his voice. “What do you have in mind?”

She raised her eyes to him. “I’m sure you’ve been so busy with bothering the guards that you haven’t even thought about escaping here.”

“You know, I find you very entertaining.” Ahlvie leaned against the bars and stared down at her.

Maelia glared. “Can’t you take this seriously?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because we’re in jail!” she said, raising her voice. She clapped her hand over her mouth and looked down.

He could see the panic on her face. Despite the front she was putting up, she was clearly terrified.

“And we’ll get out.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Perhaps we should be here.”

“We didn’t kidnap Cyrene.”

“Why don’t you tell them that then?”

Ahlvie laughed. “You don’t think I’ve tried? No one cares. They’re waiting for her to either show up or for the word to come with what to do with us.”

“Do you think she’ll show?” Maelia asked softly.

“Course she will. She’s Cyrene.”

“You have a lot of faith in her for someone who hasn’t known her very long.”

“You have so little faith for someone who claims to be her best friend,” Ahlvie countered. “I’ve known her nearly as long as you and imagine what I’ve seen in that time. Cyrene is a force to be reckoned with. She shines brighter than everyone else, moves with purpose, and follows her heart. She is worth believing in.”

Maelia’s eyes widened. “That might be the most straightforward thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Ahlvie nearly cursed, but then he let a lazy smile grace his features. “Needed to say something to get you to agree, and you do, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she peeped. “But how are we going to get out of here?”

His eyes flickered to life. “I have a few ideas.”





Cyrene was reconsidering her part in this whole scheme. Waiting was not her specialty, and she had been waiting an awfully long time for her part in the plan to rescue Ahlvie and Maelia in Strat.

As soon as Cyrene and Avoca had completed the Bound ceremony, Queen Shira had permitted them to leave Eldora. Avoca and Cyrene had gotten as many supplies together as possible and had been working out a plan when Ceis’f butted in. Despite their best efforts, he had insisted on coming with them, and the Queen had agreed that it wasn’t a bad idea.

Cyrene had left Avoca alone with him then to saddle up her prized dapple, Ceffy, and retrieved the Book of the Doma from the Queen.

The Queen had handed back the tome with a sad smile. “When your mission is complete, I implore you to return to me. I’m one of the few creatures still alive that remembers things that can be of use to you. I will help how I can.”

“Thank you,” she’d replied.

And then they had been off.

Their plan was simple. Avoca would create a diversion, using the Byern and Aurum guards as bait, and then Ceis’f would give a signal to Cyrene to steal the keys from the prison and break her friends out.

Simple.

Except nothing was going as planned.

No diversion had happened. No signal from Ceis’f. If they didn’t do it quickly, Cyrene would never make it to the jail for the shift change.

Cyrene frowned. Ceis’f was supposed to have given the signal. The guards would be changing without him there to distract them as she walked by. She needed an escort, or everything would fall apart, and she would end up in prison for being without one. Stupid backward Aurumian customs.

The second watch approached the prison door. She looked furtively around for Ceis’f, but he wasn’t there.

The guards laughed to each other, and as Ceis’f had said, a set of keys passed from one man to the other before they departed. He’d said another set of keys was inside the prison. Though how he had determined that, she didn’t know.

As always, Cyrene would have to rely on herself. She couldn’t wait here and let her chance pass.

A steady stream of people moved in front of her, and she casually joined them. Cyrene kept her steps timid and controlled as her hands shook.

As she reached the guard on duty, she took a deep breath and then purposely tripped over her own feet. She went sprawling to the ground and cried out as her knee jerked underneath her. One hand grabbed for her hood to keep it in place and the other scuffed the boot of the man standing guard.