Torrent of Tears (Scourge Survivor Series Book 3)(67)
“Good. Go.”
“Yeah, like Zale’s going to let me leave.”
“Honestly, if it gets rid of you, I’ll take care of Zale.” Freya rose from the line of Eligibles and floated down the four steps. With her hand extended toward Zale, he broke from his conversation and met. He leaned forward to allow Freya to speak into his ear and after a moment he straightened and signaled to a couple Strati to follow.
Freya gathered her skirt and climbed back up to our perch looking pleased. “Fine. Zale asked those soldiers to escort you back to your suite and stand guard for the night. He said he’ll check on you in a few hours when it’s time for the ceremony.”
I hid my smile as I recognized one of the two Strati standing at attention waiting to escort me out. “Well, then I guess I’ll see you at the altar.”
Freya rolled her eyes and I practically launched myself down the stairs. My Stiletto boot caught in the train of my skirt and I tripped forward into the arms of my guard. Ydorus caught me and set my back on my feet. “Easy, Princess,” he whispered. “I got you.”
Zale saw my stumble and headed over, probably to keep me from embarrassing him. I waved him off, discreetly flipping him the finger and after straightening the hem of my bodice, made for the door. Ydorus and the other soldier walked just behind me as I strode down the hall, past the washrooms, around the corner and toward the pocket of privacy alcoves hidden behind grand tapestries of the south hall. The click of my boots drowned out the soft, heavy thud of theirs as we got some distance from the noise of the ballroom.
As we cleared another corner I spun and Ydorus responded exactly as I’d hoped. He wrapped his arms around the other Strati while I clocked him a solid right hook to the head. Within seconds we’d dragged him into an alcove, bound him with a drapery tie, and left him to sleep it off. Back in the corridor, I ensured that my styled hair hadn’t moved so much as an inch and lunged toward my friend.
Muscular arms picked me off the floor. “Oh Lexi, we were so frightened for you.”
Just as my boots once again met the floor, a handsome, dark haired Noble exited the draped alcove right beside us. I recognized him. He and his spindly little wife had been seated just down and across the table from me. I straightened myself and Ydorus cursed. Cue wide eyes and raised brows all around. Oh, shit, if he tells Zale—
His tryst partner stepped out from behind the curtain and it was definitely not the Noble’s wife. In fact, this man had also been sitting at our table. Seeing us, the two gentlemen righted themselves and flushed fifty shades of scarlet.
“Princess . . . I, uh—”
I held up my hand. “Enjoy your evening, gentlemen.”
“Uh, thank you, Princess. And you as well.” The aristocrat smiled in a way that didn’t reach his eyes, but recognizing their dismissal the two made tracks. Ydorus stood beside me, eyes front, hand on the grip of his pain stick. When the two were gone, I tugged on his chest plate, stepped into the alcove and drew the drape.
“What if they say something?” Ydorus whispered.
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about them, they won’t risk a scandal. Okay. First tell me. Do you know where they’re keeping Coal?” His face screwed up and my heart stopped. “Have they hurt him? I’ll fucking kill them—”
“They don’t have Coal,” he whispered. “We do.”
“But Zale said—” I closed my eyes and fought the scream trying to peel from my throat. I had bought their lies because it was too dangerous not too. “You’re sure Coal’s safe?”
Ydorus nodded. “Estes and I secured them ourselves.”
“Them? Terran’s with him?”
“Yes. He was torn between staying with Coal and coming for you. We all agreed you would want him watching Coal.”
Tears welled and spilled as I drew my first deep breath since the Strati took me from Rowan’s swordsmith’s shop. “How,” I choked. “How did you avoid the Strati?”
“Before they took you, Rowan called Terran to give an update on you and Eury. When the Strati burst in on him we overheard everything and Estes moved them out to the Earth ring. Trust me, Coal will be protected. He’s with Terran, among his own people, and they know he belongs to you.”
Knowing that Coal and Terran were safely tucked away changed everything. It had been paralyzing to worry what was being done to them and how my words or actions would affect them. Gods, it was exhausting trying to keep from making mistakes. My heart ached for Rowan. He’d been doing the same thing for four years. It had to stop.
After making sure the coast was clear, I headed straight for the servants’ quarters. “You and I are going to find Elani and get her and Rowan out of here.”
“And then what?”
There was no holding back the smile on that one. “Then we’re going to kick some major Strati ass.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Ydorus and I Nancy-Drewed our way through the stark servant areas on the other side of the palace. As we strode along, I recognized the main corridor as the one Terran had brought me down on that first morning, a week ago.
Tonight, the halls had been abandoned. Made sense. With the Eligible ball in full swing we hadn’t seen anyone milling around in the entire servant wing.