Soren said my name softly, Lady Seraphina, and added that His Highness sends his regards. His smile stayed on his face but it never got to his eyes, you know. Behind him the shadows moved a bit over the hatch, like they were waiting. Then chains clinked somewhere close.
I could not breathe right, my lungs just stopped for a second. The Nocten soldier next to me pulled out his knife, not a sword because down here it was too tight, too close for something like that. Soren looked at us from above like we had no chance at all, already caught in his mind.
You can stop hiding, he told us, its over now. Its not over, I said back quick, but my voice shook and I hated how weak it sounded. His eyes went to my left hand, to the Nocten ring there. He smiled even more, so you really did it, he said quiet, you put his mark on your finger for real.
I wanted to pull that ring off right then, rip it away. But I could not, it stuck like some kind of burn mark on my skin. The soldier beside me hissed close it, and he reached for the hatch to shut it maybe. Soren stopped all that with just a key, simple thing, he turned it in the latch from up there like the lock was his.
Click, it went. My stomach fell hard. He had the key, so he had access to everything down here. He was not guessing about the tunnels, he knew them too well. That meant someone talked, or sold us out, or opened a door we did not see coming. Or maybe Cassian made too many doors in this place and one got turned against him.
Soren pushed the hatch open wider, light came spilling down but not sun, just lamplight from some room above. He crouched there, one knee on the floor up top, looking right at us. You should not have come to Duke Nocten, he said, His Highness took offense to it.
Offended, like I was just some bad guest at a party, not a girl facing death down here. The Nocten soldier snapped at him, get down here and say that to my face. Sorens smile did not go away at all. He leaned in closer instead. You think you are protected, he said all gentle, but you are stuck in a hole with just a few men, and we are everywhere around you.
One of those shadows behind him moved a little, a bundle of chains dropped into view, swinging there. My throat got tight, I remembered rope and stone from before, my knees almost gave out. I made them stay straight though.
Where is Cassian, I asked him, demanded it really. Soren blinked like the name was funny to him. The Duke, he said, he is busy right now. Busy doing what, I snapped again. His eyes lit up a bit. Killing, he said, or maybe dying, it depends on how stubborn he stays.
My stomach turned cold just hearing that. The soldier next to me moved fast toward the ladder, surged up it. Dont, I hissed and grabbed his sleeve to stop him. He shook me off, stay behind, he said. He climbed quick, two rungs, then three.
Soren just watched, calm as anything. Then one shadow behind him stepped forward, a blade flashed down in a short stab. The soldier made this choking noise, his body jerked hard. Then he fell back down, hit the stone with a wet thud. Blood got on my skirt, splattered there.
I screamed without planning it, short and ugly sound. Dropped to my knees by him. His eyes were wide open, mouth moving like he wanted words but nothing came out. He died so fast, just seconds. Dead because he climbed up, because I waited too long to stop him, because Soren had his men ready like he planned the whole thing.
My hands shook when I touched his shoulder, still warm but cooling quick. I swallowed down the sick feeling. Soren leaned back into the opening, voice calm as ever. One down, he said, I will get the rest of you too.
The other Nocten soldier grabbed my arm tight. Up, he hissed, move now. I jerked away in panic. Where, I got out choked. Side channel, he said sharp, now. Boots scraped above us, another chain clinked, something metal hit the ladder. They were coming down into the tunnel.
I backed away from the dead one, my chest burned bad, eyes stung too. Wanted to be sick or scream or cry but no time for any of it. The soldier yanked me to the wall, there was this narrow gap I missed before, behind some crates and a rusty rack. He shoved a crate aside, revealed a grate, not big at all.
Just enough if you did not mind your skin scraping off. Get through, he ordered me. I cant, I started. You can, he cut in, or you die right here. I shoved my hands into the gap, pulled myself, stone tore at my palms. My cloak caught, I yanked it free and ripped the fabric.
Behind us the hatch creaked open more, a mans boots hit the ladder, sound made my spine cold. The soldier pushed me from back, I slid through the grate, shoulder scraped hard, pain flashed. Bit my lip to not scream again. He came after, grunting as his armor hit the sides.
Then he pulled the crate back in place on our side, not perfect cover but something. Now we were in a thinner tunnel, lower ceiling, walls wet. Smelled worse, like old drains or something rotten. We crawled, half bent over, dragging forward. My knees banged stone, my ring finger throbbed on the rock.
I hated that ring so much right then, hated all of it. Behind us a shout echoed, theyre not here. Then Sorens voice, mild and amused. Search the walls, this tunnel is like a rat nest, built that way.
My stomach twisted up. He knew, he really knew how these passages went. We crawled faster, my skirt tore more, palms burned, lungs hurt with every breath. The soldier behind whispered, dont stop. Im not, I hissed back. He just kept pushing, no more words.
We hit a bend, dead grates on floor and wall. He picked left, shoved a loose stone with his shoulder, it moved. Narrow opening showed up, another hidden way. Of course there was, Cassian built this whole city under his place. And still the palace found ways in.
We squeezed through, this one went up a bit, less water, more air to breathe. Faint smell of dust and wood now. Getting closer to buildings, that seemed good. But also bad, buildings had people, people had eyes watching, eyes started rumors, rumors led to ropes.
The soldier stopped at a small iron door with a bolt. Pressed his ear to it, listened close. I held my breath without thinking. Silence all around. He unbolted it slow, door cracked open, gray light came in. Daytime already, not dawn but close enough in my head, stomach clenched anyway.
He pushed it wider, motioned me out. We stepped into a cellar, old barrels, broken shelves, dust everywhere thick. I sneezed loud, clapped hand over mouth too late. Sound felt huge down there. He froze, then hissed quiet. I nodded quick.
We went up a narrow staircase, each step creaked bad. I wanted to hide from the noise alone. At top a hatch, he lifted it careful. We came out into this small abandoned magistrate house, just like they described. Rotting furniture, torn curtains, cobwebs all over. Smell of mold and old paper.
I looked around fast, no guards, no soldiers there. For a second it felt like we might make it out for real. Then shouting came from far outside, not close but spreading. My name maybe, or just noise that would turn into my name soon.
The soldier grabbed my wrist. We move street side, he said, head down low. Where are we going, I whispered. He looked at my ring. To someone who can hide a Nocten fiancée. Fiancée, the word twisted my stomach. Who, I asked more. He did not say.
We went through the house, out the back door into an alley. Cold air hit my face, city smells came back, smoke, bread, horses. Normal things, but it made my skin crawl now. We walked fast, not running because that draws eyes. His hand stayed on my arm like I was caught again. I did not fight it, not yet.
Around a corner voices, we froze behind crates. Two city guards walked by talking. Said she poisoned him. Who. The Vale girl, they say she killed a maid too. My stomach dropped hard. Killed a maid, that was Clar. It spread already, too fast, too neat.
Of course it did. Duke Noctens involved, the other said, he has gone mad. First one snorted. Or he is in love. I wanted to laugh and scream both at that. Love, sure, that is what this mess was. The soldier waited till they passed, then pulled me on.
We stuck to back streets, I kept hood up but hair fell out messy now. Hands scraped raw, blood under nails. If anyone looked close they would see I crawled underground like some animal. Chest burned breathing, mind kept going back to the fall, the soldiers eyes, that wet sound. Dead.
Cassians men dying because I was here, because I existed. I hated feeling guilty about it, guilt does not help. It just makes you weak, and weak gets you dead. I pushed my brain to think straight again. Soren, he knew tunnels, had keys, even that infirmary badge. Not just a servant, trusted deep.
Means the physicians web is in everything, and Adrian smiles right through it all. I clenched my teeth. Did not want to just survive, wanted to ruin them for this. The soldier stopped at a small building, no sign, plain door, clean steps, narrow window. Looked like nothing special.
He knocked weird, two short, one long, two short. My heart pounded ribs hard. Door opened a crack, womans face there, older than me, pretty but sharp, dark hair pinned neat. Her eyes hit my ring first, then dirty hands, then my face. Who is she, she asked.
The soldier bowed a bit. Under the Dukes protection. Her gaze got narrow. Then why is she alone, she snapped. Not alone, he said, with me. That is not an answer, her eyes got sharper. I swallowed, stepped up before he spoke for me. I am Seraphina Vale, I said, being hunted, framed for it all, I need.
Everyone says they are framed, she cut me off. I flinched a little. She opened door wider anyway. Get inside, she said, before you get us killed. We slipped in, she slammed door, bolted it. Inside smelled ink and herbs, not like a home or kitchen. Shelves with jars, dried plants, scroll cases. Worktable with open ledger.
She turned to me. Show me, she said. Show what. The ring, she snapped, and the mark. I waited a second, then held out left hand. Ring dark and plain, faint seal mark under it. She stared, then swore quiet. So he really did it, she muttered.
The soldier let out breath like relief. Lady Maris, he said, we need cover, imperial search hitting the district. Lady, so she was noble. Maris, I did not know the name, that could be good or bad. She looked at me again. You are the Crown Princes promised bride. Not anymore, I said sharp.
Her mouth twitched. Brave, stupid. Desperate, I shot back, did not care. Where is Cassian. The soldiers face got tight. Maris answered. If you are here it means he is stuck somewhere. My stomach fell again. She said it like she knew him, knew how it all worked.
She moved quick, grabbed cloth, shoved at me. Wipe hands, sit, you are bleeding on floor. I wiped, stung bad. Sat because legs quit. Soldier stood by door, listening out. Maris got a vial and needle. I pulled back. No. She paused. Antiseptic. Dont care, no needles, no tonics.
She stared like I was crazy, then put vial down slow. Fine, no needle. My chest stayed tight, hated flinching but could not help it. She leaned in, voice low. Tell me what happened, fast. I looked at soldier, he stayed. She rolled eyes. I dont care if he hears, speak.
So I did, quick and messy. Clar, the dagger planted, tunnel chase, Soren, keys, the dead soldier. Her face got hard as I talked. When done she stayed quiet a moment. Then Soren is the physicians runner, I have seen him. My stomach clenched. You know him. Know his face, she said sharp, he buys rare stuff off market, pays with palace coin that vanishes.
I leaned in. Can you prove it. Her eyes narrow. Not without my throat cut. Then. Listen, she cut in, your problem is not just poison, its timing. I froze. What. She tapped table, irritated. They pushed execution up, not about guilt, about shutting you before court hears. Means you have something they fear.
I stared, brain scrambling. Do I have that, or just fear of scandal. Thought of my first life, Adrian whispering father begged for my death, father signing confession, family gone at execution. Throat tight. Maybe not just poison, death convenient for more.
Maris stood up sudden. We need Cassian. Yes, my chest tight. Dont sound relieved, she shot look, he is trouble too. I know, I muttered. The soldier spoke then. My lady, Duke gave instructions if separated, bring her here, wait for.
Sharp knock at door. We all froze. Not the pattern, hard public knocks, three times, then again. Stomach dropped. Maris eyes sharp, went to window slit, peered out. Soldiers hand to knife. I gripped table edge hard.
Imperial, she whispered. Throat closed up. Outside voice called, polite loud. Lady Maris Deren, open in Emperors name. Her face flat. They know me. Blood cold. Found us already, someone saw, or followed, or Soren guessed, or tunnels not secret.
I stood fast. We run. Into street, daylight, my face known, she hissed. Knock harder. Open, voice said, warrant to search for Lady Seraphina Vale. Warrant, search, chest seized. Looked at back door, alley open, chance maybe.
But Maris said no, voice low sharp. We dont run yet. I stared panicked. What do you mean. She grabbed scroll case from under table, shoved into my hands. Hold this, if they get you bite open, swallow inner strip. What, horrified. Seal log copy, she snapped, proof Chamberlain forged orders before, I stole it for leverage.
Hands shook on case. Real proof, not words. She pushed me to curtain back. Hide, dont breathe. Soldier moved to block. My lady we should. If we run now caught in street, stall and pick who dies first, she cut off. Stomach twisted. Pick who dies first, like normal.
Knocking stopped, then door rattled. About to break in. If its Soren I kill him, she whispered tight. Breath hitched, slid behind curtain, heart slamming. Fabric smelled herbs and smoke. Held case to chest.
Outside curtain bolt undone. Maris voice rose, sweet annoyed. What is this, do you know the hour. Door swung, boots many entered. Forgive us Lady Maris, wont take long, man said polite. Search carefully, Soren said, softer amused.
Blood ice. He was here. Step further in, slow confident. Please, he added closer, try not to break anything, Duke will pay for repairs once arrested. Arrested. Stomach dropped. Cassian. Clenched case, fingers hurt.
Through curtain gap boots stopped, right in front. Lady Seraphina, he said light almost kind, I can smell fear, come out. It feels like that part gets messy, the hiding and waiting, I am not totally sure how it ends yet but it stands out.