Page 91 of Bought to Break
‘We’ll still teach him a lesson for what he did to Lana, but he’s Greygor’s second now. He’ll lead the Army well.’
Viktor made a dubious sound but said nothing more as he readied his weapons for that night.
Evening came quickly and they made their way into Vineri’s fortress under cover of darkness. It was easier than they’d expected. Too easy. No guards were on the door to the stables and few seemed to be on patrol.
‘This is a trap,’ Kane muttered as they skirted the courtyard, and Viktor silently agreed. They turned back to the stables to regroup, but it was too late.
Something whistled through the air, hitting Viktor in the neck. He swore and pulled it out. A dart. His legs gave out and he fell to the ground just in time to see the same happen to Kane. He heard the sound of soldiers running towards them and then his eyes closed of their own accord.
Chapter 42
Lana
Lana wasn’t sure how the lock undid itself. It certainly wasn’t due to her ineffectual jabbing with the poker, but after a particularly hard shove into the keyhole, the door swung open silently, inviting her to escape.
She edged into the hall, finding it deserted, and wondered which way she should try for the Vessel first. She looked right. That was the way the priest had brought her and she hadn’t seen any doors, so she turned the opposite way, silently slipping down the curving corridor and staying close to the wall.
She had to go slowly, frustratingly so, because she couldn’t see what was coming. Luckily no one happened by and she came to a door. She listened at it and, hearing nothing, opened it quietly. Inside was another windowless bedroom, just like the one she’d been locked in. She shut it and continued. The rotunda began to slope down into long, shallow steps. The other side of the wall ended abruptly and became an intricate, short stone banister. Beyond it, she could hear a fountain. The walkway curved around suddenly and she was at the foot of what looked like a tower. There was an archway leading to stairs.
Lana climbed the winding staircase up to a small landing. There was a small door at the end with a barred window. She peeped through. Behind the door was a sparse room with a small bed and some books on a desk. A fire burned in the grate.
‘Can’t you read?’
Lana jumped at the voice. A young woman sat by the fire with a book in her lap. Her hair was black and she wore serviceable black woollen priest robes.
‘Read?’
‘There should be a sign.’
Lana looked around the door and saw it. ‘Pestilence?’
‘That’s the one.’
She went back to reading and Lana knocked.
‘Yes?’
‘Are you a prisoner here?’
‘I suppose I am.’ The girl smiled. ‘But it’s not as if I can go anywhere.’
‘Why?’
She sighed as if she was being disturbed. ‘Read the sign.’
Lana frowned. ‘I have. I don’t understand.’
‘Just don’t come in, all right?’ She looked up at Lana. ‘Areyoua prisoner here?’
‘Yes.’
The girl looked out of the casement. ‘Well, you should go. They’ll be making rounds soon. You’ll be seen if you aren’t careful.’
‘Thank you.’ Lana turned away, bit her lip and looked through the door again. ‘Can you help me?’
‘I doubt it.’
‘I’m looking for Vineri’s collection.’
