Page 91 of Destiny Redeemed
Anderic turned to me then, really looked at me, his gaze piercing and contemplative. “You truly know this place,” he said slowly. “You’ve been here before.”
I looked away. “Wait here. I’ll talk to the guards.”
I approached with my most charming smile, attempting the same sweet-talking strategy that had worked at the gate. But these men were different—their eyes cold, their postures rigid. Maxwell’s men, through and through.
“No visitors,” the taller one barked. “Commander’s orders.”
I tried bribes, flattery, and even a hint of a threat. Nothing worked.
I returned to Anderic, frustration evident in my steps. “They won’t budge. They’re Maxwell’s trusted guards.”
“So how do we meet him?” Anderic asked, surprisingly calm.
I paused, thinking back to my past life. The answer came in a flash of inspiration—or perhaps a flash of painful memory.
“The mines,” I said. “He comes to check them routinely. We can intercept him there.”
I led the way without waiting for his response, navigating the village’s winding paths with practiced ease. As we walked, the weight of memory pressed down on me.
“My brother worked here,” I found myself saying. “Sebastian. On his last day, he was brutally beaten by the underlings of the new overseer.” My voice caught. “I found him here, broken and bleeding. I carried him back to our hut.”
I closed my eyes, the memory vivid and raw. Sebastian’s blood on my hands, his ragged breathing, the hopelessness in his eyes.
“Lya,” Anderic’s voice was soft, uncertain. He reached out as if to touch my shoulder, then hesitated.
I blinked back tears and forced a smile. “Come on. The guards here are easier to persuade.”
At the mine’s entrance, I approached the sentries with renewed determination. A sweet smile, a few well-placed compliments, and the remainder of our bribe money secured us passage inside.
“Follow me,” I whispered to Anderic as we entered the dark tunnel. “I know exactly where Maxwell will be.”
The mines grew darker as we moved deeper inside, the air thickening with dust that coated my lungs with each breath. Anderic stayed close behind me, his royal posture oddly out of place among the roughly hewn stone walls and crude timber supports. The distant clanging of pickaxes created a grim percussion that echoed through the tunnels.
“There,” I whispered, pointing to a wide chamber ahead where several guards stood at attention around a makeshift desk. “That’s Maxwell’s station when he visits.”
Behind the desk sat Commander Maxwell himself, just as I remembered him—rigid posture, steely eyes, and hands that had taken my family’s lives without hesitation. My heart hammered against my ribs. Last time I’d seen those hands, they were covered in Sebastian’s blood.
“Stay calm,” Anderic murmured, noticing my trembling hands. “Let me do the talking.”
Right, because that worked so well at the gate.But I merely nodded, not trusting my voice.
We approached, and Maxwell looked up, his brow furrowing at the unfamiliar faces. Up close, he looked older than I remembered—more gray in his closely cropped hair, deeper lines around his mouth. Or maybe I hadn’t noticed his appearance that well that night.
“Who are you? This area is restricted,” he barked, his hand instinctively moving to his sword hilt.
Anderic stepped forward, shoulders back in that impossibly regal way of his. “I’ve come to discuss matters of state security, Commander.”
Maxwell’s face hardened. “And who exactly are you to discuss such matters?”
“Prince Anderic Voltaire,” Anderic stated simply.
A bark of laughter escaped Maxwell’s throat. “Is that so? And I’m the Lord of Thornvale.” He gestured to his guards. “Remove these imposters before I lose my patience.”
Two guards advanced, but Anderic stood his ground. With deliberate movements, he pulled off his left glove and extended his hand, palm up. There, embedded in his skin, was the royal signet—a birthmark that mirrored the shape of the Voltaire crest. It wasn’t a perfect replica, but it was close enough to be unmistakable. Only those born of Voltaire blood carried it.
“I believe this should suffice as proof of my identity, Commander,” Anderic said coldly.
Maxwell’s eyes widened. He immediately dropped to one knee, his guards following suit.
