Page 76 of Cage of Destiny
Kerdan grunted. “I have an idea onwhat we can do.”
“Perhaps in a few hourswhen more of the guards are asleep,” Darmik murmured.
Odar moaned.
“I hoped he’d be knockedout a lot longer,” Kerdan said. “Damn thick head ofhis.”
“Oh, one more thing,”Darmik said, steel creeping into his tone as he leaned against thetree again. “I don’t want to ever hear about the two of you kissingwhile traipsing half-naked through the forest. Is thatunderstood?”
Allyssa buried her face against herknees, wanting to crawl under a blanket and hide. How could herfather be so embarrassing?
“Trust me, sir, the nexttime, you won’t hear about it,” Kerdan replied.
***
Something poked Allyssa’s back whenshe rolled over. With her eyes still closed, sleep hovering at theedges, she shoved away the rock she’d inadvertently laid on.Peering through hooded eyes, she saw that most of the soldiers wereasleep on the ground. The fire in the center of the camp had dieddown to a mere glimmer. The men who’d been assigned to guard hergroup were off to the side playing a card game, none of them payingher any heed.
Sighing, she closed her eyes, hopingto fall back asleep so she’d have enough energy to face whatevercame her way tomorrow. It was hard enough to sleep with her fatherin front of her, Odar at her feet, and Kerdan sleeping at her back.Darmik had insisted on this arrangement, asserting it was for herprotection.
“We need to plan,” Darmiksaid. “Everyone awake?”
“Yup,” Odarwhispered.
“I’m up,” Kerdanreplied.
“Me too,” Allyssa said.“Are we going to try to escape now?”
“That is not our goal,”Darmik said. “Our mission is to kill Jana. Given the circumstances,this may be our only opportunity. We must take it.”
“We should get Allyssa outof here,” Odar said. “There’s no reason she can’t escape. Then thethree of us will go to the duke’s house without her.”
She wanted to scream. Why did Odarconstantly feel the need to coddle her?
“What do you want to do,Allyssa?” Darmik asked, his voice tight. “We can try to find a wayfor you to escape, or you can continue on with us.”
She knew her father would prefer forher to be somewhere safe—far, far away from Jana. However, beingalone in the forest, fleeing for her life in Russek, wasn’tnecessarily a better option. Regardless, she wanted to be there.Wanted to see Jana die. “I’ll stay.”
Darmik gave a sharp sigh. “Very well.Once we enter the duke’s residence—”
“There’s a guard coming,”Kerdan broke in.
No one said a word as a guard strolledpast. Once he was far enough away, Darmik whispered, “We muststrike hard and fast. The second we step foot in the duke’sresidence, obtain a weapon. When we’re brought before Jana, I’msure she’ll want to speak to each of us in order to gloat. Duringthat time, one of us should have the chance to kill her while she’sdistracted. Take it. If we don’t do it before we’re hauled to thedungeon, it’s over.”
“Whoever takes that shot isgoing to be killed,” Odar commented.
“That is a strongpossibility,” Kerdan murmured. “And one I’m willing totake.”
“Are you willing to letAllyssa take it?” Odar asked.
“I am not her keeper,” hereplied.
“I want to be there,” sheinsisted. She needed to know the woman was truly dead and unable toharm her ever again.
“How can you let yourdaughter walk into the lion’s den?” Odar asked, anger coating eachword.
Darmik shifted. “I’d rather her bewhere I can see her than wandering through the forest chased bysoldiers with ill intentions. At least with us, I know she will beprotected.”
Odar snorted.
