Page 89 of Kingdom of Chains

‘No guard outside the third house,’ Tatum noted.

Blackmane watched the guard draw his last breath before looking up. ‘Let’s take a look inside.’

They stormed into the final building, turning in circles as they made their way to the far end. They combed every inch of the house to make sure they had not missed anything, lifting mattresses and throwing blankets all about the place.

‘Maybe the gallows isn’t such a crazy suggestion after all,’ Tatum said.

Blackmane looked back in the direction they had come. ‘Let’s go back to the second house.’

‘Why? It was empty.’

Blackmane met his eyes. ‘Because it was guarded.’

They headed back the way they had come, following the path back to the second house. They quietly pulled the door open this time. Blackmane entered first, finding it as empty as it had been before.

Tatum looked around. ‘Should we start slicing the mattresses open?’

Without replying, Blackmane walked slowly through the house, boots landing softly on the hardwood floor. He felt the weight of someone watching him. Pausing, he dropped his gaze to the ground, then slowly leaned his weight on his front foot. The floorboard creaked. His gaze travelled along it to the joins.

‘Cover me,’ he said to Tatum.

The commander ran forwards, sheathing his sword and loading his bow.

Blackmane gestured to the floor, and Tatum replied with a nod. The defender stepped back and drew his dagger, sliding it between two pieces of wood. They were loose.

He lifted one, and Tatum took aim at the gap in the floor. At first Blackmane could see nothing but shadows, but once his eyes adjusted, he made out little faces staring up at him.

Blackmane dropped to his knees and cautiously peered inside. ‘There you are. Everyone all right?’

No one spoke.

‘Any guards down there with you?’

Nothing.

Tatum kept his arrow trained on them. ‘Be careful.’

‘You all ready to get out of here?’ Blackmane asked. ‘Go find your parents?’

No one moved.

The men exchanged a confused look.

‘I know you’re scared,’ Tatum said, ‘but someone needs to start talking.’

One of the boys glanced at the girl next to him before saying, ‘They said if we made a sound, they would hang us next to our fathers.’

Blackmane reached out to the boy. ‘That’s just something scared people say. Come on. Let’s get you out of here.’

Tatum pulled up another board to widen the gap, and then the pair lifted the children up and out of the ground. ‘Probably safest for them to wait in here until the camp’s secure. Wouldn’t want them getting caught in the crossfire.’

Blackmane nodded in agreement.

The sound of the door opening had him reaching for his weapon, but it was only Thorn.

Blackmane drew his eyebrows together. He was supposed to be retrieving Isabel.

‘Where is she?’ Blackmane asked him.

---