The Death Kingdom

Chapter Five

The stone castle looms up ahead, the sun getting trapped behind one of the massive towers. I've always wondered what is in each tower—if they're all watchtowers of some sort or rooms for the king and his sons. Maybe I'll be able to find out, after all, I am supposed to be a spy.

I walk around to the backside of the castle gate, finding a long line outside of the servant's entrance. I'm surprised by the number of people. I thought the streets of Delphine were busy, but now it's nothing compared to the hustle and bustle of servants out here.

There are multiple carts filled with food that servants are hastily carrying into the castle beyond the tall gate. Servants are waiting in line to be checked off by guards. Luckily, they don't look like members of The Guardians.

The Guardians are the king's elite force. They go through extensive training and have to pass numerous tests in order to join. No one knows exactly what they have to do in order to become a Guardian, but for children, it's become a game to create the most elaborate stories about what they have to do. I used to come up with crazy ideas with my father in years past, each idea was more ridiculous than the last.

The main job The Guardians have is to protect the king. They're essentially his own personal guard, but they're the best of the best. They're chosen from those who already serve in the military who possess exceptional skills. You have to be stronger, faster, and smarter than all the others around you. It's a major honor to become part of The Guardians, as only a few new members are chosen a year.

When I was very young I had dreams of becoming one, and then I grew up and realized what kind of king rules over us and knew I could never fight to protect someone like that.

Delphine has a single military but has recently been spilt due to the war with Valterra. My father is among the troops fighting over the Yarbrough Mountains with most of the other warriors. The troops that are left are mainly used to protect the castle, which is why attacks from the creatures have been so brutal recently. We have much less protection in the city. The remaining troops are called The Reserve and they tend to be a disgusting bunch. They're the lowest of the low on a power high since all personnel ranked higher than they are out on the battlefield. It leaves those in The Reserve with too much free rein over the people of Delphine. They've been getting away with appalling things, such as what happened to Jackal's daughter.

The rebellion has been trying to fight back against the Reserve, and we're making a difference there, but it's taking away from our main goal. The rebellion has been at a standstill of late, which is another reason my mission is so important.

I take a deep breath as I take my place in line behind all the other servants. I try not to think about how much is riding on this mission as I frantically take in everything around me.

I scour the grounds and gate to try and locate a potential escape route to no avail. There's a reason no one has been able to breach the castle in hundreds of years. There are guards stationed at every corner, small watchtowers placed strategically around the castle, and the gate surrounding the castle goes up so high a fall from there wouldn't just kill you, but crush you. I don't even want to think about how sharp the spikes look at the top of the gate.

When I finally make it to the front of the line a middle-aged woman in a dark brown servant's uniform speaks to me without looking up from her pile of papers in her hands.

"Name and reason for being here." The way she says it makes it more like a demand than a question.

"Saige Kavanaugh. New hire, I start today." I fight the urge to fidget with my braid, my nerves igniting inside me. I wish in this moment I could have my usual cool confidence, but it seems to elude me in my time of need. I'm too on-edge, too many variables are at play right now.