Artemis and Caspian: The Spy

Chapter Forty Nine

It was time for him to leave. Arioch surveyed his options as he wrapped a black cloak tightly around his neck. There were guards posted at every obvious entrance, all of them on high alert in case the witch decided to come back. It made his escape that much harder, but he had a plan. Pressing an ear up against his bedroom door, the duke listened carefully for any roaming footsteps or clanging of swords. Something to indicate a sentry standing outside. Satisfied once he heard nothing, Arioch cracked open the door, taking one last look around before he pushed it into the dark, empty hallway.

He'd have to escape through the servant's entrance. It was discrete, led right out of the castle and abandoned at this late hour. He just hoped he wouldn't run into anybody on the way. Closing the door behind him with a soft click, Arioch crept into the hallway, ducking low to avoid immediate detection in the darkness. It was relatively quiet in the castle. Scared people were hiding in their rooms, fearful of Artemis's sudden return and thirst for vengeance. Arioch scoffed. After his handiwork, the witch would be beyond imbecilic to show her face in Meridan again. He stopped for a brief moment to tighten the cloak again. It was odd, everything was going fairly well. Too well. It made him uneasy.

He only got a few steps further when he heard soft voices echoing down the hallway. Cursing, he ducked behind a curtain that lined one of the windows. Pulling it over so it covered more, he perched himself on the window's edge, tucking his feet up beyond the curtain's trim. It was a crude disguise but he hoped it would work. Killing them would raise an alarm and he preferred to escape Meridan with a clean break. The duke had many miles to travel before sunrise. Luckily, he heard the voices pass him by, watching as the fire from their torches passed light underneath the small crack between the curtain and the floor. When he couldn't hear them anymore disappearing in the distance, he dropped from his hiding place, and pulled the curtain back, narrowing his eyes in his enemy's direction. Idiots.

Slipping back into the cover of darkness, the duke made it a point to hurry his mission, breaking into a brisk jog down the corridor. If he didn't reach the servant's quarters before the sun came up, someone was bound to discover his presence lurking in the shadows. This was all Allister's fault. The insecure brat had prattled on long into the night about how grateful he was for Arioch's services. The praise had wasted precious time and now the duke was stuck making his journey a few hours too late. No matter, soon his Lord would have Allister's head on a spike.

Breathing a small sigh of relief when he saw no one guarding the servant's entrance, he softly opened the door, disappearing behind it. Now shuffling down the stairs, the duke did his best not to trip. Not that he would, Guilamontians were known for their superior physical prowess. After a few, his feet hit the hard, unpolished floor of the palace kitchen. Creeping about, he almost didn't notice a chef in the corner of the room snoring loudly. Rolling his eyes, he did his best to stay light on his heavy fight, keeping a steady hand on the hilt of his knife in case of emergency. The chef shifted once, grunting in his sleep. Arioch unsheathed the knife, twirling it calculatingly in his hand. He exhaled when the man settled back down again, rolling over in his chair. The duke couldn't help scowling as he put the knife back. How he managed to survive amongst cretins for this long evaded him. Staying on the balls of his feet, Arioch managed to slink around him, making his way to the back of the room.

The door he was headed for let out directly into the courtyard, a near perfect escape. He'd just need to watch for the guards circling like buzzards on the towers above. Placing his hand gently on the knob, he did his best to turn it silently, hearing the door make a satisfying click before opening. He pressed his ear up against the wood, making sure to keep the other one listening to the sleeping chef. It was impossible to tell where the guards were above him and if one saw the door swing open, he'd certainly be caught. Taking the risk, Arioch pushed the door open a crack, peering above him. Two guards were pacing back and forth, crossing each other as they peered into the landscape beyond. If he was quiet, he could make it. Pushing the door open far enough to squeeze out, the duke pressed himself against the wall, inching along the side to move out of the guard's line of sight. He felt his heart freeze when one paused, walking up to the rim of the upper balcony. The guard's hands gripped the marble parapets as she gazed along the rooftops and treeline beyond.