A Kingdom of Tales

Chapter 39

I return to my room when most guests start retiring for the night, accompanied by the same two guards.

I spent the next few hours coming up with a plan. A plan to get Miles and myself out of here. Miles is injured; he won't be of any help in our escape, so I have to think of my next steps carefully.

A knock sounds at the door. "Come in!" I shout.

The two guards from earlier entered my room. One of them speaks. "His Imperial Majesty asks for your presence at dinner, princess."

"Tell the Emperor that I'm not feeling well. Bring my dinner here."

"Of course, princess." They leave, closing the door behind them.

A few minutes later, Alisa and Jude knock on my door holding a tray of food. They wait patiently for me to get off the couch and walk to the dresser. They take their time brushing my hair and changing me into a nightgown.

It feels good to be pampered, even if it is at the hands of an enemy. After they dress me, I dismiss them and start eating my dinner.

The food is amazing, but my appetite hasn't returned since I saw Miles here. I shove down as much food as I can take, knowing I need all the energy I can get.

Now's the time to act. Everyone is probably still having dinner. It's late enough that the guards in the dungeon are tired too.

The only thing I can use as a weapon is the butter knife from earlier. As soon as I reached the room, I shoved it under my pillow quickly, so now I go to the bed and pull it out.

It's still as dull as I felt it was at the party, but it will have to do.

I put a few pillows under my blanket, hoping that it will trick anyone who comes into my room long enough for me to do what I need to.

I open the door and scan the hallway, making sure there are no guards stationed. Thankfully, there aren't. They must think I wouldn't try to escape. Clearly, they don't know me as well as they think they do.

I take the stairs downstairs to the first floor and then to the room leading to the basement. A path I've replayed many times in my head these last few hours. I unlock the door using the key and start the journey down the stairs.

The basement looks just as I remember it. The guards at the doors look alert and not as tired as I'd expected. There are two of them. I watch them pace back and forth, talking and laughing. In the first cell, there he is. Miles. He looks beaten up, but not half as badly as I thought he'd be. I motioned for him to be quiet when he noticed me.

As the first guard rounds the corner, I grab him by the neck from behind and choke him. I clamp a hand over his mouth to quiet him so that the other guard doesn't suspect anything.

"Gregory? What's wrong?" The other guard says. Finally, the guard in my arms, Gregory, passes out. I don't try to kill him. There's no need for that. Abandoning all stealth, I attack the second guard from the front. Unafraid now that the first one is unconscious.

I feign right but stab him with the knife in his left arm, the way Yuri taught me. To injure but not to kill. I avoid all vital organs. I see Miles out of the corner of my eye, laughing hysterically. Gods, I've missed him. I choke the second guard until he's unconscious too.

I take the keys to the cells, hanging from the first guard's pants pocket. I move to Miles' cell. "That took you long enough." He murmurs, beaming at me.

I forgot how much of a jerk he was. I should just leave him here. "Shut your mouth, pretty boy. You wouldn't have escaped without me." I smirk, crossing my arms at my chest.

He dangles his shackles at me. The ones that are supposed to be on his arms and legs, binding him to the wall. The ones that are now on the floor. He got out of them? On his own?

"Darling, I knew you'd come. It seemed easier to wait for you than to search every room in the castle for yours." He smirks.

Damn him. He's right. It was smart to wait for me. I open the door of his cell and pull him in for a hug. "Gods, you stink." It was my turn to tease him.

"Jasmine. I thought you weren't feeling well." I hear the emperor tsking behind me. My eyes widen, and I turn to look at him. Hiding Miles behind my body.

Yuri stands beside Warui with her hands behind her back. Her eyes narrow at me, like she wishes she could tell me how stupid I am with just her eyes.

"Imagine my surprise, Jasmine, dearest, when I find you standing with our prisoner when you're supposed to be asleep." Emperor Warui looks disappointed, like I was a disobedient child that needed punishing.

He grabs my arms and pulls me up the stairs. "Guards. Bring the boy. We need to show Jasmine what happens when you disobey an emperor."