The Seven Deadly Kingdoms

Chapter 37

       It was difficult for Caspian to imagine that just two days before, he had Adelaide tucked safely under his arm on the same road he now travelled to save her. The memory now felt like more of a fading dream.

He, Aragon and Mira rode out on horseback at midnight the day after Caspian returned to the camp. Caspian had protested against waiting so long, but he knew they wouldn't be able to go during the day.

The group was now approaching the capital. Getting past the entrance to the kingdom had been easy; Caspian had decided to skip the theatrics and chose to knock out the soldiers instead. He had loaded up on every potion he could fit into his satchel, not knowing what he should expect once they got inside the castle.

Caspian couldn't help but feel like he was in some type of fever dream as they had prepared to leave the camp. Mira left to pack her things after their meeting in the tent was finished, leaving Caspian and Aragon alone. They had shared no words as they both left silently. It seemed that Aragon disliked Caspian as much as Caspian had him.

Attempting to calm Henry down after they had informed him of what happened was futile. After almost an hour of attempting to convince him to stay behind, Caspian and Mira had finally given up. They had never seen Henry so frantic. He now rode silently behind the three, his features seeming haunted as he kept his gaze locked on the road. He had settled with being a lookout outside the castle as Aragon, Caspian and Mira retrieved Adelaide, though he wasn't happy about it. He hadn't said a word to the three since they had left the camp. Caspian hadn't minded, but he noticed how Mira's lips would tug into a slight frown every time she stole a glance at him. Apparently they had grown close at their old base, though Caspian never had the chance to get to know Henry personally.

"I've never been this close to the Avartian Palace before. It's beautiful." Mira's quiet voice brought Caspian out of his thoughts. He hadn't realized they had already navigated their way to the heart of the capital. They neared the castle gates, turning through a side alley before they approached them. Caspian led the group through the alleys, exiting back onto the main road when they reached the east side of the castle. He dismounted his horse, searching for the hidden gate into the hedge maze. Mira followed closely behind, and Aragon gave Caspian a curt nod before leaving with Henry to find the eastern entrance to the castle.

"This is how you and Adelaide got in?" Mira asked, the whisper almost echoing in the empty street. Caspian nodded as he found the latch to the gate, opening it. Mira followed him as he walked through the maze, finally reaching the dumbwaiter. Caspian found the latch to the dumbwaiter, slowly pushing it open as his lips tugged into a frown.

"This is how she got in. I wish she hadn't, now. Or at least that she would have let me go with her. I never liked the thought of her going alone. She's too stoic for her own good." He whispered. Caspian could hear the grass under Mira's feet rustle as she approached him from behind. She let out a laugh as she lifted herself into the dumbwaiter.

"Though I've only known Adelaide for a few months, I'd like to think I've gotten a pretty good read on her. And if there's one thing that I know, it's that she has too many eyes on her for her journey to end here. There's no need to worry, Caspian. We're gonna get her out."

Caspian's brows furrowed as he looked down on Mira folded in the dumbwaiter, mirroring how Adelaide and him had been just two days before.

"What do you mean?"

Mira matched Csaspian's expression, her eyes darkening as she turned her gaze to focus on the wall of the dumbwaiter. She frowned slightly as she picked at her nails absentmindedly.

"I mean that there are powerful people out there, Caspian. People who wouldn't waste their time on someone who wasn't meant to do anything special, and Adelaide isn't one of those people. There are eyes on her that know who she is. Who she will be." Mira blinked as she looked back at Caspian. She smiled softly as she brought her voice up to sound more cheery.