Unspeakable Secrets The Alchemist Series (A Dark Medieval Progression Fantasy)

Chapter 60 The Mystery Room

Not that Connor needed one while on their hulking vessel.

Connor selected a runed rod, sheathed at his hip, and a bandoleer of five large, enchanted steel throwing knives over his shoulder and torso.

The bandoleer seemed as though it ought to help distract from his lack of uniform up close and it wouldn't do much of anything to alter his silhouette. It also meant he could give Adelia a few knives without carrying them by the handful.

While the runed rod sheathed at his waist seemed to be what most of the guards carried and thus ought to make him look even more like one of them at distance in the dim light.

He was sorely tempted to take a crossbow and a quarrel of enchanted crossbow bolts. But he hadn't seen any guards carrying one and he wanted to avoid anything that might make him stand out. Besides, if it came to a fight on the ship, he would easily be overwhelmed before getting a chance to reload anyway.

So, he reluctantly restrained himself.

He stepped out of the armory and closed the door behind him. He considered leaving the armory door unlocked as it might save time if he needed it later. But he'd already seen guards making the rounds and it seemed unwise to assume the prisons were the only places they were routinely checking.

It would be easy for a guard to have come by the armory multiple times so far tonight, testing the door each time. And if they suddenly found it unlocked...

No. He couldn't afford to take such a chance. Not when so much hung in the balance. And not to maybe save a few seconds.

Even though he was now more familiar with that particular lock, the unwieldy bits of fork were still tricky enough to make locking the door behind him take a little less than thirty seconds.

Connor walked swiftly but silently to the galley where he put the kitchen knife he'd taken back as carrying an unsheathed knife around seemed pointless with five more suitable ones strapped to his chest.

He considered the issue of where to find the keys to what seemed to be Adelia's cell.

The rooms with the snoring seemed like they contained more people than Connor would've thought the Syndicate would want to have access to the keys. That left the one dark room he didn't know anything about as the most likely candidate he could think of.

Unless they were kept on another deck of course.

That was an unpleasant thought. Even more unpleasant when he considered that he could easily give up his chance at escaping by trying to find a key to a cell that might not even truly hold Adelia.

But... if there was even a chance it was Adelia... he wouldn't leave her behind to rot. Not now. Not ever.

Especially not when it was his fault that the Syndicate had captured her in the first place.

I'll make it right. I swear it. Even if this isn't you... I'll find the real you. I'll find you and I'll free you. I'll make it right. I swear to the gods I will, Connor thought.

He heard footsteps up ahead and ducked behind the wall of the mystery room near the galley.

He waited as the footsteps walked casually away, heading aft toward the stem of the ship and the prison section he'd seen on this deck.

He heard a door open and shut and looked around the corner. Once again, he was alone. Though he had no doubt that patrol would be coming back any minute.

He tried the door of the mystery room and to his surprise, it opened easily.

The dim light of the lanterns behind him spilled into the room like orange water that revealed its contents.