The Lost Queen (Book 1 of The Lost Queen Series)

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Take this," Kestrel pressed something into Seraiah's free hand, "and wait here."

Before Seraiah could figure out what Kestrel had given her, she was gone, leaving Seraiah with only the sphere of light for company.

She couldn't help but notice the light didn't appear as bright as it used to be, and the dark seemed to press in around her. When she examined the object Kestrel had given her, she discovered it was one of her many knives. The blade was plain and short, but wicked sharp.

Seraiah gripped the handle tight. It was better than nothing, even if she didn't quite have the skills to use it.

Kestrel had left the door open a crack, so she crept forward, getting as close to it as she dared.

First, she tried listening, but when she couldn't hear anything, she decided to risk looking out. Nudging the door with her foot, she opened it a little wider.

There was no one in the circular room. It was as empty as it had been when they'd entered it the first time.

But where did they go?

Seraiah pulled back into the dark tunnel. The safe choice would be to listen to Kestrel and wait for either her or Kai to return. However, a part of her wanted to go find them. She hated the idea of waiting here in the dark alone, and she didn't like standing around while Sterling's kidnappers ran free.

It was the distant crash of two swords meeting that made up her mind.

Seraiah slipped out the tunnel door, careful to leave it cracked in case she needed to return, and made her way across the room to the double doors. The torches along the walls still burned if a bit lower than they had before. The shadows that previously had appeared menacing now seemed to wave her forward.

At the doors, she stopped to listen again, but there was nothing. They were too solid for her to make out the sound of conversation, and she could no longer hear the clash of swords.

Seraiah hoped it was her side who had won the fight, and she wasn't walking into a trap.

She eased one door open, ready to slam it at the first sign of danger, but yet again, she was met with emptiness.

When the opening was wide enough, she slipped through and into the hallway. Now, without the barrier of the door, Seraiah heard the quiet murmur of voices as she crept to the stairs. At the top, Kai's voice reached her clearly.

"Tell us who you sold her to," he demanded.

The response was muffled.

Seraiah rushed down the stairs but stopped short from reaching the bottom, surprised by the sight that met her.

In the narrow corridor, which was barely wide enough for one, Kai and Kestrel had trapped a man between them. Kestrel held her sword to the man's back while Kai's was leveled at his neck. An old chipped sword lay abandoned not far from them.

Seraiah's attention returned to the man. She recognized him from her vision as the one who had yanked Sterling out of her cell. She remembered the way Sterling had cowered away from him. He must be the one who had hurt her. All reasonable thoughts left her head and anger burned hot through her veins as she imagined Sterling's pain.

Then she was running, knife lifted.

A strong arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her backward before she could reach him.

Seraiah dropped the light ball to claw at the arm that held her. She had to get to him. She had to make him pay for what he had done.

The arm tightened, drawing her into a chest.