Thief's Honour

Chapter Eight- Enjoy Your Stay (or not)

Madeleine was close to hyperventilating. Her hands were clenched in fists, to prevent them from shaking, and she was sweating under her cloak. This was one of her worst nightmares, come to light: she was trapped in Hell. With no way out. She couldn't go back for the amulet, she would be captured for sure. And then she would be interrogated and tortured. If she broke and told them, then Damien would make her suffer.

Capture was not an option. She had to escape, somehow.

"You!" Someone behind her called. Madeleine turned around. A male demon, about six feet tall with a scowl on his face, strode to where she was standing, glaring at her.

Madeleine hesitated. Was she caught? Should she run? Was there some way she could bullshit or bribe her way out of the situation? Or could he sense the incriminating jewel hidden within the folds of her cloak?

She was just about to abandon all pretenses and flee when he snapped at her, "Ghoul! I'm talking to you!"

She bowed to him hastily, barely containing a sigh of relief. He hadn't found her out, he was wanting a ghoul to do something, and she was the nearest one. 

"Deliver this message to Princess Amingethia. Now!" He thrust an envelope in her hand.

"Yes, sir." She bowed, and hurried off, barely believing her luck. She had bluffed her way through encounters with two demons so far, and neither suspected a thing, even though this one was so arrogant that she didn't even have to say much.

Princess Amingethia. The twin sister of Damien. Madeleine had no idea where to find her. And delivering the message wouldn't help her escape, but not delivering it would make her look suspicious. If he was able to recognize her as the ghoul who didn't deliver the message, and someone took a closer look, she'd be dead.

A small rock hit Madeleine in the head, distracting her from her musings. "Ow!" She gasped, looking down where a small rock was tied to a piece of paper. She picked it up cautiously. She read:

You're clever, but not clever enough. Losing the amulet was stupid. Luckily for you, there are some of us who would rather you succeeded. Go to the throne room doors, which you should be able to find if you're smart and you go back the way you came from until you reach the huge double doors. Then go right. The Princess's room is the middle room, you can leave the note there. The door to the Prince's room is the identical one to the Princess's.

She looked around, but no one was there. Was it a trap? Was someone going to capture her the moment she followed the instructions? And what did Damien's room have to do with anything?

Unfortunately, she had no choice but to follow the directions. She stuffed the note in her pocket, and began walking back the way she'd come, cursing these circumstances that left her with choices that weren't choices at all.