The Fall of the Keepers

Chapter 2 The Hiding Place

The image of my mother's beheading was something I could never erase from my mind no matter how hard I struggled to. I honestly don't think even memory serum was powerful enough to cover over the excruciating detail that had forever been branded in my head. Even all this time later, I would sometimes wake up in a cold sweat, the same nightmare haunting me. Ranen now would share in that pain, only in his case, it would undoubtedly be worse. All at once my hatred for Valdimar Amir dried up and was replaced with compassion for his son. My heart broke as I realized I could have kept these images from his mind, I could have dragged him away sooner if only I hadn't been swept up in the anticipation of my greatest enemy's death. As I stared at the swinging body, I knew in my soul his death would do nothing to rebuild the shattered pieces of my heart that my mother's death had caused. I had always believed that it would. Instead, it would only shatter the heart of someone I dearly cared about.

I knew Ranen would snap out of the stunned shock soon and when he did, there was no telling what might happen. Down below the rebels released their hostages and the live broadcast was ended. The nobles huddled together, terrified of what might happen next.

"Somewhere in this palace a Crown Prince and a Princess hide, find them, and bring them to me."
Quetta ordered her followers.

"She wants the Crown Prince? Happy to oblige."
Ranen growled, yanking his hand out of mine, his eyes snapping with fury.

I had once asked Jasper to teach me the trick he had used on me the day of the Culling to render me unconscious. Begrudgingly, after swearing oaths never to use it against him, he had shown me. It was simple really, pressing your thumb and pointer fingers on specific pressure points in the victim's neck. It suddenly seemed an opportune moment to make use of this knowledge.

"I'm sorry."
I whispered before he collapsed, Idris and I catching him as he fell.

"As for all of you, you are free to go. But don't go far, I'll want to summon you for questioning tomorrow. You should reassess where your loyalties lie."
Quetta informed the quaking lord and ladies.

"We need to get him out of here."
I whispered.

"Us too, Keeper Hadassah, they've already killed the other Keepers and Sentinels."
Idris pointed out.

I wasn't horribly concerned for my own well being, I was still in good enough standing with the rebels, I hoped anyway, to not have a bullet put in my brain. Idris however, was at as high a risk as Ranen for winding up dead. I had a feeling the rebels would shoot first and ask questions later, purely based on her uniform. Cassian was right, I would never wear my mask again, none of us would, it was no longer safe.

The two of us hauled Ranen down the flight of stairs and through the secret tunnel, my mind sifting through various half baked ideas of what to do next. The palace was no longer safe, that much was evident, even the secret passages would soon be compromised. The home of one of the nobles might have been a good thought but I didn't trust any of them enough not to rat Ranen out if it was their life or his. Los Eres itself was too risky, there would be mass chaos with this violent change of power and the Prince was far too recognizable. For that matter, there was no town or city in Itova he could go unnoticed. If we were to truly escape, we would have to steal a jet and fly to the Wildlands but it was veritable suicide in January, the dead of winter. None of us had the survival skills necessary for that sort of unexpected adventure. Besides, I couldn't leave my family here in the Capitol, not when things were about to become very messy.

We came to halt in front of the exit to the secret passage, and I chewed my lower lip, wracking my brain for a solution.

"Where would the rebels never think to look for him?"
I wondered aloud.