The Underworld Crown (Series)

Chapter 20

"The guards won't be able to get up here," Alek spoke into the silence. "The door only locks and unlocks from the outside. They'll need someone from the outside to help them."

Kadyn appeared before me, wrapping his arms around me in a hug. The feeling was entirely alien – I hadn't had someone comfort me, let alone show kindness, for what felt like years. I was dirty and exhausted, but I returned the hug, grateful for some kind of human contact. The triumph of the escape we'd just achieved brought a small smile to my face.

"Thank you," Kadyn whispered softly.

I leaned back to look him in the eyes. "Wait, 'thank you' for what?"

He hesitated, looking back and forth between Alek and I. "I assumed you two were in on this escape together?"

Alek guffawed. He'd swung the bag from his back and removed its bloodied arrows, cleaning them on a nearby tablecloth. "I work alone. She's just lucky she happened to be there."

There was an awkward silence as the tension in the room escalated. One look at Alek, at his finely perched position and deadly grace, I was suddenly reminded we were in an assassin's presence.

Kadyn cleared his throat. "–Thanks anyway, Serena," he said pointedly, giving me another hug. Kadyn lingered for a second too long, but seemed to notice this and leaned back. "Sorry, it's just been a while."

Alek spurted a laugh, making my anger rise. What the hell was this guy's problem?

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "You're welcome."

He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. "I haven't seen my family for ages...I don't even know whether they're still be in Sloth City, or if they're..."

If they're alive.

I smiled sadly, running away from thoughts of dad and Camilla. If I let myself go down that memory lane, I worried I'd never clamber my way back up. "We'll find them." I looked pointedly at Leo. "And we'll find your family."

Leo gave an excited smile, revealing a missing tooth I hadn't noticed. It was adorable. He tugged on my hand.

"Can I go home now?"

"Of course," I replied, staring down into his big brown eyes.

Kadyn grabbed Leo's hand and hurried him out the front door, glancing once again between Alek and I. I fell out of step so that I was behind them, a safe enough distance away to talk to Alek without the others overhearing.

"So, you have a kid?" He was teasing. "You'd think after having the unfortunate luck of running into you three times, saving your life twice and almost killing you as much, I'd have known your entire life story by now."

My lips formed a thin line. "What is wrong with you?" I whispered angrily.

"It's a pretty long list. Aphrodite won't answer my messages, my horse is having separation anxiety, and I keep on bumping into troublemakers like you–"

I clenched my jaw. "I mean, why did you wait for me? Why didn't you just run straight out of the mines if you hate me so much? It's not like you owe me anything."

He sighed and kicked some of the stones on the ground, sending them skittering far ahead before the silhouette of Sloth City.

"I don't hate you," he admitted. "I don't even know who you are, but you keep on popping up all over the place. I just...wasn't expecting you to be there. You put my mission at risk."

"That doesn't explain why you helped me escape," I pushed, glancing in his direction. He stared down at the ground, lost in thought.

"I don't like leaving people behind," he said softly, making eye contact. There was something haunted about the look in his eyes, even in the morning light. It made me question whether I was too quick to judge him–