Page 19

“That works, too,” Kellyn says.

Petrik halts suddenly, and since I’m looking at my feet, it’s Kellyn who pulls us to a stop behind him.

“Up ahead is that hallway full of guards,” Petrik whispers. “We can’t cross without drawing the same suspicion. There’s too many of them to handle quietly. We’ll be spotted for sure.”

“Any ideas?” Kellyn asks.

“Why are they even there?” Petrik asks to himself, ignoring Kellyn’s question.

“Doesn’t matter,” Kellyn says. “We just need to figure out how to get around them. Is there another way to access the other side of this floor?”

The boys talk quietly, but my mind is picturing that little hallway, remembering it as we passed by. It just ends. No doors. No windows. No nothing. If the six guards are simply waiting for an emergency, then why do they look like they’re on duty?

Why do they look like they’re guarding something, when there’s nothing around them to guard?

Unless thereissomething there.

And we can’t see it.

“The door’s hidden,” I breathe. Neither boy hears me. So I repeat myself a little louder.

They halt whatever conversation (though let’s be honest, it was probably an argument) they’d been having.

“What do you mean?” Kellyn asks.

“We arrived by way of a magic portal. We’re in search of a magic healer. Isn’t it possible there’s a door down there concealed by magic?”

Petrik blinks slowly. “Of course! I should have guessed that. There’s no other reason for them to be there.”

“It’ll be a risk,” Kellyn says. “If you’re wrong and we engage them, we won’t get a second chance.”

“Temra is fading,” I say. “She doesn’t have time for a second chance. We need to try this.”

“If we attack them, things will get very loud,” Kellyn says. “And we’re unarmed, with no way to go back for our weapons now.” He thinks a moment. “We need a distraction. You two hide. I’ll lead the guards away.”

“What?” I ask. “That’s a terrible idea!”

“It’s the only chance we’ll have of getting Serutha out of here unseen.”

“No.”

“Temra is fading,” Kellyn reminds me, throwing my own words in my face. “I can do this. Don’t wait for me. Run for the portal as quickly as you can. Get the healer through. Save your sister.”

“Kellyn—”

Petrik puts his hand on my shoulder, turns me. “He’s right. Let him help. This is the best way.”

I don’t know what else to say. Petrik takes my silence as compliance. He darts behind one of those drapes again.

There’s a tug on my arm as I start to join him, and then I’m being turned around.

Warm lips press against my own; the pressure is fierce, searing against my skin. I feel my stomach drop beneath the ground. When Kellyn pulls back, I want to look anywhere else, but he demands my attention. “Don’t wait for me,” he repeats. “I’m sorry Temra ever got hurt.” Then he gently nudges me toward where Petrik is already hiding.

His back is to me before I can say anything in response. I lose sight of the mercenary as he ducks into the small hallway.

“Guards,” he says in a cocksure voice. “I’m looking for that fancy healer. Is she down here?”

His question is met with silence.