Finn didn’t argue as we followed Rafe out of the dungeon. We moved quietly and swiftly in a line up the stairs.
“Who are you?” I asked my rescuer.
Rafe glanced back for a moment, a smile curling at the edge of his lips. “A friend.” He had a deep voice with a very charming accent. Whoever he was, I was intrigued to say the least.
Somehow he had managed to get the lower dungeon door open, and stepped out first. “Wait here.” I heard a scuffle, and, sooner than expected, Rafe was back. “All clear,” he said with a shrug of his powerful shoulders. He seemed very confident, as though it were a hobby of his to break in and out of castles.
We gingerly stepped over two dazed guards, and Rafe took us through a narrow stone tunnel, which was a different path than the one where I had entered the dungeons. The shadowy recesses of the stone tunnel were dark and eerie. The occasional drip of water was the only sound besides our shuffling feet.
Rafe’s hand lit up, illuminating the tunnel with a soft glow. He seemed to be one of the mages Kalen had talked about. I was fascinated to see real magic at work once again, as long as it wasn’t directed at me. I moved closer, the warmth from the ball of light a beacon to the others as we traversed the darkness of the underground passageway.
The tunnel opened into a small, shadowy alcove in the main castle. The corridors were deserted at this time of night, and we ran as quietly as we could through the dark passages. Rafe seemed to know exactly where he was going, and the others followed him without question. As we entered the courtyard, we had to keep to the shadows, crouching at times and flattening ourselves against the dark stone walls as we moved.
“How did you get into the castle?” I asked Rafe.
He gave me a faint smile. “It wasn’t difficult. Oblek’s guards are not very well trained. The eastern gate is poorly guarded, and half of them are drunk or passed out at this time of night. The hour before dawn is the best time for an escape.”
“Or a robbery,” I added, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. I guessed he was some sort of thief or outlaw from the way Finn spoke earlier.
He seemed to find that funny and chuckled. “True.”
“How do I know if I can trust you?” After all, I knew absolutely nothing about him except that he was a wanted man.
Rafe stopped abruptly and turned toward me. “I don’t think you really have a choice right now, my lady.” His tone was clipped.
I held his gaze. He was right; I didn’t have a choice. He was my escape route, and I had to trust him—for now, at least. I shook my head. “Fine. Now what?”
“We go to the stables.” Rafe signaled Kalen and Finn to follow.
I glanced back. Finn was still scowling, but he didn’t dare question Rafe.
There were three guards in the stables. They drew their weapons when they saw us, rushing at Rafe with their swords raised.
Rafe raised his right hand and shot two bolts of white light from his palm. Both guards crumpled to the ground, just as Christopher had when Oblek’s bolt had struck him. The third guard tried to shout for assistance, but when he opened his mouth nothing came out. Rafe had done something with his magic, rendering the guard unable to speak.
Frustrated, the guard rushed toward us, his sword raised. Rafe already had his sword in his hand. He blocked a blow to the head from the remaining guard and pushed him backward, slicing him cleanly on his leg, then hit him in the face with the hilt of his sword. The guard went down as fast as the other two.
He turned to me, his stormy eyes gleaming with the thrill of a fight. “We should leave now. It will be dawn soon.”
I nodded. Was he for real?
Kalen grinned. “Whatever you say, Rafe.”
“Get the horses,” Rafe ordered in the tone of voice of someone used to being obeyed without question.
We untied and led three horses quietly out of the stable. I followed Rafe, my heart still pounding. I hoped that I wasn’t making a mistake trusting him, but he was my only option, even though he could just as easily betray me to Morgana.
“Kalen, we will regroup at the meeting place,” Rafe said quietly, so Finn couldn’t hear. The two fae mounted up. “You,” he then said to me, and held out his hand.
I faltered.
“Come with me,” he urged.
One of the guards spotted us and started shouting, “The prisoners are escaping!”
Before I could respond, Rafe jumped up onto the horse in one fluid stroke, clasped my hand in his, and swung me up behind him. I grabbed onto his waist for dear life as he gathered up the reins and rode out of the stable.
Dawn was upon us. The gates had been opened to let traders and farmers into the castle, and shouts of, “Close the gates, close the gates,” rang in my ears as our three horses galloped across the courtyard toward the drawbridge. Guards clamored to grab the creaking iron chains and started to slowly pull up the drawbridge.
My heart hammered in my chest. Everything was happening so fast I barely had time to breathe, let alone think. Rafe let Finn and Kalen’s horses go first and veered our horse around to face the guards. He held out his hand and shot jets of white light like before, buying us the seconds we needed.
“It’s the Black Wolf,” shouted one guard.
“Get him,” shouted another. “The queen is offering a fortune for his head.”
A frenzy of chattering broke out as the word spread. More guards hastened to help their comrades.
Kalen and Finn raced toward the gates amidst the choas, clearing the drawbridge, and galloped ahead, out of harm’s way.
A few of Oblek’s guards had pulled themselves
