Liam glanced back over his shoulder at the west wing of the palace. The further he got from it, the more nervous he became. There was only so much time he had left before he would be caught out in the open like this. The only benefit he had now was looking less suspicious walking outside with another guard—most patrolled in twos around the palace, with larger groups in the city.
“You said you’ve only been a guard a few days?” the guard asked.
Liam looked at him with a furrowed brow, pulled from his thoughts. “Yes, I’m still new. I don’t know anyone here.” He swallowed hard. It was something he had said when he had first joined the Anatalian army all those years ago—at least until he had met Jorren.
The guard held a hand out to Liam. “Cedric Yomick.”
“Matthew Br— Brindleson.” Liam grimaced as he shook his hand. He’d almost given the name on his fake papers—he couldn’t risk being seen as a guard by that name and then someone else by the same tomorrow morning when they left.
Cedric shook his hand firmly. “Now you know someone,” he said with a grin.
Liam gave him a small smile back. He hoped he could just lose Cedric once they reached the royal barracks. Liam didn’t want to hurt him—he reminded him too much of Jorren and the way he took Liam under his wing so easily. But he couldn’t risk being caught, even for sentimentality.
That had already gotten him enough trouble over the last several months coming to the capital to save Margaret, who in the end didn’t need him to save her. She’d done it herself with her new husband, and Liam had complicated matters. As he always did.
“Where do you hail from, Matthew?” Cedric asked as they walked.
“A bit north of here,” Liam said. “From Seling, by the mountains.”
“I’m from right here in Jalmar.” Cedric seemed unperturbed Liam had not returned the question. He launched into telling Liam about his time in the guard and his family in the city, and Liam was happy to let him talk.
The less Liam said, the better.
Liam looked over his shoulder again—the west wing of the palace was nearly out of sight now. It was going to take him a while to get to Margaret’s—hopefully before they ran out of time to leave safely.
As they approached the barracks, a commotion was starting. Guards and soldiers were starting to gather outside, orders being called out.
Cedric furrowed his brows at Liam, tapping his chest with the back of his hand. “Come on,” he said before he started jogging toward the crowd.
Liam inhaled deeply, debating whether he could start running the other way without looking suspicious. Letting out a sigh, he started jogging toward the royal barracks. He could try to blend in with the chaos.
“What’s happening?” Cedric asked once they reached another guard.
“A prisoner has escaped from the dungeons,” he said. “The king has ordered a search of the grounds and the palace.”
“I’ll find my unit,” Liam said hurriedly, slapping Cedric on the shoulder. He ran into the barracks before Cedric could say anything.
The barracks were vaguely familiar to him. He fought against the stream of soldiers and guards heading outside. Liam kept his head down as he pushed through, looking for any other exit he could escape from.
“He’s tall for a man—over six feet—brown hair, blue eyes. He may or may not have a beard—”
Liam ducked into an empty room, putting his back against the wall a few steps down away from the doorway. If they were circulating his description, he would have to wait until the barracks had cleared.
It had been an unfortunate mistake, but at least the barracks would be the last place he would be expected to be. Liam closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall as he tried to control his breathing. It wouldn’t be long, and then he could try to sneak into the west wing to hide in relative safety.
When he could no longer hear boots pounding against the floor of the barracks, Liam poked his head out of the door.
No one was in sight.
He slipped out into the hallway, looking for the back exit. Liam had nearly walked the whole of the bottom floor before he found a door that didn’t lead to a room with four cots. He put his ear to the seam of the door, listening for any commotion outside. When he didn’t hear anything, he slowly opened it, cautiously stepping out as he looked around.
No one.
Liam closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
Now just to get to Margaret without being caught. It seemed an impossible task.
Edging to the corner of the building, he looked around. Groups of three and four were spreading out across the palace grounds, some heading inside by several different doors. He frowned as he thought. If he could sneak into a group of three…
No, that was idiotic. Who did he think he was, Aliem, Rodovan’s deity who could walk invisible as the wind? Liam shook his head. There was another way. He just had to find it.
He folded his arms over his chest, leaning his shoulder against the wall as he thought. Liam would have to wait it out a little longer until more of the guards disappeared on their—
“Matthew?”
Liam whirled around, panic racing through him. “Cedric.” He hadn’t even heard him walk up.
“What are you—” Cedric looked at him more closely, squinting in the dim light. “You’re—”
Liam didn’t have any time to think. He grabbed Cedric by the arm with one hand, bringing his closed fist to Cedric’s jaw. He stumbled backward but didn’t go down like Liam had expected.
“Ho to—”
“I don’t want to kill you, Cedric,” Liam said as he advanced toward him. “But I will if you bring other guards here. I won’t be taken prisoner again.”
Cedric hesitated only a moment before opening his mouth again.
Liam lunged forward, hitting Cedric at his temple harder than he had before, hoping it would be enough to knock him out this time. He really didn’t want to kill Cedric.
Cedric toppled backward, falling into a heap.
Liam let out a relieved breath before he went back to the corner of the building. Cedric hadn’t alerted anyone to his presence, even having yelled the first time. He had to move quickly—unlike Matthew Bridleson, people would notice an actual guard missing.
There were still a few lingering guards, but if he kept his head down and walked with purpose, Liam might be able to fool them into thinking he was joining the search. He was already in the uniform for it, at least. No one besides Vojvo and the now unconscious Cedric knew that he had one.
It was now or never. Liam looked back to Cedric to make sure he was still on the ground before jogging toward the palace. He stayed as stooped as he could to look like he wasn’t as tall as he was, keeping his head lowered enough to be partially obscured by his hat.
Few paid him mind, only one or two of the guards giving him a second glance as he passed. He slowed as he got closer to the west wing of the palace, ducking into the first door that he could to get inside.
He hoped with all of this that Captain Vojvo was still standing guard at Margaret’s room. Liam looked down each side of the corridor before heading further into the west wing. He walked with a steady pace, his shoulders back. He belonged there.
Liam avoided eye contact with anyone in the hall, keeping his eyes forward.
He belonged there.
If he believed it, they would believe it.
The further into the west wing he got, the faster his breathing became. He was so close now, and this would all be over until morning when they left the palace.
He belonged there.
Liam passed another corridor branching off the main hall. That was the one Margaret’s room was on when he first came here. Vojvo said it was only two further down—he was so close now.
Keeping his pace steady, Liam continued on. He belong—
Liam stopped short when he got to the second corridor. Guards were walking into the room to search for him.
Vojvo was still standing outside for him. He looked calm, his hands behind his back, until he saw Liam. His eyes went wide, his body rigid.
Liam couldn’t go in there. Not until they were gone. He waited until the door was closed before approaching Vojvo.
“Where the hell have you been?” he whispered harshly.
“The barracks.” Liam glanced around the hall, watching for any other guards.
“The bar—” Vojvo stopped himself, lowering his voice before continuing, “the barracks?”
Liam nodded. “I got caught by a guard, who escorted me back to the barracks when I said I was new and had gotten lost.”
“You can’t stay here—you’ll be caught for sure.” Vojvo scanned the hall as he spoke. “You have to go until they leave.”
“Where?” Liam spread his arms out, looking around. “There’s nowhere to hide in here.”
Vojvo pursed his lips, looking down the hall again. “There should be a servant’s corridor here.”
“That’s likely even less safe,” Liam protested.
“Figure it out,” Vojvo snapped. “Her Grace’s safety is my priority, not yours.”
Liam frowned at him. Vojvo was right—it should be both of their priorities. “Find a way to tell me when they’re gone,” he said before heading down the corridor.