Sabine. They can be trusted.”
I take a closer look at each of them. The men have lanterns, like Cas, and several weapons among them. That makes me all the more distrusting. “Why have they come?”
“To rescue Ailesse.” He frowns, confused by me. “She has three abductors, maybe more. I might be an excellent swordsman, but I’m not overconfident. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
“No, they can’t come with us.” My voice is more abrasive than I intended. “I never agreed to that.” The last thing I need is for an audience of sword-wielding men to witness their friend being slaughtered by Ailesse. Or worse, prevent her.
Cas crosses his arms. “Do you want to save Ailesse or not?”
“Of course I do, but we have to be smart. A barrage of soldiers will ruin our chance to attack by surprise.”
“Surprise can’t help us if we’re greatly outnumbered.”
I ball my hands. “If we make so much noise that they know we’re coming, Ailesse will be dead by the time we find her.”
Cas flinches when I say dead. His soldiers draw nearer to the bridge. He sighs and rakes a hand through his hair. “Where is she being held, Sabine?” He glances at the map. “Is it that place you thought was a bridge?”
I press my lips together and slightly avert my eyes. “No . . . the last time I saw her she was near the level right beneath the catacombs. Did you see how many tunnels are down there? You’d have to search for days before you found her, and by then she might be gone.”
He considers me. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m coming with you.” I push my shoulders back. “And I won’t tell you where we’re going until we arrive. And I won’t even take you there if we’re going with them.” I tip my chin at his soldiers.
Cas shifts on his feet. “Surely we can compromise. We have the same aim, after all.”
I don’t want to, but he’s just as stubborn as I am. We can spend hours we don’t have arguing about this, or we can find a middle ground on our terms. Even with all my graces, I can’t incapacitate nine men before I take him captive.
I eye the map again and spot a zigzagging staircase close to the bridge. It leads up past every tunnel level until it reaches a marked entrance outside. It looks like it’s a little over three miles away from here. “Ask your men to give us a head start once we reach the catacombs. The entrance where we’re going isn’t far from our final destination,” I add, without pointing it out on the map. “It will give us a window of time to see if we really need the extra help.”
He frowns. “Or it will give us an opportunity to be outnumbered and killed.”
I shrug and stand taller. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take to protect Ailesse. Are you?”
Cas rubs the side of his face, deliberating.
The soldiers reach us on the arched bridge, and I squirm, uncomfortable to be around so many men when I’ve only lived among women.
A young man with short-cropped hair steps forward, like he wants to speak to Cas, but then his gaze falls on me, and his brows lift.
Cas chuckles, prodding his companion’s shoulder. “Yes, Briand, she’s pretty. You can close your mouth now.”
Briand blinks and composes himself. “We’re, um, ready whenever you are.” He bows his head, but his eyes drift shyly back to me.
Cas takes a deep breath. “Very well. I agree to your plan, Sabine.” His beautiful smile melts all my frustrations with him. “Let’s go and rescue Ailesse.”
45
Bastien
I STAND IN THE TUNNEL and crank the wheel above the mine shaft until the last of the rope extends on the axle. I’m lowering Ailesse down to the level of the bridge first, to reserve her strength for ferrying.
It’s pitch-black all around me. My lantern is hooked on to the end of the rope. It wasn’t long before its light faded completely.
I wait a few moments and give the rope a tug. It’s still taut with Ailesse’s weight. Why hasn’t she let go? I don’t call her name. She wouldn’t hear me.
I shift on my legs. I’m about to crank the wheel again to raise her back up, when the tension on the rope releases. She let go.
Or she fell.
My heart pounds. There’s no way to tell until I’m down there myself.
I waste no time grabbing the rope