faced her husband, knowing the enormous and risky task before them.
“I don’t want to say goodbye,” Dexter said.
“Then don’t.”
He grinned, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “But I do need to tell you to be careful. We don’t know what Eldon has planned.”
“I know.” She slid her hands behind his neck, shoving the fear for what lie ahead out of her mind. All she wanted to do right now was focus on her husband.
“Eldon might not know we’re coming for him tonight, but that doesn’t mean he won’t have certain precautions in place.”
“I’ll be careful,” she promised, “on one condition. You need to be careful as well. Let your men handle the situation. Don’t try to do it all on your own.”
He chuckled, his eyes softening as he regarded her.
“Promise me,” she insisted.
“I promise.” He kissed her forehead. “Once you’ve gotten Gytha and the soldiers into position at the king’s suite, I want you out of the way.” He kissed her right cheek. “If fighting breaks out, I don’t want you injured or killed in the chaos.” He kissed her left cheek.
She couldn’t insist on helping since she’d made him promise the same thing. “Okay.” She tilted her head up, and his lips devoured hers. Going onto her tiptoes, she deepened the kiss. His fingers dug into her sides.
Ackley cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but your men are here and everyone is ready.”
Dexter placed his hands on either side of Reid’s face. “Be safe,” he whispered. “I love you.” He kissed the tip of her nose before letting go and striding out of the tent, already barking orders.
Gytha entered. “Are you ready?” She scanned Reid from head to toe.
Reid nodded. She’d been going over the layout of the passageways in her head, trying to make sure she remembered the path she needed to take. They couldn’t afford to get lost or make a wrong turn.
After exiting the tent, Reid led Gytha, along with six Melenia soldiers, toward the palace. When they reached the side entrance—the same one she’d gone in through with Harlan the first time she’d visited the place—she found the door locked. Gytha withdrew her dagger, breaking the lock off and popping the door open. In the hallway, Reid counted her steps until she hit one hundred. Then she pressed on the bottom stone with her foot. The lock clicked, and a hidden door swung open. She waved everyone in, closing the door behind her.
A wave of dizziness overcame her. Everything was happening so quickly she hadn’t had time to think.
“Lady Reid?” Gytha whispered.
In complete darkness, mild panic set in. What if she led these people the wrong way? What if she led them to their deaths?
“Dexter is counting on you,” Gytha reminded her.
Stifling her fear, Reid put her hand to the wall just as Nara had shown her all those weeks ago. She could do this. “Everyone, press against the wall to the left,” she whispered. From here on out, they couldn’t talk since they’d be walking alongside interior hallways and guests’ bedchambers. Going to the front of the line, she whispered, “Place your hand on the shoulder in front of you.” Standing in front of Gytha, she waited for the woman to put her hand on Reid. “What’s wrong?”
“I have a dagger in one hand and a sword in the other. I don’t have a third hand to put on your shoulder.”
“Put the sword away,” Reid hissed. The secret passageways were narrow and the space too confined to have a sword in hand.
Gytha huffed but complied. Once she sheathed the weapon, she put her free hand on Reid’s shoulder.
Taking a deep breath, Reid led the way, keeping her left hand on the wall. It was a trick Nara had shown her in order to not get turned around in the darkness, as well as to help with her balance.
She made turn after turn until she came to the stairwell. It was so narrow some of the soldiers had to turn sideways in order to fit. Reid led them up to the fourth floor. Once there, she took a second to pause and listen for any signs of fighting that could be going on in the palace.
The only sound she heard was an eerie silence that somehow matched the dark passageways.
With her heart pounding, she led the way toward the king’s suite. There should be an offshoot of the passageway that would lead directly to his room. She just had to make sure