the alley. Not far down the way was the hole that Narrie had mentioned. It was more of a crater. There was a chunk missing out of the ground, and an entire section of the wall had crumbled. They’d have to climb over rubble. “Everyone ready?” He looked over the other three and nodded to them.
Erik touched his shoulder, “I’m with you, Son.” There was a long moment between them, and then, “You’re mother would be proud.”
Mathieu smiled. “She’d be proud of you, too, Erik. But we need to go now.”
They made their way to the wall, but Vincent went over the mount of rubble first, using his sure feet to map a path over the shifting debris. Mathieu followed him over, only slipping once. The trek was rather long because of its roundabout nature, but they all made it over without injury. Narrie stood next to him, looking up at the glittering glass of the palace. “There it is…”
“It’s like there’s a shadow hanging over it, you know?” Mathieu said, resting his hand on the pummel of his sword to reassure himself. “I think it’s Avian. She knows were coming home.”
Vincent let out a long, low howl that was echoed off the rest of the castle’s protective walls. A few seconds later, another wolf song rose up from further away, singing back to him. With that, he put his nose to the ground and headed for the front door.
“I guess that’s our signal to go?” Narrie questioned.
Erik nodded. “That was Banin. Vincent wanted him to know where he was.”
Mathieu and Narrie took point as soon they had passed through the large front door. “Where do you think he is going be hiding?”
“Who?”
“The flying dolphin.” Mathieu replied sarcastically, then sighed. “The King, Narrie. The reason we’re here.”
She smacked her forehead, “My bad; should have realized that. He’ll be in his office. Three floors up from the Throne room.”
“Servant’s stairwell?”
“Or we could follow the one with the razor sharp nose,” Erik cut in to their conversation, pointing to Vincent who was once again in the lead. Vincent took them through the Throne room, stopping to sniff the King’s chair. He raised his nose into the air and took a deep sniff, then started down a side corridor.
“Where the hell is he going?” Narrie asked, following the wolf down the hallway. They made their way down the hallway into an open area that Mathieu had never seen before.
Mathieu watched as Vincent walked a few circles around the room. “No clue.” Then Vincent took the bottom of a tapestry in his mouth and pulled until it came free from the wall. Behind it was a heavy, iron door locked with two different locks.
“Well, I’ll be damned if I’ve never seen this before.” Narrie said. If she was admitting to not knowing about something in the castle, it really must have been well hidden.
“There they are!” A strong voice from behind them shouted.
Mathieu rounded on the man, drawing his sword. “Jaken.” His eyes narrowed at the man.
But Narrie stepped forward from their group. “Mathieu, go. I can handle him and his little goonies.” She held a hand out and the water started to pull from the air. “Wanna dance, Jaken?” The head guard sneered at her as two more joined him.
But Mathieu couldn’t watch them any longer. He was fumbling to undo the locks with his energy, and then threw the door open as soon as they both click open into his hands. “Erik, let’s go. Now. Narrie, stay safe!” He was already sprinting up the stairs.
“Will do!” She yelled after him.
As they ran up the narrow stairway, Mathieu panted out orders to Erik, “No matter what, Erik, you have to get the queen out to safety, okay?”
“But--”
“No, Dad.” He put a special emphasis on that word, “Just do it. I can take care of the King by myself. I promised Avian I’d protect her mom.” They came out in a dark, small room just before another door. Vincent whined softly. “Is he in there?” The wolf bobbed his head. “Okay then. This…this is it.” Mathieu’s heart was pounding in his throat. He put his hand on the doorknob, but he was trembling so hard he couldn’t turn it. Panic was welling up in him. This was the moment he had been working towards for so long, since losing his best friend. So much had changed, and this would put it beyond changing back. An explosion rocked the castle from not far away.
“Bets on