Page 84 of Royal Guard

I finally found them, growing in thick curtains over a dark, narrow opening. If the palace guards had still been in charge, it would have been guarded. But General Novak had put the palace under military guard instead and the soldiers didn’t know about its secret passages.

I plunged inside. The passage wouldn’t get me to the medical facility, but it would get me to the dungeon and I had a pretty good idea who I’d find there.

If I was going to save Kristina, I was going to need some help.

63

KRISTINA

Carolineand I hurried through the hallways. I’d found a toolbox in the back of the van and brought it along in the hope it would make me look more convincing. It seemed to work because the soldiers we passed didn’t give me a second look. It was Caroline, with her long blonde hair and maid’s uniform, who drew their eyes. My hopes started to rise as we neared the elevators. If we could just reach them and get down to the medical facility—

And then Aleksander came out of a doorway ahead of us.

I quickly stared at the floor. When I dared to look again, he was walking down the hallway, his back to us. Two of General Novak’s soldiers were accompanying him.

We followed a few steps behind. Caroline looked as shaken as I was. If they looked round….

But Aleksander was busy talking on his phone.After a few moments, I realized it was General Novak he was talking to. They were planning a TV address to the nation.They’re going to tell everyone we’re going to war!

Aleksander and the soldiers reached the elevators... and instead of passing by as I’d hoped, they stopped and pressed the button.Dammit!Caroline and I came to an awkward halt and tried to look inconspicuous.

The elevator arrived and they got in. I froze when I saw Aleksander hit the button for the medical facility. At the same time, I saw one of the soldiers check his rifle. Making sure it was ready to fire.

My stomach twisted. They were on their way to kill my parents.

64

GARRETT

The secret passagetook me into the dungeons, just as Kristina had said it would. It was part of the palace I’d never been in and the first part I came to was full-on medieval, the stone walls worn smooth with age and the iron bars crumbling. But further in, the cells had been restored. I crept through the hallways, keeping to the shadows. Praying that in one of them, I’d find—

There.

They were asleep, but there was no mistaking the huge, squat silhouette on one bunk, or the way the other occupant lay ramrod straight on his back, his hands folded neatly on his chest. I ducked around the corner and waited until a soldier passed by. I crept up behind him and slammed him into the bars, hard enough to knock him out. The two men inside the cell woke up fast.

“Where’s The Queen?” asked Emerik immediately.

“Trying to rescue her parents,” I told him,unlocking the door. “She needs your help.” I looked between them. “Ineed your help.”

Jakov bent, picked up the soldier’s rifle and handed it to Emerik, then took the handgun for himself. He motioned me to lead the way. But halfway down the hallway, a voice stopped us. “Hey!”

I turned. A slender guy in a suit was gripping the bars of his cell. “Is Caroline okay?”

Sebastian.The poor bastard who’d been framed as a traitor.

He was shaking his head. “I swear, I’m not working for Garmania. Please, just tell her I love her.”

“You can tell her yourself,” I said, and unlocked his cell.

Together, we moved off through the hallway. We were vastly, comically outnumbered. But in a weird way... it felt as if I had my squad back.

I just hoped it was enough to save her.

65

KRISTINA

The doors slid closedand Aleksander’s elevator began its descent. I dropped the toolbox and sprinted for the door that led to the stairwell. Caroline caught on and raced after me. Our only chance now was to get there first.