Chapter 159

Written at the bottom of the note, under the message was a time, date, and location, as well as an extra addition: Come alone.

Safely back in my room, I tuck the note into my pocket with the intention of hiding it from everyone. Bethany would undoubtedly try to talk me out of going, and Caleb might actually chain me to the bed again if he knew I was considering it.

I couldn’t trust anyone in this case, knowing they would all hold me back from what I really wanted. What I really wanted is to go to this meeting.

Yes, it’s risky as hell, but everyone else has been taking so many chances, why shouldn’t I?

I’m tired of feeling cooped up and helpless. If I can find information out about the rebel leader, it could serve all of us well.

Caleb is still waiting on Tristan to return and report, but he’s been away for a long time. I don’t want to think the worst, but it’s possible he’s met a dead end or maybe he’s too far undercover to be able to safely send us a message.

I trust Tristan with my life, but we couldn’t depend on him for everything. His mission is high risk. We need other options just in case, or we’d be kept in the dark until it’s far too late.

Leah’s mockery has me rattled as much as the note. Yes, I’m certain she’s just talking out of her ass, making stuff up, but what she did have to say wasn’t wrong necessarily.

There is a rebellion that is plotting against Caleb. Someday soon, they might even come here. We can’t properly trust the guards and soldiers. There’s no way of telling who’s already been turned to the rebellion.

I won’t just wait for the rebels to come here and kill Caleb and me, for being loyal to him.

This message could be a trap. Perhaps the rebels just want to kill or capture me. But if the alternative is for me to wait around to be killed or captured anyway, I don’t see the problem.

When Bethany returns later, I keep up a front, not wanting her to be suspicious of me. The date and time for the meeting is tonight, not giving me much time to prepare. There’s no time to think, which is likely part of their plan.

I either have to go or sit this out. Right now, I want to go.

Bethany still detects my nervousness. “Is something going on?” We’re too good of friends.

She still has her arm in a sling. There’s no way I would endanger her again.

“No,” I tell her. “Well…” It doesn’t hurt to tell her about Leah, I suppose, so I do.

Her eyes are wide. “You told me you weren’t planning to do anything today.”

“I wasn’t,” I say. “But I thought of her, and wanted to make sure she’s okay.”

“Is she…?” Bethan asks.

“She needs more books.” I haven’t forgotten Leah’s request. Already, I have composted a letter to the guard captain of the dungeons, asking him to supply her with a change of books now and again. Later, if I survive, I will go down and ask her if she has any genres she would prefer.

“Ah.” Bethany seems satisfied with the explanation of my strangeness and for that I’m grateful. The less I have to explain myself, the more I might actually pull this off.

In the evening, I dismiss her, and after bidding me goodnight, she retreats to her own room.

The guard at my door is my next obstacle, though I have a plan for him too. The night shift guard does not know me as well as the day shift one, as I rarely leave my room at night.

So, it’s unlikely he would recognize me if I were to, say, dress up as a servant.

Donning my servants disguise – or at least the parts of it that Caleb didn’t shred, I check myself in the mirror. My pants are nicer than servant pants, but hopefully the guard wouldn’t look too closely. With my hair done up in the usual servant fashion, I wait for the guard to arrive.

Lucky day, another guard comes along and the two start talking. With this distraction, I slip out of the room. I keep my head low, demure, acing unassuming yet confident as a servant would.

Neither of the guards even glance my direction.

Victory!

I keep my steady pace as I walk toward the stairwell, not wanting to draw attention to myself. To any casual observer, I am just a servant who lives in the underground, on my way home.

In the stairwell, I hurry, making it all the way to the underground entrance. The minute I step out of the stairwell and into the house-like rooms beyond, a hand grabs me by the arm and I’m shoved up against a wall.

I open my mouth to scream when a hand closes over it.

Is this the rebellion? Was it truly a trap all along? Have they come to capture me?

I force my eyes open, ready to face my attacker, and find myself looking straight into the eyes of the Alpha King.

“Caleb?” I ask, my voice muffled against his hand.

He lowers it. “Going somewhere?” He asks, his voice ice cold, his eyes flashing dangerous red.

“Just… out for a walk…”

His eyes narrow. “Think twice before you try lying to me again.”

Swallowing thickly, I try a different tactic: diversion.

“How did you know I left my room?” I ask.

“I’m having you watched,” Caleb says. He plucks at the collar of my servant disguise. “You have to know this was never going to work. The guards I put on your door are those most loyal to me. Others, I doubt, but not them.”

In a way, that’s flattering. Caleb wouldn’t jeopardize my safety with people he doesn’t trust.

On the other hand, if he’d been a little more lax with his security, maybe this would have worked.

“Remember what happened the last time you tried to leave without telling me,” he says, a threat in his voice. I flush slightly, but I don’t think he’s talking about the blissful punishment that occurred after the fact.

No. He means Ted’s betrayal and Bethany being shot.

“Tell me where you are going,” Caleb says.

With a sigh, I reach into my pocket and scrounge out the note. I hold it up for him. He snatches it out of my hands. As he reads it, the flash of red in his eyes becomes full red.

“Where did you get this?” he demands.

“I was in the dungeons today, visiting Leah. Another prisoner passed this to me.”

“This is for tonight,” Caleb says.

“Yes.”

“In an hour.”

“Yes.”

“You were truly going to meet the rebel leader?” A growl deepens his voice. “What if they kill you?”

“What if they don’t,” I say. “Isn’t it worth the risk, if we could find out who the leader is?”

“No,” Caleb says at once.

“Tristan is taking too long to return. Something could have happened to him.”

“That doesn’t affect you.”

“This is our chance!” I say, pleadingly. “This might be our only chance!”

“Caleb, please. Let me do something that might help you.”

Caleb, frowning, looks at the note, then back to me.

“If you insist on going to meet the rebel king,” he says, “then I insist we go together.”