I crouched next to the first door. “Hello? Anyone there?” I whispered through the crack underneath. Nothing. “Hey. Are you awake?” I called a little louder.
Shuffling noises, then a frightened female voice asked, “Who’s there?”
“My name is Opal. I was a prisoner here, as well. I just escaped. Who are you?”
“Faith Moon, First Adviser to Councilor Moon.”
First? Then I realized she was the former adviser, and one of the main people who’d conspired against Tama. A dilemma. She was supposed to be here.
“Hello? Are you still there? Please help us,” she pleaded.
“Us? Is someone with you?” I asked.
“Yes. Councilor Moon is locked in the room next to mine.”
The poor girl had lost her mind. Tama’s sister Akako must be in the second room. I thought fast. “I’m going to get help for you both. I’ll be back.”
“No! The authorities won’t help you. Come back! Are you there? Everyone believes Tama is safe at the Councilor’s Hall, but she isn’t there. Hello? She’s trapped in Akako’s body.” Sobs emanated.
I felt as if I’d been slammed flat by a heavy slab of marble. My lungs refused to work as shock gripped my entire being.
“Are you there? Please answer!”
Her harsh cry pierced my paralysis. “I’m here.”
“Thank fate!”
“Calm down, you’re getting loud.”
Faith sucked in a few gulps. In a low, intense voice, she continued, “I know it sounds insane, but you’ve got to believe me. Akako and a magician did…something to Tama’s blood and they switched…bodies.”
“I believe you.”
She gasped in surprise. I understood all too well. Before she could say more, I told her my plan to check the door at the top of the steps. If no one guarded the door, I would come back and free her and Tama. No way would I leave them behind.
“Can you unlock cuffs? They’ve chained her to the wall,” she said.
“Why?”
“To punish her. She tried to escape.” Pride filled her voice.
“Why didn’t Akako kill her?”
“She has information they need. They killed all her other supporters. I’m alive for only one reason. To ensure she cooperates.”
With that gruesome image in my mind, I crept up the stairs, feeling for the door. I counted fourteen steps before I touched the wood. The knob turned without a creak and I pushed. Unlocked, it swung open. No cry of alarm sounded.
I waited. Darkness pressed on the windows. When I was satisfied, I returned. The lock on Faith’s door resisted, but with more time than I could afford, I popped it, figuring out the trick to keep the pins aligned. Tama’s lock popped within seconds.
Faith quickly explained to Tama as I worked on the Councilor’s cuffs. The woman sagged in my arms when I finished. She whispered a thank-you in my ear before straightening.
“Let’s go,” Tama said.
We held hands, forming a line. I led the women to the steps. At the top, I instructed them to run as soon as we left the building. The presence of three people would no doubt alert Ulrick and Tricky, who, I hoped, slept on the second floor, since I hadn’t seen bedrooms on the first level.
“Faster is better,” I whispered. “If we get separated, meet up behind the Dolomite Inn’s stables.”
They nodded in determination.
It was a real shame we didn’t even make it to the door. Tricky and his men poured from the shadows, creating a barrier between us and freedom.
“I thought you were smart,” Tricky said to me. “Then again, you probably didn’t realize just how much power I’ve amassed since our last encounter. Your blood has given me a boost, and I’m well on my way to Master level.” He gestured to his men. Boar and Len grabbed Faith and Tama. They dragged the women back toward the stairs. Faith’s cries pierced me.
“You would have gotten farther without them,” Tricky said.
I shrugged, projecting nonchalance even though my heart crawled up my throat. Janco was being smart. If he tried to rescue me, Tricky would have him, too.
“Not much farther,” Tricky added. “As soon as you touched the basement door I knew. I’ll give you extra kudos for popping all those locks. I guess Ulrick didn’t do a proper search.” His gaze swept my body.
Oh no.
Boar and Len returned.
“You boys go to bed. I’ll see to our guest.” Tricky advanced.
The goons leered, made rude comments and left.
Not good.
“Time for a proper search. Take off your clothes.”
No way. I bumped into a gaffer’s bench. Scrambling around it, I kept backing up. He continued to advance until I hit a wall.
He stopped inches from me. “Last time. Strip.”
I fumbled with my shirt, yanking out the lock picks. “Here.” I thrust them at him. “They’re all I have. Honest!”
“Excuse me if I don’t trust you.” He reached for my collar.
I knocked his arm away. Big mistake. His magic wrapped around me, holding me immobile. He ripped my shirt open, then tore my undershirt off. His hot hands burned my skin as he pretended to search my upper body for weapons.
“Sir?” Aubin said from behind him.
He stopped. “It better be important.”
“You should wait for instructions from the Councilor before…harming her. Her cooperation is critical.”