Chapter7
Finn and Leo had been pacing theliving room since Jessen left. Altar was at least sitting but thelong distance stare he was sporting made it clear he was just asworried. They hadn't been thinking clearly, they were too close tothis. Keeping them from going off half-cocked had been a challenge,but if Jess didn't return soon she wasn't sure how much longer shewas going to be able to keep them all here. Convincing them to notstorm the palace in a rage had taken hours to accomplish. Agreeingto let Jessen track Elora's scent to ensure they at least knew forcertain where she was had been the only reason the others stayed put.
"We know who has her!" Leosnapped.
"You don't know." Gyllianasserted. She stayed sitting on the arm of the sofa, trying to exudea level of calmness and authority she didn't have. "You assume. You're probably right, but until Jess gets back and confirms that,it's pointless to go anywhere."
"He'll kill her."
"Not yet. He wants you and Finntwisting. Killing her straight off the bat would be pointless, she'smore useful alive as leverage. Just calm down."
"DON'T TELL ME..."
Finn silenced him with a gesture.
Jess came bursting into the roombreathing heavily. "She's at... the palace." Thank the gods forthat wolfs' sense of smell. While Gyllian had also assumed theKing had been behind Elora's abduction, he could have stashed heranywhere, not just at the palace. Leo glared at Gyllian, a veryclear 'told you so' on his face. "Couldn't get close enough tofind out where she'd being kept. The king had nearly tripled theguards by the time I got there, and I'm sure there will be moresoon."
"We'll never get near her with bruteforce." Altar gaze hadn't shifted. "We'll have to sneak herout."
"You can't sneak into or outof that palace." Finn rolled his eyes. "It's an impenetrablefortress, there is no way in that isn't monitored by guards andcameras."
It had been strongly rumored that waspart of the reason Finn moved out in the first place, tired of havinghis liaisons and friends having to go through a security check everytime they came or went. Especially, since it was also rumored hisfather turned away several of his guests just because he didn'tlike them.
Given how much of an 'open door'policy Finn had at this house, she was inclined to believe it wasprobably true, in part anyway.
"Yes... there is." Gyllian had areally, really dumb idea.
♫
It was all kinds of stupid. Therewere a thousand variables she wouldn't be able to account for, and itrelied heavily on being able to control herself, which she oftencouldn't do. It was too risky; she would be revealing herself, andwhat if they did get caught? It was the safest way to get Elora outof the palace, with the highest probability of none of them beingseen, and that was all that mattered in the end.
Not that she had needed the time toplan, but she insisted that they wait. It was almost daylight, andnot only did she want to attempt his rescue mission in the dead ofnight when the guards would be at their most vulnerable, she wantedto make sure it would be dark enough for long enough that if anythingwent wrong they'd still have time.
The sun had barely sunk beneath thehorizon the next night when Finn, Leo, Altar and Jess all followedher to the palace. Gyllian had tried to insist that she was finewith just Finn, but the other three had refused to stay behind. It'snot like Finn wouldn't tell Jess and Alt once he knew, she tried toremind herself.
