The Prince of Ilios

Seventy-Four

Tiara glanced down the hall, then moved back to the group, "Well, the first part of the plan is in place faster than we anticipated."

"Yes, I am just sorry that Ellora had to be a casualty for it to happen." Nissa grimaced.

"What?" River stood over them, "First part of the plan?"

"Yes." Tiara answered cooly, "We needed someone to infiltrate Cyrus's team. Alyn made that happen."

River's skin crawled, "He didn't know what he was signing up for!"

"It is all the same anyway. He will most definitely return to help us." She smiled and glanced at Ava, "We have someone he loves in our midst."

River looked at Ava, "You are not blackmailing him. Ava is not a pawn!"

"No, but things worked out pretty conveniently, don't you think."

"It doesn't matter if I don't like the way that you think, Tiara." River practically shouted.

Nissa stood up, "What's done is done, River. We are desperate, and we need to move to the next part of the plan. You and Ava want to escape just as much as we do."

River grimaced. It was true, but she didn't like the way this sounded. However, she could not afford to be picky at this point. "Fine." She conceded, "What is the rest of the plan?"

---

Nicola grabbed his chains. He called his element, running electricity through them to weaken their hold, then pulled with everything he had. They broke with a brittle snap. He moved away from the throne room and out of the castle, being careful not to be caught. His flashbacks had him breathing hard, but also there had been something else intermingled with them. Images of Ellora bound to a pillar in Ilios and whipped. The pain in her back seemed to transfer to his own nerves, making him feel like he was perpetually on fire. His breathing became labored until she passed out. He staggered his way down a set of side stairs and out into the open air where he took in a deep breath, hoping the air would cleanse him. I will come back for you, Ellie, but i have something else to do first. His heart wrenched at the idea of leaving her in Cyrus' hands, but family had driven him thus far. He could not stop now, no matter how torn he was, you are strong, hold on! He mentally urged her on.

He drew his fingers to his mouth and blew a whistle. He needed to find his sisters and make sure that they were safe. His horse came to him. He climbed up and directed the stallion toward Anemos. It would be a few days journey a farther distance than to Ilios. He only hoped that he would get there in time, before Cyrus moved to Anemos.

---

Alyn was lead into the barracks. One guard threw a uniform at him. They gathered around him as though he were a prized pig in a stall. Alyn laced his boots, trying not to think too hard about what had just transpired.

A gruff man in a similar uniform came up to him, "So the Prince of the Southern Isles has come to grace us with is presence, huh men?"

A slinky man next to him, the weasel, nudged the man with his elbow, "King Cyrus said we should get him settled in, Captain."

Alyn grimaced, he didn't like the sound of this. He stood, showing the Captain his cuffs, "How am I supposed to serve his Highness to the best of my ability without my elements?"

The weasel took a step back, "He's a water bearer, sir. Like that girl who destroyed the port."

The Captain nodded, "It wouldn't be safe to let you run rampant with your elements. Certainly, you can understand, if you were not in control, you could destroy the kingdom."