Sons of Ironstorm - Book 2: Griffon's Call

Escape

The prince nodded and, with a grunt, Will helped him the rest of the way back up to his feet. That done, the two comrades then carefully maneuvered their way out of the cell and eased up to the corner of the hallway, Will supporting Lawrence with an arm about the prince's waist. To help, Lawrence put his arm over Will's shoulder, leaning heavily on the young lord.

Upon reaching the corner, Will eased Lawrence to the floor before carefully stepping forward. Holding his breath, he leaned around the corner just far enough to glimpse down the remainder of the hallway. He grinned when he found it empty. He turned his head and shoulders just enough to smile and nod.

"We're in luck! The guards are in the middle of their watch change." he reported with a whisper.

Grinning in silent triumph despite his pain, Lawrence used the wall to push himself back to his feet, Will swiftly joining him to lend him support. Together they slipped around the corner to begin making their way towards a short staircase visible at the far end, its mouth illuminated by a single, flickering oil lamp. Hopefully it led upward and out. As they shuffled along, the two held their collective breath. At any time the watch change would be completed and a Suntrooper guard or two could come walking down that staircase, or step from one of the cells and their brief escape attempt would be over.

Instead of a church soldier surprising them, however, it was the soft, husky whisper from the last door before the stairs that caught the two unprepared.

"Who goes there?" the voice demanded, thick with pain. "What have you done with my brother and father?"

"Cajastus?" Lawrence husked in amazement as he pulled Will towards the door. "Is that you in there?"

"Lawrence?? If that isn't salt water in the wound, . . How did you manage to get free?" the big Caliphran prince asked in reply, soft, scrabbling sounds coming from within the cell as his voice grew louder and closer to the door.

"Will, my aide," Lawrence replied, looking back at his friend with a smile and nod. "He pulled the bars off my cell window."

"And your guard?"

"We surprised him; he's now the rather cold occupant of my former cell." That last revelation through the door itself as Lawrence leaned against it.

"By the sea's fury!" the Caliphran swore softly from somewhere close to the other side. "Anyone else with you?"

"No; it looks as though we two were the only prisoners in this wing. And we've managed to time our escape to the changing of the watch. There's not a guard to be found anywhere. But I suspect we've little time before they return."

"Then you best get out before they do, Ironstorm," Cajastus suggested tautly.

"Not without you, Tepshad," Lawrence retorted, gesturing for Will to try the key ring still clutching in one hand for a key to open the door.

"I'm not going anywhere." Cajastus hissed, frustration and chagrin coloring his pain-filled words. "At least, not on these broken legs."

"An obstacle we'll shortly overcome," Lawrence said in a hoarse whisper as Will selected a key from the dozen on the ring and pushed it into the rusted lock holding Cajastus' door shut.

They quickly discovered their luck was holding; with a soft rattle and the screech of rusted metal on metal, the lock sprung free and Will pushed the door open. Inside they found a curled up Cajastus-el sitting against the wall, only a step from the door. The big Caliphran raised a blooded and bruised face, his cheek obviously broken, eyes nearly swollen shut. But there was no mistaking the joy in his ragged smile.