The Art of Courts and Lies (Book 1 in The Gifted Trilogy)

14- Blending In

It was a horrible, reckless, stupid plan.

But, as Briar continuously reminded me, it was all we had.

Surprisingly, getting past the guards stationed at the end of our hallway wasn't the hardest part. Briar had admitted to previously dropping a few lilac berries, a highly drowsy narcotic that caused its victims an almost immediate desire for sleep, into the canister of water meant for the guards that she saw a maid bringing downstairs.

"They'll be fine" she whispered over her shoulder as we slipped down the hall. I paused and took one last look back at the two slumped over men loudly snoring, only feeling partially bad. "I highly doubt the dosage I put into the drink is lethal."

Somehow, her reassurance didn't soothe me.

From the map Briar had been able to extract, we had mapped out a route through the castle that was based mostly off of servant's tunnels in order to have the best shot at remaining unseen. We had memorized the path before we left and as we silently crept through hall after abandoned hall, I started to feel more at ease with our plan.

We edged up another flight of stairs and silently padded across the velvet carpet under our feet with only the moonlight from the windows high above us to light our way.

Briar turned towards me and grinned as a small laugh escaped her curved lips. "We're almost there. Can you believe it? We're actually going to make it!"

But before I could respond, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps far closer than they should have been for me to had just now heard them; as if somebody appeared out of thin air a mere hallway down.

Briar and I froze in our tracks and shared a look of pure fear. I had never heard of a Garner participant ever escaping from this place before and I had no doubt that even roaming the halls after curfew was enough of a reason for Nox to punish me in his own twisted way.

Together we slowly took steps backwards, our pace becoming more hastened as the steps and murmur of voices grew louder.

Until suddenly my back hit a hard surface and I felt an arm wrap loosely around my shoulders. The body's familiar scent of woodsmoke and pine hit me just before I heard the words he whispered all too playfully into the shell of my ear.

"For once just go along with me, okay Silvertongue?"

I glanced over at Briar to see that Kesserian had wrapped his other arm around her shoulder. A cocky smile adorned his face as his gaze locked on whoever just turned the corner from the other hall.

I turned forwards to find Nox, Marlowe and Lux in the middle of a heated debate despite the fact that their voices barely reached above a whisper. At our presence, all three of them froze, taking in our presence with critical gazes.

Kesserian let out a low chuckle. "Looks like we've been busted ladies."

I forced my face to remain neutral. Whatever Kesserian was playing at, it couldn't possibly be any more dangerous than Nox with the knowledge that I was trying to escape.

Of the three, Marlowe was the first one to speak. "Wren. Briar." he nodded to the both of us as a form of greeting. "It's after curfew. What are you two doing out of your rooms?"

"Apologies Marlowe," Kesserian practically taunted, contempt and a dangerous playfulness dancing on the tip of his tongue. "I was in desperate need of some company and seeing as I couldn't find you lovely three, I took it upon myself to show these two doves what a good time in the Nature Court looks like."

Lux tilted his head sideways, his frown only slight enough to make him appear curious rather than scornful. "It wouldn't be wise if the men who created the rules of the Garner were ones to break their own rules, Kesserian."