The Prince's Gift

Chapter 27.

Zane's POV

I stalked down the hall in search of Ehren. I needed to find him. I needed him to tell me where she was being held. I could feel her, but it was dim in her state. I followed it as best I could, but I needed a lead. I made my way to the guest suites nearby and asked one of the servants which room was his after gentle coaxing. The young boy finally told me and I stopped short in front of his door, wrapping my fist against it as I took a calming breath. The door opened and Ehren's eyes widened before turning hard.

"I need your help." I said plainly.

He stepped to the side to allow me entry before closing the door behind him. I moved over to stand near his desk, noticing the paperwork scattered already across the wood desktop. Ehren moved to stand behind his chair, his fingers wrapping around the edge of the leather back as he eyed me suspiciously, waiting for me to proceed.

I sighed before answering. "I need you to tell me where he's holding her. I need to see her."

Ehren's jaw ticked for a moment before his eyes flashed to meet mine. "You know I can't do that." His voice was even and low, warning.

"If you don't, she's going to die." My voice was barely a whisper, but I know he heard it. The desperation was eating me from the inside out. I had to get to her.

His body tensed and he straightened, a little more alert as his jaw clenched tighter. "How so?"

I shook my head, glaring at him and taking a step closer. "He'll kill her knowing what she is. If she doesn't let go of my mark, he'll kill her anyway out of spite. I have to get to her. Now."

He sighed and ran a hand across his hardened face. I could see a flash of recognition in his eyes. He felt the same way about helping her as I did. "If I tell you this, he could have me killed."

"I will be careful. I know this castle better than anyone. I can say my mark helped me find her if I need to. I can feel her, but she's too weak for me to be able to get farther than that. I just need to be pushed in the right direction so I can get closer to her." My eyes were pleading with his and I could see his gaze softening. He cared about her. I could see that clear as day.

He exhaled slowly and stepped closer, lowering his voice so that only the two of us could hear it. "She's being held in the cellars with the rest of the body slaves. He likes to remind her of her place, so she's being kept with the group to force her to see it.

I nodded and thanked him before flashing out of the room and down the hall before someone saw me. I quietly took the back stairs that wound down further into the castle depths for what felt like an eternity. Each step seemed to grow in number as I proceeded deeper into the castle. I finally made it to the bottom landing, and felt the tightness of the hall around me. The ceilings were low with old wooden beams hanging over head. The walls were lined with cells and I could smell the scent of unwashed flesh and bodily fluids. My nose wrinkled in distaste and I fought back the urge to cover my mouth and nose as I walked down the hall.

The feeling inside of me slowly began to awaken. I could feel her. Sense her presence. She was close, but where? I heard quiet whimpers as some of the slaves noticed me and saw them shrink back in their cells, several of them pushed into a two person cell. Anger filled me at the sight, knowing that we'd allowed this to happen. We never kept slaves down here. They had their own quarters. This was usually only reserved for prisoners or newborns if they couldn't be contained, but my father allowed Maddox to continue his abuse of his property however he pleased here. It made me sick.

A sudden pang hit me and I knew she was near me. My head whipped to the right and I could feel eyes on me. I knew she was inside as the feeling in my chest began to buzz, swarming from within me as I walked closer to the door. I yanked the set of keys I'd found and began trying the lock, one by one to no avail. I growled and heard several quiet whimpers and the sound of bodies shuffling away from me in fear. I could smell it. This whole hall wreaked of it.