The Dragon Liberator: Escapee

-26-

Fog followed Thea's gaze. "Is there any place we should look first after this?"

Fendrel shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to figure that out on the way." He pulled a tattered brown scarf from his bag and covered the bottom half of his face with it. As Cassius handed him the scribbled note, he took a deep breath and started toward the city gate's entrance.

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Fendrel kept his head down and held the scarf to his face while he approached Sharpdagger's gate. Two guards stood on edge on either side. They eyed him suspiciously.

One of the guards smirked. "Got something to hide?" He nodded at the scarf.

Fendrel coughed into the scarf.

The guard grimaced. He held a disgusted expression as he took the note from Fendrel's outstretched hand. He opened it while Fendrel slinked through.

Grinning, Fendrel hurried through the crowded streets toward the palace. He spied at the guards standing impenetrable at the palace doors. They would only let merchants and other guards through.

A guard stomped the rear end of his spear into the cobblestone street. "Do you have any business here?"

Fendrel blinked, unaware that he had been staring. "Uh..."

Before he could answer, the gate guard who took the note ran to the others in front of the palace. The guard whispered to the others, just loud enough for Fendrel to hear. "The prince is coming back to reconcile and be married. And he has urgent news for the king."

As if a switch was flipped, the guards became ecstatic and left their stations to enter the palace. The first guard patrolled the city, relaying the news of Cassius' return.

Fendrel snuck through the palace doors before they thudded shut and glanced around. No one noticed his entry. They were too busy making preparations. Well, all except one person missed his entry.

One guard gripped Fendrel's shoulder hard. "Any trespassers in the palace will be taken to the captain."

Oh shoot, he's taking me to Zoricus. Don't struggle, you'll look suspicious.

Fendrel didn't struggle. He went along with the guard through doors, down a corridor, and into the guard's chambers.

Zoricus, unarmored, paced alone in the open space.

"Captain, this civilian was trespassing in the throne room." The guard tightened his grip on Fendrel's shoulder.

The knight's eyes sparked dangerously. His head snapped toward Fendrel.

Fendrel kept his hand against the scarf. He looked down, trying to think of something to say.

Zoricus leaned toward him. "What's so important about you that you think you can enter without consent?" His eyes narrowed. "Who are you? You seem familiar." He reached for Fendrel's scarf.

Fendrel's eyes widened. He ripped his shoulder out of the guard's grip and kicked Zoricus in the stomach.

The knight doubled over with a yelp and Fendrel dashed out through the open doors.

Angered shouts followed Fendrel's fleeing steps. He didn't know where he was going, but he kept running. He stayed as far from the inner halls of the palace as possible, sticking to the walls.

Fendrel ran through a doorway ahead of him. He entered into a hall that was open on the right side to the royal gardens with the palace wall blocking the left side. Columns holding up the ceiling flashed in Fendrel's vision as he looked over the garden for an escape route.