The Unwilling Queen

Human sacrifice

Hallways and rooms were dark even in the mid-day. Black clouds still rumbled overhead, blocking out the sun and grumbling unnaturally. Perhaps it was a storm prime, or leftover from Avery's explosion, or just a bad weather day. Pike glanced up at the clouds and stopped abruptly. "The entrance has to be close. We're almost directly underneath the wall."

Hazel took a deep breath. "Lanthus. Could you wait by the window in a shadow for us? A backup plan. Surprise."

Lanthus scanned the courtyard below the tower. "None of the soldiers are looking back here. They're all focused on the city walls."

"If you can get me to that roofline, I can scramble up the stone as well," Shawi added with a flick of her tail.

"That's a big fall," Pike observed.

Shawi lifted a shoulder. "Cats always land on their feet."

Lanthus grabbed her under the shoulders and vaulted out the window. The humans sprinted down the hallway using the plush carpet to hide their footsteps. Ornate double doors adorned the far end.

"What do you want to bet there's a set of stairs behind those doors?" Pike asked.

"No bet," Hazel said, leading the charge.

Shouts echoed down the hall ahead of them and the humans dashed for cover. There were statues and paintings in the hall but Pike was really looking for a broom closet. A place no one would think to look but with cleaning solutions that would mask their human scent. He selected an unremarkable door, no label or ornamentation to suggest it held anything important. Ripping it open he practically threw Skye inside with Hazel and Vireo close behind.

It wasn't technically a closet; though hardly much bigger than one. The windowless room was drab and dank, paint peeling in the corners where mold was growing. A single table was protected by a thick layer of books and documents weighted down with bubbling vials and glass jars. More papers filled with equations and sketches were pinned to the walls and the floor was nearly impassable from the books and boxes stacked there. And in the middle of it all stood a young sapien, his mouth hanging open in a horrified 'O' as the humans crowded the tiny space, their blades gleaming.

Vireo reacted first, taking three steps and pressing her sword tip to his throat. "A sound and you die," she whispered. He raised his hands in surrender and pressed against the far wall, cringing as he waited for death. There was no arrogant challenge or disdain for a human thinking she could take a sapien life. Just surrender.

They held their breaths, the sapien included, and listened. Hazel and Pike took up positions on either side of the door but Skye studied the formulas on the wall and glanced at the chemistry happening on the table. "What are you doing?"

"I--I--I'm an alchemist," the sapien stammered.

"And this is your office?" Vireo sneered, gesturing to the mess around her.

"I chose it because that way I could work in private," he whined. His chin shook in fear and Pike wondered if he might wet himself. "I didn't want them to steal my work again."

"You're in the fucking castle. If you wanted secrecy there are much more discreet places to work," Vireo said.

The sapien's eyes darted between the humans and blinked back tears. "They wouldn't let me leave. I knew too much..."

"Why would Safira care about a lowly alchemist?"

"Not Safira; Sarlac. I figured out what he was trying to do, and I helped him."

Pike's blood pounded in his ears. He had no idea what sick experiments were happening in this closet but if this sapien had helped that disgusting male then he was just as bad. "That makes things easy. Kill him."