“But it doesn’t.”
“If you’re done,” Peter says, interrupting us. “The amulet, please?”
Reluctantly, I let go of her fingers and move across my cell. I reach into the opposite hole, hand the amulet to Peter, and then peer through until he gives it to the wizard.
“Now, a knife!” The wizard calls out.
“Rose, do you have a knife?”
“Uh, yes, actually.”
“Really?”
“The guards didn’t search me very well,” she says with a sly shrug. I have a feeling there’s more to the story than that, but I think I’ve done enough prying for one day.
“Thank you,” I tell her.
“You can thank me when we’re free and I save the king.”
“Why are you so intent on saving him, anyway?”
“Give the wizard the knife, Edward.”
She’s a cocky little thing. I’ll give her that. Most girls wouldn’t dare to talk to anyone that way, let alone a king. She’s not most girls, though. Is she?
I pass the knife along and then the wizard gets to work. Pacing my cell, I try to keep my mind from wandering too much as he’s working. Occasionally, a poof of smoke will shoot out of the cell opening and fill Peter’s cell with smoke. The poor man coughs and sputters, but doesn’t complain because we all know that if we can hold on just a little bit longer that the wizard will free us.
Just a little bit longer.
“I’ve got it,” he says suddenly, and I hear the lock on the wizard’s cell door fall to the ground.
Chapter 10
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Rose
It might be too late to warn the king about his friend. Perhaps I should have done a better job of not getting caught, but how could I have predicted that Wyatt’s room would be the one I’d dart into? I was beginning to think that the idea of fairy luck was a lie. We were supposed to have these easy, magical lives, and I suppose that we had, once upon a time.
The reality is that our magic has faded and with it, our hope. Our luck has all but withered away and right now, I’m just lucky to still be alive.
The lock on Peter’s cell clicks open, followed by Edward’s, and finally, mine. I’m more than a little anxious as I step out of my cell and see the men face-to-face for the first time. They all look worn and tired.
“What about Billy?” Peter asks.
“Ah, I forgot,” the wizard says. He moves over to the first cell in the row, whispers some magic words, and stabs the lock with my knife. It falls open and a very sleepy Billy comes out. He’s rubbing his eyes.
“What’s going on?” He says.
“We’re free,” Peter tells him. “Let’s go.”
Together, the two of them dart up the steps that lead out of the dungeon. Simple enough. I assume they’ll go on to lead happy, wonderful lives that are free from drama and danger. I hope they go home to their lovers or their spouses or whoever it is that makes them happy, and I hope they find contentment.
As for me, I have an obligation.
“You found my book,” the wizard says.
I’m trying to focus on him and not on the very tall, very masculine fae standing next to me. He’s very handsome, this Edward. He’s very brave and he’s a good listener and every part of me wants to climb him like a tree and just devour him.