Anne's POV

Anne shuddered on the inside as the disgusting guard stared at her. She would rather die than let him know she was afraid. 

She looked around for a weapon. The guards had been so sure they couldn't escape, they didn't even bother to tie their hands or feet together. They weren't even paying them that much attention, as they were talking to each other.

Andrew leaned over and whispered to her, "There's a pick to your right on the ground. When I give you the signal, go for it and I'll get a sword."

She nodded as she shivered. Did she shiver because of the adrenaline that was flowing inside of her? Or was it because she felt his warm shoulder against her arm? He wasn't like that disgusting guard. Andrew was protective and gentle with her. Why didn't she trust him before? 

As soon as she asked that question, her mind answered back. It was because of how men treated her in the past.

But Andrew wasn't like the other men. He never gave her a reason why she shouldn't trust him. She felt safe around him. Inside, she knew he would never hurt her intentionally, but still, her past haunted her.

A streak of bright red caught her eye. Andrew was still bleeding, reminding her how the guard cut Andrew with the sword.

Her heart somehow jumped in her throat. But it was only because she wished she had something to treat the wound. That was the only reason. She'd never felt an attraction to a man. Why would Andrew be any different? He was just becoming a friend. And she felt pity for his pain. That was it.

She leaned towards him and whispered, "Maybe I could cause a distraction to make one of the guards turn so you could get his sword."

Before he could answer, one of the guards yelled. "Quiet! No talking."

Andrew whispered, "Not yet."

Anne looked at the children. Two of the oldest, a boy and a girl, were whispering to each other. They suddenly looked at Anne.

One of the guards said, "Lie down and be quiet."

The two laid back down. Were they plotting how to escape like Anne and Andrew were? Or were they only talking just because?

After several minutes, Anne felt her eyes become heavy. She hated to admit it, but she was tired. 

She leaned her head back against the wall and allowed herself to close her eyes, but when she felt her head tilt to the side, she forced her eyes open. She had to stay awake. She pinched herself hard on her arm, but Anne's eyes kept closing. There was obviously no danger at the moment. She closed her eyes. How nice it would be to rest her eyes for a couple minutes.

Voices drifted in Anne's mind. Men were laughing and talking. Her head was resting against something hard but comfortable, but it wasn't the mine wall. It was Andrew's shoulder.

She sat up straight. The guards were still standing where they were before, staring at her and Andrew. Andrew was also looking at her.

"Go back to sleep," Andrew whispered. "I'll wake you if-"

"Quiet!" A guard kicked Andrew's foot. Andrew didn't even acknowledge the kick, but closed his own eyes and leaned his head back.

Part of her wanted to lay her head against his arm again, but the other part of her was embarrassed that she slept with her head on Andrew. How could she have let herself do that?

Her eyes were growing heavy again. If she fell asleep, would her head end up on her shoulder again? She forced her eyes open. Andrew shifted, his arm brushing against hers. Her heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly she heard footsteps, then Arthur's voice booming, "Welcome to my mine!"

The sleepiness disappears quickly at his voice. Even the guards stood straighter.

"How do you like my little business? It produces a ton of silver each month. My little workers know the consequences if it doesn't. And then, I thought of something... You two-" he pointed at Anne and Andrew-"are more valuable to me if you work in my mine than if I kill you. The thorn-in-my-side stepdaughter who tries to turn my wife against me, and the son of the wealthy and powerful Duke Ben of Dawnridge. With you two working in my mine, it should produce twice as much silver, maybe even more.

Anne glanced at Andrew. He was staring hard at Arthur, but his expression betrayed no emotion.

"How long do you think you can keep this up, Arthur?" Andrew said.

"As long as I want to. If I'd gotten rid of my stepdaughter a long time ago, no one would've discovered my plan. Everyone else is either too loyal or too dumb."

"You think you're smarter than everyone else, don't you?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed. Then he spun around and yelled, "Everybody else! No more sleeping! You're new coworkers just cost you the last hour of sleep. Get up!"

The guards standing near the children started kicking at their feet. The children on the floor sat up, their eyes barely open.

"You two," Arthur pointed at Anne and Andrew. "Get up and get to work."

Anne and Andrew went to a wall. Would they be given one of the picks? They were small but they could still be used as a weapon. Instead of a pick, the guards gave them a small, dull chisel.

"Get to work," one of the guards ordered. Something pocked her side and she looked down to see the guards poking her with a stick.

She glared at him, and he glared back. She turned back to the wall. After the guards moved away, Andrew whispered, "We'll escape soon."

Andrew's POV

After hours of work, Andrew and the rest of the workers were allowed to lie down and sleep. Anne lay a blanket next to his. He waited. Would the guards separate them?

Andrew looked around and made not of every bit of the mine that he could see. He didn't know how, but they would escape. It was just a matter of time. And when his father found out what Arthur had been doing, he'd bring justice.

A small pain hit Andrew in his chest when he thought about his father and how he once thought of his father being unjust, and how he disobeyed him. For the past year, the truth dawned on him more and more.

His father was a good man, just and fair. Andrew had been foolish to think otherwise. His pride was hard to admit, even to himself.

Pride. That was what was keeping him from going home. Joining the Engeler Knights and having to fight against his brother had begun to open his eyes. 

Why was he thinking about this now? He had to stay alert to an opportunity to escape and get Anne and the children out of here.

Poor Anne. She was probably already asleep. His own eyes were burning, and so was the cut in his chest. 

"Did you see those children? I wish the guards would let us talk to them."

Anne was talking to him. He rolled over and found himself face-to-face with her. 

"Which children?"

"The two older ones, and boy and a girl. I think they might help us."

What could two children do to help? But he didn't want to discourage her.

"They may know things we don't know about the mine that might help us," she said, shivering.

"That's true. Are you cold?"

"Not really." She sounded tires

"Go to sleep now." He sat up and said to the guards, "Arthur's daughter needs another blanket. Arthur wouldn't like it if one of his best workers dying because of the cold."

"It's not cold in here," one of the guards said. 

Another said, "How do you know what Arthur wouldn't like?"

A third guard muttered something as a got a blanket from a pile and tossed it to Andrew.

"Thank you," Andrew said.

He laid it over Anne. She was watching him.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Andrew wanted to be able to say that he would stay up all night and keep watch while she slept, but he wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep his eyes open. He soon heard Anne's even breathing indicating that she was sleeping. Soon Andrew's eyes were closing and he fell asleep.