Anne's POV

Anne hid behind a corner as she watched the guards walk away from the office door. Once they were gone, she hurried to the door, opened it, and slipped inside, closing it carefully behind her. She went to the desk and stared down at the paper. 

Her eyes scanned it, trying to memorize every detail, but it didn't  make any sense. It looked like a map, but there wasn't any name, and nothing looked familiar. There were several symbols: X's, lines, squares, and triangles. Some other symbols looked like trees and there was a drawing that looked like a pile of rocks. 

At one end, there was a gate. Could it be one of Pinecrest's gates? She closed her eyes and pictured the east gate. There was a hill and a rocky area in the east. Maybe this was a map of the area outside of the east gate. That was also the hill where The Beast attacked her Andrew, and that was the forest where she found Emma. 

She looked closer at the map. What did these symbols mean? There was a blank space behind the rocks. Could that mean a hole? A tunnel? Or a mine?

This could be the place where Emma had been. Were the other children there? 

Her foot bumped a box on the floor next to the desk .

She looked in the box, and inside were more pieces of parchment. She drew out the one on top, unfolded it, and laid it on top of the desk. It was also a map, but this one was more detailed.

Should she take the map with her? Would Arthur realize she was the one who took it? There would be horrible consequences if he caught her. He would probably kill her. 

She looked at the other papers. They were records of money. Maybe they were proof of how Arthur got so much money all of a sudden. She would have to risk taking the map and the paper since she needed evidence to show the duke of Dawnridge. 

She took the papers and stuffed them into her sleeve and stepped towards the door.

Voices came from the dining room where Arthur and Andrew were. Should she go into the room so Andrew knew she was finished in the office or would that be too suspicious?

The cooks were standing at the door between the kitchen and the dining room, looking through the cracks. 

"Is there anything sweet?" Anne deliberately made her voice loud.

The cooks jumped and spun around. 

"You scared us to death," one of them whispered. 

"I'm sorry." She kept talking loudly. "I think I found something." She pointed to a pastry, but the words were for Andrew.

Andrew's POV

Andrew pretended to drink the wine Arthur poured for them. He did his best to nod and smile when Arthur talked on and on about himself. Then he heard Anne's voice in the kitchen. He kept his gaze on Arthur but listened intently to Anne.

"I think I found something." 

She said something else that was too low for him to hear. Then he heard her say, "I'm going hunting."

Other voices answered her.

Arthur kept on talking. "Except for the snakes, which you will  get rid of, right? To win Anne?"

Andrew smiled. "You know, I'm going to make a plan right now. I have a lot of ideas." He got up from his chair. 

"Ideas? Why don't you tell me?"

"Oh poison them, trap them, drive them into the river. Many ideas." Andrew went to the door. 

Arthur was still talking.

"Thank you! I'm off to kill some snakes." Andrew hurried out the door before Arthur could say another word.

Andrew glanced around. He saw some snakes slithering down the street. People scrambled to get out of the way. He spotted Anne walking down another street and ran after her.

He caught up with her. Her face lit up when she saw him. He glanced behind them.

"Is there anyone following us?" she asked without looking at him.

"Yes. One of Arthur's guards."

"We need to lose him. Keep up with me." She broke out into a run.

Andrew ran behind her. A couple of streets later, Andrew no longer saw the guard following them.

They suddenly came to a dead end where the town wall was right in front of them. But Anne kept going forward, looking up at the wall.

There was an opening, a couple feet above them. She started climbing. When she reached the opening, she fit through it and disappeared from view.  

Andrew blew out a breath that he was holding then went after her. 

This was harder than she made it look. Especially since he was wider than she was, and his arm was still hurting. He scraped his elbows as he pulled himself through the opening.

He landed on his back when he hit the ground. At least the opening wasn't as high off the ground on this side as it was on the other side.

"Are you okay?" Anne asked him.

"Just catching my breath."

"I think I found something about how Arthur got a whole bunch of money. I also found two maps. I'm wondering if there could be a mine under the town."

"There's a mine under Pinecrest?" He sat up.

"I've never heard of one. But if there are more children who are still alive, maybe this will be where they are."

"Then let's go get them." He jumped up to his feet.

Anne took off in a run with Andrew running by her side.

"I have to warn you though," she said. "The entrance to the mine is close to where we saw The Beasts. I don't know what the animals have to do with this mine, but I think Arthur is somehow involved."

"Do you think Arthur is also responsible for the missing children?" 

"Yes."

Was it stupid of them to attempt to rescue the children by themselves? Just the two of them? But she was so brave, how could he talk her out of this? If he suggested that they wait until he could go to Dawnride and get his father and some knights, he would look like a coward. Besides, she might go alone. 

Still, he had to try.

"I can go to Dawnridge and get help. If your stepfather has guards protecting the mine, and if they kill us, we will fail the children."

She stopped walking.

"If you know anyone who's not on Arthur's side who could help us..."

"Maybe you're right."

"I'm going to ride to Dawnridge tonight."

"You can't get to Dawnridge in one night."

"No, but I can leave tonight and get back in three days. Will you wait until I come back before you go looking for the children?"

She only looked at him while biting her lip.

He had his answer. "Then you have to come with me."

"I don't take orders from you," she said, crossing her arms.

"I won't go get help unless you come with me."

"It doesn't matter to me if you get help or stay." She uncrossed her arms and let out a sigh. "I want to do my best for the children, but if we're killed..."

Maybe she wasn't as stubborn as he thought she was.

"Then both of us will travel to Dawnridge and get help. Is there anyone here who could help us?"

"There is one guard who would never tell Arthur. His name is Charles."

Was that the guard who she seemed so friendly with when he arrived. Why did she trust him so much? A pang went through him. He wanted her to trust him that much.

"Could we at least go and take a look so we can confirm there actually is a mine?" 

It probably wasn't wise. But then again, if they couldn't find the mine, how could they find the children? Besides, his curiosity was getting the best of him. So when she started walking, he followed, making their way towards the hill where they killed The Beast.

They kept off the path so they wouldn't be seen or followed. Anne was very close to him, and when her arm brushed against him, she snatched it away and mumbled something as she moved farther away.

His heart sank at the way she flinched. Would she flinch away like that from Charles?

He was jealous. He wasn't sure if he ever felt this way, not towards a woman. He'd been jealous a few times, especially jealous of his oldest brother, Jack, for being the firstborn and getting an inheritance.

Anne had him wishing she liked and trusted him.

She was beautiful and intriguing. She cared more about finding the children than her own interests. 

Still, she was very stubborn. She didn't trust or like him. She would hate him if she knew about all the things he had done. The way he disappointed his family. The ways he had hurt people.

They were near the spot where they had been attacked. He walked forward to get ahead of her. 

"Be careful," he said.

"Why?"

"I have a feeling we're not safe here"

She gave him a small smile that sent a warmth through his chest. "Are you saying you're a prophet?"

"I'm not a good enough person to be a prophet."

"I think if you were a bad person, you would be saying how good you are. Besides, where is it written that a prophet had to be good?"

"Maybe I am a prophet." He still had the feeling that danger lurked nearby. He looked around, checking for any signs that someone or something might harm. But he was enjoying the less defensive side of Anne. "I prophesy that we will learn more about each other."

"Oh?"

"You will be surprised that I am very trustworthy."

"But that doesn't agree with what you said about not being good."

He sighed. "I wasn't always trustworthy. When I was younger, I disobeyed my parents, teased my sisters, and got into a lot of trouble with my brothers. But almost a year ago, I decided I wanted to be a better person."

"So you weren't always a kind prophet?"

He shook his head. "I never meant to hurt anyone, but sometimes, what I did was wrong. I trusted people who I shouldn't have, and I rebelled against people I shouldn't have."

She had a thoughtful look on her face as she stared back at him. What was she thinking? Did he say too much? He wanted her to know the real Andrew, but at the same time, he was afraid she wouldn't like him if she heard about his past. He should stop talking or he might just tell Anne everything he'd ever done wrong.

"Should I tell you what I've heard about you?"

He groaned.