"Jourdon?"

I gripped my sword as he slowly stepped over the other guard's body He pulled his weapon from the guard and sheathed it. He glanced at the sword in my hand.

"I have to agree with my brother on one thing, you are sure full of surprises." He pressed his lips together, the humor falling from his face. "You can lower your weapon. I'm not going to hurt you."

I winced but only lowered the sword a fraction. When he stepped closer I moved back, not yet willing to let him any closer.

"Don't come any closer."

I remembered all of Pierre's lies. There was no knowing where Jourdon stood in all of this. Did he believe his brother? I remembered the blankness in his gaze after Pierre had revealed all my failures. Jourdon had every reason to hate me.

He sighed. "I don't want to hurt you. Now hurry, we need to go quick before anyone notices."

I glanced over at Sabine, still not sure if I should trust him. "We can't leave without Sabine."

Jourdon tightened his lips into a frown. I knew what he saw when he looked into the other cell. Sabine was a heavy heap on the ground.

"Ophelia..."

"I'm not leaving her behind."

Jourdon's gaze was hard. Harder than it had ever been before. I had no doubt some of what Pierre had said had gotten through to him. Before he could argue, a murmured voice interrupted him.

"I can go on my own. I...I can walk."

We both paused. Sabine was moving painstakingly slow. It was too dark to see the details of her face, but I knew it was difficult due to her shallow breaths and the thumping of her heart.

"Was it true? That you went to him that night?" Jourdon whispered.

Guilt made my stomach sink. I kept my blade steady, still not ready to lower it. "Yes. But that was not the whole story. I thought you wanted to kill me, Jourdon."

His jaw clenched but then he closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.

"I was afraid you would misunderstand my intentions...but I thought I made myself clear."

I let out a deep breath. Sabine stumbled to her feet in the cell beside us. I knew I deserved to feel guilty about Jourdon's pain.

I looked away, careful to not look at Pierre. He wasn't moving, blood pooled around him. Even after everything, my heart clenched. I told myself it was because I had never killed someone before.

"Jourdon... you have to understand. I was afraid. Alone... it doesn't justify anything, but Pierre was...there. He was just there."

My voice trembled, but I forced myself to keep it straight. Jourdon let out a deep breath.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

His words stung. I didn't deserve his apology.

I lowered my gaze, along with my sword. The heavy weapon clattered to the ground.

"I'm the one that should be sorry."

Jourdon let out a short laugh. Beside us, Sabine moved, now on her feet. Jourdon glanced at her, and the brief glimpse of vulnerability faded from his face.

We exited the cell. I quickly moved to Sabine and slung her arm around my shoulders. Her limbs hung limply around me, and I mustered what little strength I had to support her.

Her breaths were short and shallow, her face bruised and bloody, but she was looking around, aware. The sharpness I had grown familiar with glinted in her one unswollen eye. Guilt made my stomach turn and I fixed my gaze ahead.

"I'm sorry Sabine, we just need to get out of this palace then..." I trailed off. I didn't really know what came next.

"Darren and his guards will meet you. They have been contained within the barracks, but we have been able to get messages through a few men that I trust. Besides, I ensured that the palace guard is busy. A few Roserian guards won't be their primary concern."

Something glinted in Jourdon's eyes, and it was the first time I considered how he resembled Pierre. It seemed the capacity to scheme hadn't come from their mothers.

Sabine shifted against me, carefully putting a bit more weight on her legs. She considered Jourdon through her one good eye.

"How did you get down here unnoticed?"

Jourdon's gaze darkened, and he glanced at me. "Pierre has been...a bit different lately. Especially when he was coming down to see the princess. He barely noticed when I took the place of one of his guards."

A chill ran down my back. Sabine considered Jourdon.

"You incapacitated a King's Guard all on your own? With no one noticing?"

A smirk lifted the side of Jourdon's lips. "I did. I have undergone their same training since I was a boy."

My eyebrow rose. It seemed that y suspicions weren't complete;y unfounded. I itched to know more, but now wasn't the time. Regardless of Jourdon's past, he was helping us now.

I didn't have any other options. I had to just trust him and hope I was right,

We started towards the stairs, moving slowly. With each step, Sabine seemed to gather more and more strength, even as mine waned. I had been ignoring the pain in my head for so long but it was starting to creep up on me, each step sending a sharp pulsing through my head. Behind me, I knew the Angels were still watching. Once we reached the stairs, Jourdon stopped me.

"Let me, Princess." He leaned over on Sabine's other side. "You're too weak. I can support her better than you."

His gaze was sincere. Whatever misgivings we had; he was setting them aside. He was here to help me—help us—even though I knew helping a Roserian spy was pushing that newfound truce to its limit.

"Thank you."

We shifted, Sabine putting her arm around Jourdon. Her face was strained, but she was pushing forward. Her muscles rippled under her torn cloak.

I sucked in a steadying breath. I knew Jourdon's intentions meant well, but there was one thing I could not ignore.

"Jourdon, I know you want peace but after what I did to your brother..."

Jourdon hardened his jaw. "He deserved it."

His voice was soft, but the small tremor in it gave him away. I focused on the stone steps leading up to the outer door of the dungeons. I remembered there being a series of hallways above.

I didn't apologize. Instead: "Between the prince's death and my escape, do you really think the King will be someone who can be reasoned with?"

Jourdon's lips twitched. "No, I don't. I have no intentions of reasoning with him."

I furrowed my brows. "Then—"

"It doesn't concern you anymore, Ophelia. Just worry about Rosailles, I will worry about things here."

His tone was abrupt. Final. I pressed my lips together. He was right. Jourdon knew his country—loved his country—more than I ever would. My home was in Rosailles. If anyone was going to try and keep the peace here, it would be Jourdon.

"We must hurry," Jourdon added. His brow was furrowed with concentration as he walked up the steps with Sabine. "I sense something is coming. It could already be too late. My father has barred me from council meetings. He is up to something. You need to get back to Rosailles--and fast."

We reached the top of the steps in silence. Something new trickled into the back of my mind...a new fear. I had been ready to accept death, but now that I was considering I might live, I had to face the idea of a new war...and of what it meant if I was too late. I clenched my fists, pushing my tired body faster.

Jourdon was right. We didn't have much time.

----

Hi Lovelies!

Thank you so much for waiting a few extra days as I took a little break! As much as my writing is an escape, between trying to stay on top of my school work and some family stuff I needed a few days to focus on other things. But now I am back and should be good to get the rest of this story up in the next week or two.

-Kat xx