A scuffle erupted as Eron doubled backwards stunned. Dargany grabbed Gris to push him back, but the angry prince swung again. This time Eron saw it coming and avoided it easily. But the Fiisen clenched his hand to strike back. The temple guard threw himself in front of Eron to hold him back.

"You did this," Gris shouted repeatedly. He fought against Dargany's hold.

"Calm down man," Dargany barked.

"You arsehole I don't know what you're talking about," Eron growled shoving the temple guard but the man was determined to keep him from charging.

"You sent a soldier to beat Limp half to death and now he might die," Gris snarled trying his best to brush off Dargany, but the soldier was stronger despite being a head shorter.

"That's absurd," Eron said red eyes murderous.

"You sent someone to take Mageia and kill Hercones," Gris said. "You're behind all of this."

"Hey now," Dargany said. "You can't-,"

"What do you mean, he's behind this?" Ser Conner said rising to his feet. His bloodshot eyes bore into Eron, prepared to rip him to shreds.

"You've gone insane to believe I had something to do with this," Eron said. "I've been working to regain control of your dumbass slaves."

"Limp told me the soldier mentioned you sent him," Gris said.

"What soldier? I don't know what you're talking about," Eron growled.

"Hey, hey now, Gris," Dargany said giving him a be careful look. "Let's stop and talk about this okay. Let's go somewhere else and talk."

"There's no need to," Eron said tugging angrily on his shifted breastplate. "I've done nothing wrong. You cannot blame me for this."

"Limp said you sent him-,"

"How? I just found out he was trapped in your chambers and is in surgery. I don't know anything about him being beaten, you crazy bastard. You could've heard him wrong."

Gris clenched his hands at this sides and knew deep down in his soul Eron was behind everything.

"I didn't. I will kill you if he dies," Gris barked trying to pass by Dargany who blocked him again.

"I had nothing to do with this, you stupid boy," Eron said.

"Okay, why don't we take this in another room," Lord Maurice said.

"Where is Mageia? What have you done with her?"

Eron gave an irritated sound. "You are mad to think I want anything to do with that girl."

"So why are you here?" Gris said wishing to punch the Fiisen again.

"I ran into him, Your Highness and told him she was awake," the temple soldier said quickly hoping to defuse the tension. "That's all!"

"See, you pathetic boy," Eron growled.

Gris felt his blood boil with wrath and lunged for the idiot given the title of Commander. He was able to pass Dargany enough to make another swing, but Eron ducked it again. Both the temple guard and the soldier tried to intervene again.

"Call me out my name again, I'll rip out your tongue and shove it down your throat," Gris shouted as Dargany almost lifted him off the floor and carried him out the room.

"You cannot accuse me of something I did not do."

"You're behind this. I know it," Gris shouted. "Let me go," he ordered but the soldier continued to shuffle him from the room.

"Come on, Gris. Calm down now," Dargany said pushing him down the hall away from the dead soldiers being covered with blankets.

"He's behind this, Dargany. You heard Limp when he said it."

"But he was half out of it," he said blocking the way back to the room, causing Gris to continue around the corner.

"No! He was alert enough to say Eron sent the soldier."

"Maybe he was trying to say something else," Dargany said. "I don't know. But we have to wait until Limp gets out of surgery to ask him what he meant."

"He took Mageia. I don't know why, but I know."

"How and why would he want Mageia?" Dargany said.

Gris combed a hand through his sweaty, grimy hair and knew he must look like a mad man. He pressed his back against the wall taking in large inhales. A nasty tremble overtook him from his head to his toes. His thoughts warped wild in his mind and his eyelids felt heavy. He stumbled, pressing an arm against the wall to keep from fainting.

Dargany grabbed onto him. "Awe Gris. Man, you need to rest. You look exhausted. You could be hurt from the rescue. Come on, we'll deal with that arsehole later."

He allowed the soldier to take him to the infirmary now packed with people. Most were slaves, soldiers, and fireguards covered in soot and coughing from smoke inhalation. Nurses and assistants ran here and there trying to keep the order and the peace. Dargany was able to find him an empty bed, but along the way Gris assured he was okay to concerned slaves. Everyone wanted to know what was going on and Gris couldn't think of what to say.

Where was Mageia? Was she okay? Was she injured?

So many questions and zero answers.

Four temple soldiers entered and crossed the main aisle towards the private rooms. They met Eron and the doctor exiting the hall. Gris glared at Eron as a nurse checked him over.

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"I need you to take a huge inhale and hold your breath, Your Highness," the nurse said.

Gris obeyed still watching the Fiisen speak with the men. But as he inhaled, his throat crinkled and stung, and he exhaled quick. He fell into a coughing spree and his eyes began to water.

"You've swallowed smoke, Your Highness," she said grabbing a small clean sack and holding it to his mouth. "Take deep breaths." She turned to Dargany noticing he looked grimy with smoke debris. "You are hurt, sir. Sit."

"No, I'm fine," he said but eventually obeyed when she poked his neck filled with tiny burn blisters and he flinched.

As she grabbed a jar of an unknown creamy substance, she carefully rubbed them over Dargany's blisters, some oozing with blood. Dargany gave whispered yelps and cringed.

Gris continued breathing and coughing and watching Eron.

Why would Limp mention Eron whether he was disoriented or not? A terrible feeling in his gut told Gris that Eron could've been there and had a soldier beat Limp. Eron could've started the fire!

"Your Highness, please take off your shirt," the nurse said. "You look like you've been burnt too."

As he complied and began unbuttoning his collar, he froze. Entering the infirmary and crossing the main aisle were four soldiers. But one Gris instantly recognized as the companion of the blue-eyed soldier when they came to the Mess Hall. His breathing fell into an eerie shiver as he approached Eron first. He whispered something into his ear and the Fiisen gave a sly smirk so quick, no one would've seen it unless they were watching as intently as he was.

"That bastard," Gris muttered skin crawling.

"Your Highness, are you okay?" the nurse said.

"Gris," Dargany said from the other side of the bed.

The shady soldier stood to the side with a pleasant smirk while Eron gave instructions and gestures to the other three soldiers. They nodded and entered the hall with purpose. Then Eron took a swift lead towards the front exit. Gris sat the breathing bag aside.

"Gris what's wrong?" Dargany said.

"Something's not right," he said and jumped off the bed. He didn't wait for Dargany, but he heard him call out and scurry to catch up.

Gris walked fast to catch up and pressed his way through the crowds. He exited into the foyer and searched for them. They were nowhere in sight, so he ran outside. Heart scratching his lungs, he searched frantically for them through the chaos outside and knew they couldn't have disappeared in thin air.

And then he spotted them. Walking towards the westside of the infirmary, they were close to entering the underpass of the bridge connecting the infirmary to one part of the palace. Right when he took a step, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Dargany said.

"Just follow me," he said shoving him off and sprinting to catch up.

"What for? What're you doing?" Dargany shouted.

"Shut up, Dargany," he spat over his shoulder.

He ran into the dimly lit underpass of the bridge and saw them descend a stairway. He sprinted, knowing deep in his gut that they were up to no good.

"What's going on? You need to get checked. You aren't well, Gris," Dargany said with great concern.

"Keep your voice low," Gris said.

He stopped at the top of the stairs and instantly spotted them. Instead of turning right onto the dividing trail leading to the palace, they turned left towards the woods.

"Why are you going into the woods?" Gris said.

"Are we following Eron?" Dargany said. "Really? Why?"

Gris noticed this forest trailed the back half of the infirmary. And he knew this infirmary too well thanks to his medical studies at the Academy. There was a back door. A door the assassins had to have used to kidnap Mageia without being seen. He continued making sure he wasn't close enough to be caught.

"Gris are you going to answer me?" Dargany whispered.

"That soldier who's with Eron right there," Gris said, "he was with the blue-eyed soldier we encountered."

"Really? Are you sure, man? I swear if Eron catches us following him he's going to burn us alive. And I'd rather stay alive."

"I'm sure, Dargany." Gris said.

They entered the woods, staying low and quiet as they followed. The moonlight strained to brighten their path, but the smell of smoke still lingered in the air. Gris swallowed feeling how smoke dry his throat was and wished he had drunk some water. But Mageia was in trouble.

"Why would he steal Mageia? That makes no sense," Dargany whispered.

"I don't know," Gris said.

"What if he's up to something not relating to the girl? What if she -you know – woke up and killed Hercones..."

Gris slid to a halt and faced the man directly. Dargany stood erect, lips forming an O as he prepared himself for an attack.

"Mageia would not do something like that."

"How'd you know? I mean, who knows what happened to her when she died and in that coma. I'm just saying Gris, what if she's dangerous?"

"She's not," he said firmly with great assurance. Speechless, the soldier bopped his head.

Gris turned to continue following and cursed under his breath seeing he lost them. He quickened his pace, cringing every time he snapped a branch or stepped in dead leaves. Then the trail ended at a large tree. He searched the trees blanketed by darkness and slapped the tree with frustration.

"Damn it, we lost them," Gris growled.

"Shush, no," Dargany said grabbing him by the neck and pushing him down to the ground.

Rocks scrapped his palms and punctured his knees as he went still.

"What was that?" Gris heard the soldier say about a yard away.

Gris carefully peaked through the brush and spotted a single light from a lantern. The light partly crossed over them, but they were too far for the light to reveal them. Eron gestured for the soldier to ignore whatever it was. Thanks to their light, Gris could see an old abandoned well covered with layers of brush. Eron climbed into it and descended. The soldier followed taking the lantern with him.

"It's an abandoned well," Gris said.

"I can see that," Dargany said. "This is sketchy as shit. Where are they going?"

"Is there some kind of underground post over here, somewhere?"

"To tell you the truth, there are so many tunnels and bases in this kingdom, one could get lost and die from starvation or insanity."

"Come on," Gris said standing and feeling his way towards the well.

"I should go and get back up because this is creeping me out," Dargany said.

"We need to keep going or we can lose them or get lost in the tunnels," Gris said.

He cautiously approached the well and peeked into it. Darkness met him from the bottom, but he knew there had to be a door. Breathing hard and rustic, Gris climbed over and clung onto the ladder.

"Hey, I should go first," Dargany said.

A branch snapped, catching Gris' attention. A figure appeared from the woods just behind Dargany.

Gris gasped in horror. "Dargany watch out!"