Kaiden woke to the sound of yelling and banging as guards pounded on the heavy wooden doors, their voices sharp and grating.

  "Wake up!" one of them bellowed, his fist slamming against the door.

  Kaiden groaned. He hated waking up like this. It was worse than basic training.

  "Get your asses up and outta there!" another guard shouted as the door was unbolted and swung open. "It’s time for work!"

  The heavy wood creaked as it swung outward, letting in the cool morning air. Kaiden pushed himself up from the pile of hay he had been sleeping on, rolling his shoulders to shake off the stiffness.

  The captives shuffled outside, stepping onto the dirt-packed ground. The sky was still tinged with deep purples and oranges, the first slivers of sunlight barely creeping over the horizon. The air was crisp, but not cold. Soon, the sun would rise fully, and the heat would come with it.

  They were worked from dawn until dusk, no exceptions. The slavers made sure to maximize every minute of daylight.

  Kaiden’s mind replayed the details of last night’s whispered discussion, when the lamps had gone out and left them in near-total darkness.

  Only one person ever carried the keys while on patrol.

  That was the guard captain, Durnell. He was the strongest fighter among everyone on the island, rarely left his own building, and was the worst possible person to steal from. If they went after him directly, it would be their hardest option by far.

  The only other place the keys were kept was inside the main building.

  Sera was the only one who had ever been inside. Sometimes, she was sent to clean. Other times she was brought in to... entertain the guards.

  Kaiden didn’t want to dwell on what that meant, but the way her voice cracked, the way her breath hitched when she spoke about it—it was clear. Too clear.

  His blood boiled at the thought.

  They would all pay.

  Sera had done her best to describe what she remembered of the building’s layout. It was a maze of rooms and offices, not just an administrative center but also where the guards lived. It had private rooms, barracks, kitchens, common areas, baths—everything they needed to remain stationed here for long periods.

  At the very center stood a watchtower.

  That was where the main set of keys was always kept. The ones not in the captain’s possession.

  The original plan had been simple: Sera would grab the keys the next time she was taken inside.

  But now, with her collar still active, she wouldn’t be able to defend herself if she got caught which was almost guaranteed she would. But with her abiltiies, she could at least make it to the others.

  They needed another way.

  Kaiden glanced around at the others, the slow-moving line of captives shuffling forward as the guards barked orders. Some were already assigned to their posts, led off toward the fields, the quarry, or the docks. He was sure each work area was just as miserable as the last, a cycle of exhaustion that never ended.

  Doderick, Berrick, Lorant, Risha, Gartree, and Sera all remained close by, sticking together as much as possible. None of them spoke, but they didn’t need to. The tension in their shoulders, the stiffness in their movements, told Kaiden that last night’s discussion was still weighing heavily on their minds.

  Kaiden clenched his fists at his sides as he stepped forward, forcing himself to stay quiet, to stay in line. They had to play this smart. There were only so many chances to make a move. The guards were watching. They always were. If they so much as sensed a hint of rebellion, things would get much worse.

  When Sera was ruled out, Kaiden volunteered to be the one to fetch the keys. He wasn’t sure how he was going to do it, but he needed a way to get inside.

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  He still had his artifacts, and while he wasn’t sure exactly how strong the guards were, he felt confident enough in his ability to protect himself. If push came to shove, he was at least positive he could survive. He didn’t know how powerful the guard captain, Durnell, actually was, but he was the strongest among them. As long as Kaiden avoided him, he should be fine.

  The others were skeptical. It was risky to leave it to a Bracer, but they didn’t have many options. A few of them having their abilities back was a good start, but without the keys, they weren’t strong enough to fight off every guard on the island.

  Kaiden suggested using his status as the resident healer to his advantage. He could offer healing to the guards and use that as a way to get inside. If at least one guard needed treatment, he might have an excuse to enter the main building. It was a thin plan, but it was something.

  The problem was that injured guards could just go to the medical ward, where Kaiden was already assigned to heal them. There was no reason for them to bring him inside the building unless it was urgent. But he had to try.

  If that didn’t work, he’d offer to clean the inside while waiting for his healing services to be needed. It was a more desperate approach, but it was better than nothing.

  No stone unturned. Not just his life, but everyone else’s was on the line.

  Suddenly, one of the guards strode up to Kaiden and barked, "You, Bracer. Come with me. Got a special assignment for you."

  The guard didn’t wait for a response, turning immediately and heading straight toward the main building.

  Kaiden’s eyebrows shot up as he saw where the man was leading him. No way!

  He hadn’t even needed to come up with an excuse—the opportunity had landed right in his lap. He was going to be led directly inside without having to talk his way in. His heart pounded as he stole a quick glance at the others.

  The guard looked over his shoulder and snapped, "Let’s go!"

  "Right," Kaiden said quickly, picking up his pace to fall in behind the man.

  As he passed his fellow schemers, he saw the looks of hope on their faces. They knew what this meant. This was it. If he played this right, he’d bring them the keys and get them out of their shackles and collars.

  Then, it would be time to fight.

  He gave them a small, reassuring nod, letting them know the plan was in motion. Whatever was about to happen, he’d have to make it work.

  As they stepped inside the building, the stale air carried the scent of damp wood and sweat. The space was dim, barely illuminated by flickering torches lining the stone walls. Kaiden’s thoughts raced.

  Why was he called in?

  Was it a good thing… or bad?

  Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

  BREAK

  The carriage raced down the road, Marigold gripping the armrest beside her as fury burned in her chest. They were heading straight for the docks, and she could hardly stand the thought of wasting even a second more. Her sister sat beside her, having decided to tag along despite being in town on other business. Across from her, Varren Hales sat stiffly, his usual composure intact, though there was a gravity in his expression that told her he understood the weight of the situation.

  "I just received word that the captain is ready to set sail," Varren said, his voice even.

  "Thank you for the confirmation, but you didn’t have to come with me," Marigold replied, forcing herself to sound calm despite the fire boiling beneath her skin.

  Varren inclined his head. "It’s the least I can do. I don’t have the authority to attack that island."

  "I know your hands are tied in that regard," Marigold said, her tone cool and cutting, "so I’ll make sure there’s nothing left of them and you’ll never have to worry about that again."

  She straightened her posture, hands smoothing over the fine embroidery of her dress as she steadied herself. Internally, she was seething. Very few people were bold enough to cross her, and fewer still would dare to kidnap someone directly under her care. It was an insult, an offense that she could barely contain her anger over.

  For years, she had meticulously cultivated a reputation of poise and control, always appearing composed, always measured. This time, she could feel the cracks in that fa?ade. A sharp exhale escaped her lips, and she forced herself to relax. Rage would be useful soon enough—but not now.

  Varren, at least, had uncovered the source of the leak. The slavers had been tipped off by a sergeant who worked as a quartermaster. When Varren got his hands on him, the man sang like a bird, admitting that Kaiden’s friend had let slip the words Spell Scribe. He was paid off and told them how to get their man. They agreed to take Kaiden to the island as soon as they found a buyer, which unsurprisingly was quick.

  Varren couldn’t send a military force to deal with the captors—politics and all that. But that was fine.

  The Perennial Petal was no military faction, but it had money. More than enough to make up for the lack of offensive might. Once they confirmed Kaiden’s location, she had hired the best mercenaries she could find, a well-funded force capable of tearing the island apart. They followed in the carriages behind

  That wretched place had been a blemish, an open secret among the elites of Archehaven for years. People whispered about it but did nothing, content to pretend it didn’t exist.

  Marigold was no savior, and it had never been good business to divert resources toward dealing with such a thing—until now.

  Now, she would crush them completely.

  She needed to know who had ordered Kaiden’s capture. That was another leak she needed to plug. The slavers wouldn’t have risked the Petal’s wrath unless they had a buyer lined up and were prepared to move him immediately. If she was too late, if they had already sold him off…

  Her fingers curled into her palm.

  She prayed to Oros that Kaiden was still there.

  Losing the only Spell Scribe in Aterra was a cost she could not fathom.