Gorgoroth (Haladras #2)

THIRTY

"Well, I'm certainly glad we went through so much pain to find her."

Skylar let Endrick's comment pass. Truth be told, it wasn't too far from his own sentiments. Could that...cold-blooded killer, the Princess of Gorgoroth, truly be his sister? Had they come all this way, suffered so dearly, only to discover that his long lost sister was lost beyond recovery? That though alive, she could never be restored as his sister-never wish to. Finding her dead would have been a boon compared with such a fate.

The servant girl, whom the princess also trapped in Du Kava's quarters, crouched in the corner, weeping softly. Was she afraid that the empress would have her put to death, as well? Skylar felt a pang of guilt for bringing this upon the girl.

"I'd like to have a good last meal before I die," said Endrick, walking over to the far end of the room. "Somehow I don't think your charming sister is going to allow that."

"I don't think you're going to find anything to eat in here, Endrick"

Endrick began pulling out the cord from within the depths of his cloak.

"That's why I intend to leave. I know how attached you've grown to your sister, but I suggest you come, too."

Skylar had entirely forgotten about the ropes and grappling hooks. His state of shock over the revelation about his sister robbed him of the wherewithal to even consider escaping.

"Take me with you?" sniffed the servant girl from her corner.

Endrick looked at the girl as if she'd just requested them to conjure up a fleet of jetwings from nothing.

"She'll kill me, if you don't!" cried the girl. "I know she will."

Endrick threw his hands into the air.

"Fine," he relented. "But you'll have to climb down the rope on your own."

Skylar dug out the cord from his own cloak and affixed one end of it to the retractable grappling hook. Endrick moved over to the chamber's only window-almost small enough to be a porthole. With a heavy grating the barred window slowly swung open under Endrick's force. A gush of cool, solid air filled the room. After securing his grappling hook to the inside wall, Endrick proceeded to squeeze himself through the undersized aperture of the window.

"Great ! Who designed these pea-sized windows?"

Eventually, Endrick succeeded in extruding his bulk through the window. Skylar turned toward the servant girl.

"Will you be alright getting down?" he asked. The girl let out a shiver that Skylar thought was meant to be a shrug.

"Just wrap your legs tightly around the rope and let yourself down slowly. Keep them wound around the rope and you won't fall."

Moving over to the window, Skylar secured his own grappling hook before dropping the end of the cord, taking care that the coil did not collide with Endrick who was working his way down the side of the castle. Then he crammed himself into the window frame before gradually letting himself down through the opening. Once free of the window, he planted his boots against the stone wall, leaned back, and started his descent. Already the rope felt hot in his hands. He wished they had thought to buy gloves. He thought about the servant girl coming down. Even if she could make it down, how long would it take her?

Without warning, a sharp clank came from somewhere below him. He twisted his neck to try and see the source of the sound. Endrick was still below him, also looking down. Refocusing his gaze, Skylar saw two figures far below. Despite the darkness, there was enough torch light that he could make out who they were.