Chapter 177 Multiple Moles Placed
Coban’s POV
Day three of the tournament.
And the palace felt like a damn war fortress.
By the time the sun rose, security was already tighter than it had ever been in the history of the kingdom.
Every single entrance to the arena had guards. Not one. Not two. Multiple.
Warriors stood shoulder to shoulder at the gates, checking every person that walked through. Names. Pack. Rank. Even the damn vendors selling meat skewers had to be verified twice.
No one walked in without being cleared. No one walked out without being watched. Clarence had gotten his little fireworks display yesterday.
He wasn’t getting another one.
The arena itself was packed again today, the roar of thousands of wolves and Lycans echoing up through the stone corridors of the palace. The tournament had started an hour ago, warriors clashing below while the crowd shouted and cheered.
But I wasn’t watching it. Not today.
Today I was standing in the dungeon. And the two sick bastards hanging from chains in front of us were about to wish Clarence had never sent them.
The dungeon smelled like damp stone, iron, and blood. A few lights were brighter along the walls, lighting the room up more. The shadows moved like they were alive.
Mark leaned against a stone pillar with his arms crossed. Kevan sat on the edge of a wooden table, casually flipping a dagger between his fingers like he had nothing better to do. Benjamin stood near the wall, quiet and watching everything like he always did.
Elliott was pacing. Which meant he was already irritated.
Caden stood directly in front of the prisoners.
And I stood beside him.
The two men hung by chains attached to iron rings in the ceiling. Their arms stretched above their heads, feet barely touching the ground.
Bruised. Bloody. Already half broken. But not broken enough.
One of them glared at us through swollen eyes. The other just looked terrified. I stepped closer.
“You two had a busy day yesterday.” They stayed quiet. They didn't even look my way. Those stupid bastards.
Kevan sighed loudly. “Wow, we get the damn silent treatment already? We just started.” He muttered and stared directly at the two fools.
Mark chuckled. “Maybe they’re shy. You know if I were hanging there buck ass naked like they are I'd be a tad shy as well." He acted shy and shrugged his shoulders.
Elliott stopped pacing and looked at the prisoners. "You blew up four houses. A couple elderly wolves are dead. You fucking sent kids to the infirmary.” He said way too calmly. He tilted his head slightly. “So I’m not feeling very patient today.”
The terrified one swallowed hard. He was shaking like a leaf. The other still glared. He didn't give two shits about all of that, but he soon will. I guarantee that.
Caden cracked his knuckles. "Well,” he said casually, “that’s unfortunate for you.” He grabbed a chair and dragged it across the stone floor. The scraping sound echoed through the dungeon. Slow. Loud. Deliberate. He sat down directly in front of them.
“Let’s start simple,” Caden said as his eyes flickered between the two men that thought it was smart to come into the palace and hurt women and children.
“Names.” He said loudly.
The defiant one spit blood onto the floor.
Kevan leaned forward slightly. “Ah,” he said with a grin. “One of those.”
Mark pushed off the wall. “Good.”
Benjamin’s voice was quiet. "That just means we get creative.”
I folded my arms across my chest and stared at the two. "Your choice boys. You either can talk now and save yourself some trouble or you can make this harder on yourself."
The rude ignorant one smirked. “Go to hell. I don't have to tell you anything.” He spat once again at my boots.
Elliott laughed. “Oh, we’re getting there.”
Then everything happened fast.
Caden stood. His fist slammed into the prisoner’s ribs. The crack echoed through the dungeon. The man gasped, body jerking against the chains. Caden hit him again. And again. Slow. Precise. Not rage. Controlled damage.
The second prisoner started shaking.
“Stop.” The second guy screamed as tears were flowing down his face.
Kevan stood and walked over.
“Oh don’t worry,” he said cheerfully. “We will.” He pulled out a small knife. "Eventually.”
The terrified man began talking immediately. Names. Positions. Where they’d entered the arena yesterday. He kept rambling.
Caden stopped punching and listened carefully.
Kevan leaned closer to the other prisoner.
“You see how easy that was?” he said.
The man glared.
Kevan shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
Then he stabbed the knife straight through the man’s thigh. The scream filled the dungeon.
Mark winced slightly. "Oof.”
Elliott grinned so wide and he clapped once. “Good aim man. Fuck, this is getting good."
The interrogation went on for hours. Slow. Methodical. Pain followed by questions.
Questions followed by more pain. We learned how the bombs were planted. Where they’d hidden the bags. How many had been intended for the arena. Apparently yesterday’s idiot had only planted the first one before Atlas and Cassian exposed him. Good thing too.
Because the others we found during the search last night? Those could have taken out half the arena.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Devices?”
Benjamin held up a small handheld detonator. “We’ve got them.”
Still didn’t make me feel any better.
The terrified prisoner kept talking. Trying desperately to stay alive. The other one Still stubborn. Still glaring. Still silent.
Elliott finally stepped forward. “Alright,” he said.
“I’m bored.” He grabbed a bucket from the table.
Mark raised an eyebrow. “Oh we’re doing that?”
Elliott grinned. “Yep.”
The prisoner frowned. "Doing what?”
Kevan laughed. “You’re about to find out.”
A minute later the man was screaming again.
Loud enough that one of the dungeon guards outside muttered. "Damn”
Hours passed. Eventually both prisoners looked like they’d been dragged through hell. Blood covered the floor. The chains rattled every time they moved.
Finally the defiant one broke. His head sagged forward.
“There’s uh uh more.” He stuttered out, barely having enough breath left to talk.
The room went quiet. I stepped closer. “How many?”
His breathing was ragged. He kept gasping for breath. “I don’t know.”
Caden grabbed his chin and forced his head up.
“Where.”
The man shook his head weakly. "Inside the palace. But they are scattered.”
Every muscle in my body went still.
Kevan’s voice dropped. “Moles.”
The prisoner nodded weakly. “No names. We weren’t told names or where the others were.”
Benjamin’s jaw tightened.
Mark swore under his breath.
Elliott rubbed his face. “Well.”
I straightened slowly. "That’s just fantastic.”
Upstairs the tournament roared on.
Crowds cheering. Warriors fighting.
But inside the palace? Clarence had already slipped snakes into the walls. And now we had to find them.
I looked at the prisoners one more time.
“Keep them alive.”
Caden nodded. "Oh I will.”
Kevan smirked. “They still have plenty to tell us.”
I turned toward the stairs. Because now we had a bigger problem. And somewhere in this palace was more of Clarence’s people that was still breathing our air.