Bravery is something me and my warriors never lacked and sometimes it puts us in dangerous situations.
But I did not worry for it'll help us take back Basilea. I'd risk my life to have her back in my arms.
*****
The dragons were hidden until we command them out of hiding. They had been trained well by their handlers and I was confident that they will stay and take us back when it was time.
Gerold said that he had communicated with his contact in the palace and he had instructed us to go through the west side entrance of the palatial ground, and so we did. No one bothered with our arrival, seemed like it was the least unguarded point of entry of the outer part of the palace walls and I was glad.
I walked with Bharat to my side and the rest followed behind us as we appeared to leisurely enter the elven kingdom. The court behind the walls was bigger than mine, and we quickly navigate and find our way into the palace through the servants' entry.
The hallway was dark, the chatter was quiet as if everyone was too busy doing their tasks and didn't even bat an eye at all five of us discreetly entered the dungeon. We had put on their guard's cloaks left by Gerold's contact in one of the rundown housings, minutes after we entered the palace walls.
The stench of decay hits us hard, and all of us fight to keep our expression still as if we had entered the dungeon many times before. There were concubi demons left and right, they all looked like they were dying. Their wings flopped lifelessly onto the floor while they were all barely sitting and some were hanging by their wrists shackled to the wall.
"Our queen will save us," one of the males said, his words were barely there and he looked like he was a breath away from dying.
I quickly turned around to look at my warriors and they all shook their heads. Basilea was not there. Damn it! I couldn't decide if I feel relieved or more worried, knowing that she was not in shackles.
But I didn't want to waste more time so I carefully asked the old incubus demon. "Your queen, huh? so... where is she?" I asked in my most neutral voice. I didn't want to sound eager, though I wanted to push the answer out of him badly enough that I want to shake him to consciousness because the male demon looked delirious. I hoped that he was not talking shit, cause I did not have time for his babbling.
But Magnus must've caught my desperation when he put his hand on my arm, silently telling me that he would continue my interrogation. I nodded and took a couple of steps back and let him ask the injured incubus.
"We have been stationed outside, what are you babbling about?" He asked putting on an act as a guard that had just come back and know nothing of the new development of his kingdom. It was a far fetch but I think it was the best way to get the words out. He looked like he was about to die anyway, but still, we couldn't risk ourselves.
Though what the male said next had us on alert. "You're all here to save her right? then she will save us all." He laughed softly as if the male could see right through us and it made me look to my generals then to Phineas and Magnus, making sure that our elven features were still intact. Which they were and I had to give him a questioning look, wondering if he was delirious or if he truly sees us for what we truly are.
"Your illusion stayed, I'm one of the oldest incubus demons. The trickery you're using won't work on me. I can smell her on you," the older demon sniffed the air and he chuckled.
"She's safe, she's getting prepped for the big day. They probably put her in one of the best rooms in the palace, but you have to hurry. I know she's not a patient succubus demon. She will take the matter into her own hands and it can put her life at risk." The old incubus wheezed when he finished as if he was struggling with his effort to get his words out.
"We should go," Bharat was the first to haul us out of there and we quickly dispersed, getting back to our previous plan to go separately to cover more grounds and floors. Bharat insisted that he stayed close to me, we argued when we come up with the plan but I relent thinking that he was guarding his king and I would do the same if I was in his place.
Magnus was the first to get out and turn left at the end of the hallway. He went up the stairs, while Phineas went to the other left side and go down another level. Obi went right and Bharat and I went up the stairs. We will all reconvene at the rundown housing where we found the cloaks. Then we will wait until we're all gathered before we go back to our awaiting dragons. It was a simple plan, it should work. It has to work. And now all we have to do is find Basilea.
I wished it was that easy, but we need to open every door in the damn palace before we can find her. It was easy enough for the first few tries, we give excuses that we were lost. We acted like stupid low-rank warriors whenever we stumbled into an occupied room. But we couldn't wiggle our way out when we finally did find the right room. Basilea was there along with Justus who was guarding her with another elf I recognized as Cato from the harem's court at Ranulf's kingdom. Goddamn.
The air thickens immediately, I knew she recognized me but she tilted her head in amazement. I know she was wondering if it was really me under the cloak and the elf skin. But our bond was strong and she must've recognized my scent when she took Justus and Cato's attention as Bharat told them that King Elegast requested their attendance immediately.
"Damn it we just got here, I swear the king needs to make up his mind," Justus grumbled but he told Cato to follow him while the other elf said that there might be another emergency and it was better than to babysit Basilea. They both laughed as they sauntered out of the room.
"Come on, we need to get you out of here," I hugged her as she stiffened in my arms for a couple of seconds before she relaxes.
"Okay, I'm not sure going elf is a good look on you. But you smell amazing as always," she hugged me back and snuggled into my chest, and gave a big sniff of my scent like a true pervert and I couldn't get more pleasure out of her. Up until Bharat cleared his throat behind us, telling us that we should go.
"Come on, we'll continue this once we're back."
Basilea didn't argue when she took my hand and I lead her out of the room.