Arcanius by Toby Neighbors Page B

Tiberius had his hood thrown back now, and they walked close together, Tiberius’ arm around Lexi’s shoulder.
    They didn’t bother going into the palace through the lower servants’ entrance but walked boldly through the large main doors, where several soldiers stood guarding the palace. Lexi felt exposed. She was much more comfortable in the dark shadows and narrow alleyways, where there was at least some form of cover to hide in. But the soldiers acted as if they didn’t even see them.
    Inside they made their way down the long central corridor to a stone stairway. They went down past the kitchens and then past the storage areas. They were already underground and out of sight of any of the people moving about their business in the palace, but still Tiberius held Lexi close. She liked feeling his arm around her. His confidence made her feel safe, and their cavalier trek through the earl’s palace made her feel reckless and wild.
    There was a heavy door at the bottom of the stairs. A large wooden latch held it locked in place. Tiberius lifted the latch and pulled the door open. The hinges grated, making an awful groaning sound. Beyond the doorway, the stairs continued spiraling down, only the passage was much darker than before. Light was shining up from somewhere below, but it did little to illuminate the dark stairs. The air seemed damp and cold. Lexi could hear water dripping somewhere below them. The well polished stairs had become rough and slightly less even.
    They moved more slowly as they descended, and Lexi held onto Ti’s waist. She normally felt comfortable in tight spaces, even in the dark, but there was something about the dungeons under the earl’s palace that made her feel afraid. She realized that if she had been caught stealing, she would have been locked away in a wretched place just like the dungeon, and that truth made her feel weak.
    When they finally reached the bottom of the stairs, they could see the a lantern and the open space that was once used by the dungeon’s jailers. Beyond the open area was a narrow hallway with doors made of rusty, iron bars. Someone was moaning in pain from one of the cells. Lexi felt Tiberius’ body stiffen when he heard the moan. The skin on Lexi’s arms and neck prickled and made her shiver.
    Tiberius led them forward, past the dull light of the lantern and into the row of cells. The first cell was empty, and Lexi saw that there was nothing but rough stone in the tiny space. She guessed that if she stood in the middle of the cell, she could still touch both walls. The ceiling was low, and there were no windows. A person locked inside the cells would soon forget the beauty of sunlight. Even to someone accustomed to darkness, the way Lexi was, the horror of the dungeon cell was terrifying.
    At the next cell, they saw the person moaning. To Lexi he looked like a miserable beggar. The man lay curled on the cold stone floor, his clothes in ragged tatters, his skin so pale that it seemed to glow wherever it wasn’t covered with dirt and blood.
    “Oh God, Robere,” Tiberius said. “What have they done to you?”
    The man flinched, then opened his eyes. Looking at them with an uncomprehending stare. Tiberius shook the metal door, but despite its rusty condition, it held firm.
    “We’ve got to get him out of there,” Tiberius said.
    “Here, I can unlock the cell,” Lexi said. “Give me your dagger.”
    She drew her Wangorian dagger and used both knives to work on the cell’s massive lock. The large keyhole allowed her to use the daggers together; Ti’s narrow, almost delicate blade worked as a counter to her curved Wangorian weapon. The tumblers in the lock grated as they moved, and the noise seemed loud in the dungeon. Finally there was a thunk, and the cell door swung open slightly.
    “You did it!” Tiberius said with excitement.
    “Of course,” Lexi said, handing Ti’s dagger back to him.
    He hurried into the cell, but Lexi stayed in the corridor.