“Ah, you see,” Rio began.
“It’s time for us to go,” I said, dropping the false accent. I turned around and nodded at Rio.
“Ah, yes,” Rio said.
I watched his square his shoulders as he faced the dark-skinned officer.
“Please excuse us,” he said just before he charged into her, grabbing her around the waist and carrying her away screaming.
The guard who let us into the cell stared after them, too stunned to act.
I paused for a moment before I came back to my senses. I helped the kin to his feet and we ran after Rio. The kin’s heavy boots clanked against the stone as he followed me.
We reached the room where the blonde guard had been before and I paused. The kin dashed across the room and picked his swords up from the table.
By following the angry screams of the guard, we soon caught up with Rio. The blond guard was slung over his shoulder. A semi-circle of guards blocked him from the stairs and the exit. The Delfaethan glared at the kin and me as we approached.
“Take him down!” She shouted.
The half-blood made a tutting noise. The soldiers advanced on him.
“That’s not wise, m’dears. See, I don’t plan on being caught tonight, even if it is by such beautiful ladies as yourselves.”
I saw the half-blood’s knees bend as he ducked out of the way of the oncoming spears and bodily tossed the blond into their shins.
Rio leapt over the tumbled bodies and dashed up the stairs. I muttered a useless apology as the kin and I did the same, scrambling out of the prison.
Once out in the night air, we ran as fast as we could. I tried to keep up with the half-blood as best as my short legs could manage, but I still heard the clacking of the soldier’s boots on the stone behind us. I could not keep up.
“Rio!” I shouted after the half-blood, but he did not turn.
Then I felt the familiar sensation of an arm wrapping around my middle and the ground disappearing from below my feet. As I was slung over the dragon-kin’s shoulder, I did not object. I watched the soldiers steadily fall behind as I caught my breath.
The embarrassed and angry face of the Delfaethan soldier was the last thing I