After the sunshine outside, the underground catacombs seem especially cold and gloomy. Feet shuffle on the ground, torches crackle, producing eye-watering smoke. I walk after Oliver, and behind us, dozens of men follow.

"Now we turn right, I think," says Oliver.

"You could have brought the map this time," I say.

"So that everybody would see it and learn about all the secret passageways of the castle?" He glances over his shoulder and gives me a wink. "Knowledge is power, Bruno. We shouldn't give it away so easily. It's all stored safely right here." He taps his head with his finger.

I see no problem with sharing knowledge with those who are ready to fight and die with us, but it's not the time nor the place to argue. The important thing is that Oliver has organized it all and he seems to know what he's doing.

"Now be quiet." He turns to the people who stop one by one, forming a circle around us, all eyes fixed on Oliver. "We're getting close." He speaks in a loud whisper, but it carries far in the quiet passageway. "We'll get to a door soon. It opens to the throne room and there will probably be at least some of the nobles. Are we ready to fight?"

There's a murmur of voices, and some people raise their hands with daggers and swords. This group is armed with real weapons, not the reaping hooks and scythes the crowd outside was wielding. The torches illuminate gloomy faces. One of them is the reflection of mine. I nod, and Grumio nods back. Fear squeezes my heart. I have only just found my brother again. I hope I will not lose him today.

We reach the door. It looks just like the one that we have entered in the Eastern Tower, the one that had brought me to the castle and had started the adventure that had me lose my eye and the remainders of my illusions. Just like that door, this one has no handle. I look around. Everybody stand still, waiting.

I turn to the door and push.

It doesn't budge. I push some more. Then, Oliver joins me and we combine our efforts. Yet, the door doesn't move.

"Let me," says one of the men—a burly guy bigger than me. He takes a couple of steps back, then runs and slams his shoulder into the door.

Still no results.

"Damn it," he says, rubbing his shoulder. "This thing must be locked from the inside."

"Or blocked with something," offers someone else.

"Let's try another door." I turn to Oliver. "There was one leading to the kitchen. It doesn't really matter if we get in through the throne room or the kitchen. The main thing is that we surprise them inside the castle."

Oliver shrugs. "Yeah, I guess everything has been going too smoothly until now. I liked the idea of going through the throne room, but the kitchen will have to do. Let's go."

Before we can do that, a muffled noise comes from behind the door. We freeze and look at it, then move to form a half-circle around it, our weapons ready.

Slowly, the door begins to open.

I hold my breath and clench my sword with both hands. Light bursts through the widening crack, and I remember that the throne room has many high windows, allowing plenty of sunlight in. As the door opens wider, we can see a figure standing in the doorframe. My eyes still adjusting to the light, it takes me a second to recognize who it is.

Princess Aurelia seems surrounded with soft yellow glow. For a moment, I think that she's been trying to escape and has stumbled upon us by chance. Then her eyes find Oliver and she smiles.

"I've been waiting for you, my friends," she says in her clear, musical voice. "I can see you've put my map to a good use. Do you wish to meet my brothers? Ferox is in the Great Hall, arranging the knight for the counter attack. Hadrian tends to my father in his bedchamber." She steps back and makes an inviting gesture. "Come in, my friends—and make the justice prevail."

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