C17 CHAPTER17

Lucas was visibly tense. "Our Lady, I've got this nagging feeling that our plan won't unfold as smoothly as we anticipate," he remarked.

Sarah let out a deep sigh. "I'm aware of that."

The dungeon remained eerily silent, save for the exchange between Lucas and Sarah, which held the undivided attention of everyone else present.

"Why are you prepared to collaborate so closely with the Third Prince if you're expecting complications?" Lucas inquired.

"Your concerns are valid, but at this juncture, our freedom trumps everything else. This chance won't come around again; we have to seize it," Sarah reasoned.

"I understand, but trusting Third Prince Devon seems risky. Can we really rely on him? Is he any different from the other devils?" Lucas's voice trembled with doubt and fear.

"What's the worst he could do? He needs us too, so it wouldn't make sense for him to jeopardize his own plans by double-crossing us," Sarah countered.

"I'm not sure. There might be a vast conspiracy against us humans. Don't forget their deep-seated hatred for us," Lucas murmured, prompting silent nods of agreement from the others, despite knowing Sarah couldn't see them.

"Even so, we have to take this chance with everything we've got," Sarah declared, her gaze falling on the chains binding her ankles. "The Third Prince may have ulterior motives, but our situation can only deteriorate if we don't act. Remember, he's the reason we're still alive. If it were up to the King and the other two Princes, we'd have been dead a long time ago."

"That's the truth," Lucas concurred.

"Exactly. Now, the Third Prince is planning his escape from the Devil Clan and he needs our aid. Without our help, if he finds another way out, we're finished. The moment he's gone, those fiends won't think twice about killing us all!" Sarah laid out the stark reality.

A collective gasp filled the room.

"With this understanding, you can see we're left with no other option," Sarah stated.

"So, what's our next move?" Lucas asked.

A grave look crossed Sarah's eyes. "I will cast a spell to shatter our chains, setting us all free. Then, the Prince can choose his own path," she declared with resolve.

Lucas's face turned pale at the mention of magic. "My Lady, are you certain this is the path you wish to take?" he inquired, while murmurs rippled through the group.

"We must do what must be done," Sarah responded, her smile tinged with wisdom.

*****

Devon made his way to the Palace, silently hoping his absence had gone unnoticed by his father and brothers. He braced himself for any potential confrontations. Suddenly, he detected a plume of smoke in the air, carrying the scent of something burning. The guards noticed it too and scrambled to decipher its meaning.

"Third Prince!" a guard hailed Devon.

"Asher, what's happening?" Devon queried.

"I'm not sure, but I'll find out," Asher replied. No sooner had he spoken than a massive flame erupted in the sky, morphing into the shape of an eye. "Third Prince, it seems the imperial guards are signaling their presence with the flame," Asher deduced.

"Understood," Devon acknowledged, continuing his approach to the Palace. En route, he encountered a dozen soldiers astride one-eyed horses with goat-like bodies and horns flanking their heads. The leader dismounted and offered a bow to Devon.

"Third Prince! I salute you!" he boomed.

"Greetings," Devon replied, puzzled by the unfolding events.

"The King requests your presence," the leader informed Devon.

Surveying his surroundings, Devon instantly grasped why his father, Royal Father Christian, had summoned him. The imperial guards only ventured into the Palace when magic was in question. It was clear to Devon that his father had learned of his magical exploits.

"Lead the way," he instructed the guards, and with the leader's assistance, he mounted one of the strange beasts.

Upon arriving at the Palace, Devon dismounted. As he approached the entrance, he recalled being reprimanded there just the day before. Anticipating a repeat performance, he preferred to avoid an audience with the guards and asked them to remain outside.

Entering the throne room, Devon was met with his father's piercing gaze. Although Christian had scrutinized him like this before, the gravity of the situation was amplified by the fact that the Royal Father was not seated on his throne.

He was standing!

Liam and Alexander had risen to their feet as well, each occupying their designated spots. Devon acknowledged them with a brief nod before positioning himself before his father's throne.

"You sent for me, Father," he declared. The intense scrutiny from his father and brothers weighed on him, stirring a sense of discomfort within.

"Yes, I did. How are you faring?" Christian inquired, his voice steady and composed.

"I'm faring well, Father," Devon replied tersely. He deliberately avoided mentioning his recent visit to his territory, silently hoping his father wouldn't broach the subject.

Fortune was on his side; his father didn't press further. "Good. The reason I called you here is that we all detected a potent surge of magic emanating from your quarters. Upon inquiry, I learned that you had invoked magic," Royal Father Christian observed.

Devon couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I'm pretty sure Alexander let the cat out of the bag," he retorted with a knowing smirk.

Why would his brother disclose to their father that he had conjured magic? Was Alexander unaware that such a revelation would only elevate Devon's standing?