C25 CHAPTER25

"Shut the hell up, he's staying," Devon told Zane firmly. "If you're not comfortable with his presence, the dungeon's always open for you to return to," he added.

Zane, taking the hint, sat down and fell silent.

"Any other objections?" Devon scanned the room. Met with silence, he nodded. "Good. Can we proceed now?"

"Yes," Sarah managed, her smile strained. It was clear she disapproved of Devon's harsh tone with Zane.

"Excellent. We're here for a crucial conversation, and I need us all to be on the same wavelength. It's essential for our escape," Devon stated, pausing as he caught the eye signals from the group. "What now?" he snapped, clearly annoyed by the interruptions.

"Third Prince, should he really be present for such confidential discussions?" Declan inquired, eyeing Hector with a skeptical frown.

Devon chuckled. "As I've already pointed out, Hector stays. I trust him with my life, and besides, he's here to protect me from potential threats—including you."

"From us?" Sarah's voice was laced with disbelief. "You don't trust us?"

"Frankly, no. Without Hector, you might overpower or even kill me," Devon replied, his smile betraying his awareness of their dynamics.

"What? That's absurd! Why would we harm you when you're our key to freedom?" Declan protested.

"Perhaps he doubts us because he himself is untrustworthy!" Seymour interjected, prompting a low growl from Hector.

"Hector, stand down," Devon commanded, forestalling any violence.

"Yes, Master," Hector responded, his breaths heavy.

"Now, with Hector's role settled, let's move on. I'm eager to escape this place as much as you are, and I need your cooperation. Understood?" Devon looked around the room.

"Yes," came the collective response, Seymour remaining silent.

"I'm sure none of you were shocked by my rescuing you from the Flame Devil's cage. I've treated you well to ensure a clear mind for planning our escape. This is a serious matter, and we need all hands on deck. So, do any of you have a plan?"

"I'm sure Seymour has something to share," Sarah said, prompting everyone to turn toward Seymour.

"I have nothing to say to you," Seymour retorted, fixing Devon with a steely glare.

"Seymour, we don't have time for this! We're talking life or death here, and if you anger the Third Prince to the point where he goes rogue, we're as good as dead without his protection!" Sarah shouted. "Speak the hell up!"

"Alright, alright. I don't think the kidnap plan is a good idea," Seymour conceded.

Devon had laid out his plan during a dungeon visit, a plan which Sarah had passed on to Seymour. The idea was for them to kidnap Devon and flee the Devil Clan, allowing everyone to escape and go their separate ways.

"Why don't you think it'll work?" Devon pressed Seymour for an answer.

"There are several reasons," Seymour began. "Firstly, everyone knows the Demon King of Cruelty doesn't take matters involving his sons lightly. If we 'kidnap' the Third Prince, he's bound to suspect something's up, especially since he knows Prince Devon has been hosting us. He'll think the 'kidnapped' prince is in league with us, prompting an even more relentless manhunt.

Secondly, even if he doesn't smell a rat and truly believes we've abducted the Prince, do you really think he won't pull out all the stops? As I mentioned earlier, the Demon King doesn't play games when it comes to his heirs. He'll unleash every weapon in his arsenal to retrieve his son. Do we really stand a chance against that?" Seymour finished.

A hush fell over the group as they pondered his words. Seymour's intellect was unmatched in the human world, and Devon was secretly relieved to have him among the captured.

"Everything you've said about my father is spot on. If we go through with this, we'll surely be caught, and sadly, you're all going to pay with your lives," Devon said, noting the tension that gripped them at the mention of death. It was hard to believe these were the same humans who had once begged for death after their capture in the war.

"So, what's our next move? Do we scrap the mission?" Sarah inquired.

"No, we don't give up—we just need a new strategy. We'll stick with the kidnapping plan, but it has to be foolproof. We need to map out every detail and brace ourselves for the worst," Devon instructed them.

As he spoke, Sarah couldn't tear her gaze away from him. She was genuinely astonished that Devon was so resolute about leaving what was essentially his sanctuary. With his wealth, servants, comfort, power, and all that came with it, for him to desire an exit, this place must be making his life unbearable.

"So, how do we strategize?" Declan inquired.

"We start by getting to know the ins and outs of the Devil Capital before we tackle the Devil Clan," Devon explained.

"But how do we go about that?" Sarah pressed.

"The map," Seymour interjected, taking a sip of his coffee. "We'll use the map of the Devil Capital."