C29 CHAPTER29

She held Devon's gaze for an extended period but remained silent.

"Come on, Sarah, say something. It was a straightforward question," urged Third Prince Devon.

After a pause, Sarah responded, "I... I didn't spot any escape points. Had I noticed any, I would've told you right away."

Devon peered intently into her eyes. "Why do I get the feeling you're not being truthful with me?"

The onlookers were visibly taken aback by the Third Prince's confrontation.

"Third Prince, why are you falsely accusing me? Can't you see we're all working towards the same goal?" Sarah's voice shook, betraying her mounting frustration with Devon. "And you? Did you find any escape routes on the map?"

"Had I found any, I would've shared them. I'm not hiding anything," Devon retorted.

Sarah could only stare in disbelief. She had once considered the Third Prince rational, but his current behavior was proving her wrong. Initially, when he sought their assistance in the dungeon, she believed he was level-headed, but now he seemed entirely different.

Lucas broke the tension, "We need to buckle down and do some serious research. Time isn't on our side, so let's get back to work."

Everyone nodded and refocused on the map.

"Exactly, research is key," Sarah affirmed. "We need to thoroughly examine this map."

"You all should definitely scrutinize it," Devon echoed.

Sarah's patience was wearing thin. "We should, Third Prince. Why do you insist on acting as though we're not all in this together?" His arrogance and rudeness were pushing her to the brink.

Zane felt the hostility in the room. Sarah and Devon's intense exchange was palpable. Hoping to defuse the situation, he interjected, "Guys, just to clarify, this is the map of the entire area, correct?"

Sarah gave him a confirming nod.

Devon's response was curt and dismissive. "Are you blind? It's clearly the map of the Devil Capital."

Now it was Zane's turn to bristle with anger. What was the Third Prince's issue? His rudeness was inexcusable, especially considering they were there to help. Zane was tempted to confront Devon, but with Hector present, he didn't want to provoke the intimidating figure.

“Simply staring at this map won't cut it, Third Prince. We need a deeper dive if we're serious about getting out of here with our skins intact,” Lucas said, massaging his temples in frustration.

Impulsively, Devon countered, “No! We don’t need anything else. The map is sufficient.” He jabbed a finger at the parchment.

Sarah, already irked by Devon's erratic behavior, forced herself to remain composed. “It’s not as daunting as it appears. The key is realizing that taking to the skies to flee the territory is a death sentence. We’d be devoured in moments. Soaring above makes us easy prey for the devils; they’d pick us off without a second thought. Our strategy should be an escape on terra firma. Sticking to the ground gives us the upper hand,” she reasoned.

Devon scoffed. “What nonsense are you spouting? My second brother, Third Prince Alexander of the Crypt Clan, is a master of the subterranean. He burrows at speeds beyond your wildest dreams. Do you honestly believe you can outrun his digging?” His gaze dripped with contempt.

Exasperated, Sarah wondered what in the world was eating at Third Prince Devon. Was this some twisted game to undermine their morale?

“All I’m getting at is that, according to the Devil Capital’s layout here, an underground flight is our best shot. We can slip away unnoticed,” she insisted.

“But I don’t see any tunnels,” Devon protested, tracing the map with his fingertips.

“Right here,” Seymour interjected, pointing them out to Devon.

“The tunnels are beneath the City Halls in each of the capital’s cities,” Lucas chimed in.

“Really?” Devon murmured, scratching his head in slow realization. The existence of a network of tunnels was news to him.

“We need to get the lowdown on these tunnels. Let’s figure out their connections. The final tunnel could be our ticket out of here for good,” Seymour said with a note of savvy.

Devon’s face fell. “But how do we even get into the City Hall? I don’t know anyone there. Truth be told, I’m not exactly on friendly terms with many in my own domain,” he lamented.

Sarah looked at him with a puzzled expression. "You're the son of the Demon King of Cruelty, the Third Prince of the Clan. You have dominion over this entire territory, which means you should have free rein here. So why can't you just walk into City Hall?" she asked, her confusion evident.

"Sarah, things aren't always what they appear to be. Here, I'm nothing more than a figurehead. Everyone despises me; they feign respect only because of my title. Their true allegiance is to my father, not to me. If I were to start poking around the tunnel in City Hall, it wouldn't be long before Royal Father Christian got wind of it," Devon explained.

A wave of sadness washed over everyone.

Could they find a way to escape?