Nothing. They’d found nothing. No one alive at least. Anyone who’d been trapped in the wing was either dead or found some way to escape.

They’d found the king with his throat cut lying in a pool of his own blood. His cruel eyes no longer saw the destruction he’d created.

Because Dell had no doubt in his mind, this rebellion was the king’s fault.

The young prince Kassander landed next to Dell with a thump as his brother threw him from the flames they left behind.

Coughs wracked Dell’s body as he bent over, gasping for breath.

“We need to get lower,” Estevan wheezed. “Away from the smoke.”

Dell clambered to his feet. Helena, where would you have gone?

He didn’t have time to think of anything but escaping the heat and poisonous air they left behind. His feet thundered down the steps and he gripped a carved golden rail to keep from falling face first into the darkness.

The air grew clearer the farther from the smoke they ran, and Dell sucked it in as if he’d never tasted anything so sweet.

Kassander stumbled, his weak legs giving out beneath him. He collided with Dell, sending him tumbling down the last few steps and landing at the bottom in a heap.

Every muscle in Dell’s body screamed in agony as he tried to roll the boy off him. Keep going. You have to keep going.

Sounds of fighting reached them and Dell met Estevan’s gaze. “Takes two sides to fight.”

Estevan nodded. “We probably have allies out there.”

Estevan bent and lifted his brother. Did that man ever tire? Did the smoke in his lungs have no effect?

Dell rolled with a groan. Why’d he return to the palace on this night? He could have been safely away on a ship headed for Bela.

Oh, right… there was a girl.

As if the thought of her brought forth his strength, he pushed himself from the floor and pulled the thin sword from its scabbard. Wiping soot from his face, he turned to the prince.

“You’re going to need your hands to fight, prince.” He gestured to the unconscious boy in Estevan’s arms.

Estevan leaned his face down to listen to the boy’s chest. “He’s breathing.” He glanced around at the small room at the bottom of the stairs. The only light came through the cracked open door.

He set his brother down in the far corner, pain twisting on his face as he stared at the boy. “I’m coming back for you, Kass,” he whispered. “I promise.” He dropped a kiss onto the boy’s ashy hair and straightened to regard Dell. “I hope you know how to handle that thing more than the carving knife you threatened me with, boy.”