They found the captured guards in a side room, bound and gagged and piled against the wall like sacks of grain. There were dozens of them, all unconscious, all bleeding from wounds that had been expertly placed to disable without killing.
Kaelen looked at Lysander.
"We did not meet any guards on the way," Kaelen said. "Not after the first few. I wondered why."
Lysander's mouth curved again. "I sent a team ahead, to clear the path." He then looked at Kaelen then at those around them and smiled, that mischievous smile. "I did not want anything to interfere with our reunion."
He opened his shirt and touched the burn wound on his chest and he suddenly felt less tired.
Rina was looking at him in awe, clearly knowing the dukes temper and Markus had a questioning look on his face.
"How romantic." He gritted his teeth.
"I try."
