CHAPTER 11: BENEATH THE RUINS
CHAPTER 11: BENEATH THE RUINS
Evelyn woke beneath broken wood and stone.
Smoke filled the chamber.
Her ears rang.
“Noah!”
A small hand touched hers.
“I’m here.”
She pulled him close.
Marcus and Clara were trapped on the other side of the collapsed floor.
The Duke was missing.
So was Alexander.
General Ward’s soldiers searched the ruins while Evelyn led Noah through a cracked opening in the wall.
The passage descended into the ancient foundations beneath the palace.
Noah stopped beside a trail of blood.
“Grandfather.”
They followed it.
The tunnel ended at an underground train platform built during the war.
Alexander stood beside a maintenance vehicle, holding the Duke at gunpoint.
“You should have died upstairs,” Alexander said.
The Duke looked at Evelyn.
“Take Noah and leave.”
Alexander laughed.
“Still pretending to be the hero.”
He pushed the Duke onto the train.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“You won’t escape.”
“I don’t need to escape forever. Only long enough to release every name on that drive.”
“Your partners will kill you.”
“Then I’ll take the monarchy down with me.”
Noah looked at the control box beside the platform.
Elias had once taught him how to disable the electrical locks at Blackwood House.
The system here looked older, but simpler.
While Alexander watched Evelyn, Noah quietly pulled a loose wire.
The platform lights went dark.
The Duke struck Alexander.
A shot fired.
Evelyn screamed.
When the emergency lights came on, Alexander was on the ground.
The Duke stood over him, one hand pressed against his bleeding side.
Alexander crawled toward the train.
Noah kicked the gun away.
Alexander stared at the boy.
“I gave you a purpose.”
Noah shook his head.
“You gave me nightmares.”
Military officers arrived and dragged Alexander to his feet.
The Duke collapsed.
Evelyn caught him.
“Stay with me.”
He touched Noah’s face.
“I’m sorry it took us so long to bring you home.”
Noah took his grandfather’s hand.
“You can say sorry later.”
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For the first time that night, the Duke smiled.
Then his eyes closed.
