Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 426

Chapter 426

I nodded, although I wasn’t sure how much we could do at this point unless Natalia still had that explosive ruby. But I let her lead me inside anyway, where we found ourselves in a narrow, dark corridor.

Grace picked a bundle up off the floor and tossed it to me–black robes. I knew what this was for; I had seen those creatures shuffling around, empty and half–alive. They had brought me my meals, and I had seen their lifeless stares. Like sheep halfway to the slaughter.

I instantly put one of the robes on and hunched over, adopting a limp. Grace did the same, and together, we hurried into the main corridor.

No one paid us any mind. The palace was chaotic, servants just like us bustling around to clean up those of our warriors who hadn’t retreated. No one looked at us; they didn’t have the time. They were too busy cleaning up bodies and blood.

As we passed, I heard people muttering something about a wedding, how “everything needs to be clean” for the ceremony. I focused on scanning the corridors, ensuring there were no threats.

By the time we reached the cells, I felt sick, which had nothing to do with the herbs. I never wanted to set foot in this place again, but there he was–Andrei, in the exact spot I’d been in, having the life sucked from his body while some freak used his face like a Halloween costume.

He wasn’t alone, of course. There were guards.

I didn’t hesitate. I took a knife that I’d stolen from a body and flung it. It embedded in one of the guard’s throats. The other one shouted and charged, but Grace kicked his feet out from under him. I delivered several blows to the back of his head with a stone on the floor and didn’t stop until I heard bone crunching.

When we reached Andrei, he was just barely conscious, head lolling and eyes rolling in his head.

“You… psychos,” he muttered, slurring his words. “It’s too.. dangerous… Get out…”

“Shh.” Grace picked up the same rock that had been used to bash in the guard’s skull and began shattering the rubies one by one. I helped her, using the back of my knife to shatter the rest.

We were maybe halfway through when we heard more steps behind us. I spun just as another guard rounded the corner. His eyes widened as he took in the scene, but I dispatched him before he could shout.

“Here!” I found a keyring on his person and threw it to Grace. She immediately began trying the keys on the cell door while I continued shattering the rubies. I heard more footsteps coming, and cursed, positioning myself in front of Grace as three guards came running.

The rest was a blur. Whatever Grace had given me–it had worked. By the time I was finished dispatching the guards, I was covered in blood that wasn’t mine and felt more alive than I had in weeks.

But more were coming. We needed to hurry.

I turned, chest heaving, and found Grace inside the cell, kneeling before Andrei.

“Hurry!” I hissed, gripping my knife tightly. “More are coming!”

“Almost… done… There!”

Finally, she unlocked Andrei’s final chain. He slumped forward, only half–awake, but she helped him to his feet and stuffed another handful of herbs into his mouth. She turned to me as he slung his arm around her shoulder and leaned on her for support, then smiled and nodded curtly.

I whirled back toward the exit just as another wave of guards came for us.

Chapter 427