Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Whispers in the dark
Trace didn’t like the prospect of fighting three men at once. Especially when there was one he absolutely couldn’t kill, and it was the most dangerous one of the set.

If he accidentally killed Martin, there would be no chance of freeing the prisoners trapped behind walls of thick rock.

But clearly, from the bickering with the other guards, Martin had at least some inkling of how to use his power in battle. One wrong move could send Trace flying into a wall or crushed by a section of ceiling.

This was a gross disadvantage for him.

So, as he’d leaned around the corner and taken stock of the situation, he’d made two decisions.

Firstly, melee combat in this confined area would not end in his favor.

Secondly, Martin had to be taken out first, but not in any way that would impede rescue. The other two were inconsequential, comparatively speaking.

In a stroke of enormous luck, Martin had turned his back on the doorway to stand and open one of the prison cells. Trace didn’t know which one, and frankly, he didn’t quite care.

The important factor was the distraction.

And so, he leapt out and raced forward, grabbing Martin around the neck and holding his sword against the man’s throat.

“NOBODY MOVE!” He roared.

Martin went still, and chuckled. Trace’s blood went cold. He saw Emily peek out from her newly-opened prison, and her eyes went wide.

Instinctively, Trace pulled his hostage backward just as a section of wall burst out from one side. The sideways column of rock narrowly missed hitting him in the head.

“Stop it or your life ends now,” Trace skimmed the edge of the blade up towards Martin’s jawline.

“Fine, fine. What do you want? Here for the pretty one or the family?” Martin wasted no time in opening negotiations. “Course, you won’t get out of here unless I let you…”

A distant section of cave rumbled. The entrance! They were trapped.

“Blast you, I don’t want to kill anyone,” Trace murmured. “Just let the innocent people go, will you?”

“I don’t really think I want to,” Martin replied. “If I let them go, the boss would probably have me killed. I think I’m better off just waiting it out with you. You should know, though, that unless I let air into those rooms, those ‘innocent’ people will suffocate in a while. Not sure how long, exactly, if I’m honest. How long can you wait this out?”

“Martin,” One of the others warned, keeping his distance but pointing a knife towards Trace. “You’re not gonna leave us all trapped in here, are you?”

“More incentive for you to keep me alive,” Martin challenged. “If I die, everyone dies with me.”

“And if I let you go, I imagine you’ll let yourself out and seal anyone left inside, including your cohort.” Trace eyed the other two, who glanced nervously at one another.

“He can’t.” One replied. “He gets tired. Once he opens the main entrance up, it’ll be a while before he can close it again.”

“I have enough power to do what needs doing,” Martin snapped.

“How long until he can open the entrance?” Trace demanded.

“Don’t tell him anything!” Martin glared at the other two men, but the rift between them had already begun to widen.

“Martin doesn’t care about you at all.” The farmer stared at the other two men. “My only goal here is to rescue innocent people and get everyone out of here alive. I haven’t killed any of the others, even though I could have. We can walk together and see your friend that was nearer to the entrance, where he’s tied up and gagged, but alive. It’s sounding to me like I might care more about your lives than Martin, here.”

He tried not to wince, but he really didn’t want to go on a walk with these men, especially with Anaisa between where they were and where the man was tied up.

“I don’t know,” One kept staring at Trace, but his posture relaxed slightly. That was good. Gaining ground.

“Help me convince Martin to let them out, and I’ll let you leave. I’ll even pay you double what you’re being paid to be here. A copper coin a day, each, is the going rate, right?”

“How’d you know that?” The one further from Trace asked suspiciously.

“I’ve already got one of you on my payroll.” Trace smiled. “With funds to hire more.”

Well, not a lot of funds. His money wasn’t limitless by any stretch, and he’d spent plenty on food and camping equipment, but he had enough to get his way out of this situation, hopefully.

“Don’t believe him,” Martin warned. “You’ll regret it!”

“Are you threatening my men while I’ve got a sword at your throat?” Trace pressed it closer. They hadn’t agreed to be his men, but he hoped calling them such would somehow make it happen.

“Martin, open the blasted cages,” One said. “I’ve felt bad about keeping children since we got them. We were hired to imprison insurgents, not babies.”

“Soft-hearted idiot,” Martin sneered.

“Do it.” The other joined in. “Let them out.”

“Both you morons can be bought for a few measly copper coins?” The man scoffed in Trace’s hold. “What are you gonna do to make me?”

“What if I put a voice in your head to drive you mad if you didn’t?” Trace looked to where Emily had been silently waiting in the dim corner of the large room. She seemed surprised.

“What are you talking about?” Martin’s voice held fear layered under skepticism.

“A whisper in your mind. Over and over, telling you to free the prisoners, until you just can’t resist obeying,” Trace warned.

Martin tensed, and the farmer saw Emily’s lips moving faintly.

“STOP IT!” Martin suddenly shoved one elbow backward. It knocked Trace’s breath out, but he maintained his hold. “STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!!!!”

“You can stop it by freeing them all,” Trace yelled over the man’s cries. He had no idea the man would go quite so crazy so quickly.

A spot of red on Trace’s sleeve caught his attention. Blood had begun to leak out of one of Martin’s ears.