Chapter 20
After the first five steps, the staircase spiraled. That slowed Cassian down since it cut off his view. He cautiously descended, careful to listen for any other footsteps. The farther down he went, the darker it grew. Soon, torches began to sprout from the wall, issuing a flickering light. Cassian thought of drawing his knife, still nestled between his fake bosom, but decided against it. A new servant might get turned around and lost, but not likely with a blade in hand.
He reached the bottom of the stairs. It opened onto a long, gloomy corridor, each side lined with walled off rooms. No guards were in sight, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there somewhere. Quietly, he left the relative safety of the stairwell and ventured out into the open. He glanced into the first room. I
