“How do you suppose they would listen?” Jayce enquired with a hint of sarcasm. Molly desired to express her exasperation by rolling her eyes at him. He was intolerable whenever he was angry with her—or anyone, for that matter. She pondered how Beckham had remained with him for such an extended period.
“We will guide them to Colton’s camp, where Sir Antony resides. He will at least persuade them to reason and afford you an opportunity to speak,” Molly elucidated as if addressing a child. It only intensified his anger, precisely as she intended. She desired to provoke the inner beast within him as he had done to her.
“Sir Antony is unlikely to assist me, Molly. You heard him; he believes this is a task I must undertake independently,” Jayce remarked bitterly.
“I believe he would assist us if we returned them there. It may compel him to act, yet I think he would remain amenable.” Molly folded her arms across her chest. “Isn’t that the reason for your presence here? To gain their support?”
“Indeed, this has escalated beyond our capacity to manage,” Beckham interjected. “We lack sufficient personnel to confront them. Attempting to engage would be tantamount to a suicide mission.”
“We are not toying with them; we simply need to guide them back to Colton’s camp, and I believe it will be effective if we proceed. It is worth attempting,” Molly stated, her voice slightly subdued.
Jayce gazed upward, as if seeking a solution to their dilemmas, or perhaps he was merely exasperated by her proposals. It would not have been the initial occurrence—and it undoubtedly will not be the final one. “We should devise a plan, but first we must determine how to extricate Colton from that location.”
“They have subterranean cells in which I was confined. However, we can first examine the initial room where I was placed. It featured a small window through which Colton visited me.”
Jayce turned his head abruptly in her direction. Molly sealed her lips, having overlooked the fact that she was not to mention it. “What do you mean by Colton’s visit? When did he come to see you?”
“While I was confined in the room, Colton visited me,” Molly remarked casually. Jayce opened his mouth to enquire further, but she interrupted him. “As I mentioned, I am aware of the window’s location. We should investigate there first before examining the lower cells.”
“How do you propose we access those cells?” Beckham enquired. “It appears more complex than you are suggesting.”
“I recall the route. I can infiltrate alone and attempt to obtain the keys to liberate him,” Molly proposed.
“I cannot permit you to enter the lion’s den. You will be killed if any of them apprehend you,” Jayce stated immediately.
“You do not possess the authority to permit or prohibit my actions; we are not in the palace. I am the sole individual familiar with the ingress and egress of that location, thus I believe I am the only viable option,” Molly asserted. Jayce averted his gaze, yet she discerned his desire to strangle her merely from the expression on his face.
“Very well. I shall accompany you to retrieve him,” he finally stated. Molly wished to protest, but it would be futile. He would never permit her to enter without his presence.
“Excellent,” Molly muttered. “We will extricate him and devise a strategy to guide all the rogues to his encampment once he is secure. I am confident he may possess some insight.”
Beckham regarded them as though they were a source of his entertainment. He scoffed and turned to observe his men.
“Understood. We will remain nearby on alert should any issues arise.” Beckham directed his gaze towards Molly. “You comprehend that we must prioritise the rescue of the prince over your situation, do you not?”
Molly elevated her chin and acknowledged with a nod. Jayce repositioned himself adjacent to her.
“It would be prudent to prioritise Molly.” That was all he remarked before ascending a small hill that provided a view of Life Pharmacy. Molly promptly pursued him before he opted to depart without her. He scrutinised the building as though it were a puzzle he was fated to decipher.
Molly enquired, “When should we depart?” She wished he could still hear her amidst the intensifying wind.
“They would not anticipate our presence during the day,” he stated without making eye contact with her. Molly attempted to identify any guards potentially patrolling the grounds, but she had not observed anyone thus far. “They deploy additional personnel for nighttime patrols. I observed this during our previous visit.”
“Is it the ideal moment to depart?” Molly enquired. Her gaze traversed him, observing his tense posture. Was he apprehensive regarding this? Or was she merely envisioning it?
“Please escort me to the small window, after which we can deliberate on whether to proceed inside.” he stated softly. Molly acquiesced and proceeded down a tree-lined side path. The likelihood of being observed by someone from Life Pharmacy was diminished compared to proceeding directly towards it.
She crouched down when they arrived at one of the fences. Molly lingered by the trees for what seemed like hours before she mustered the courage to swiftly traverse the clearing and pass through the low gate. Jayce’s weighty footsteps closely followed her own; for a brief moment, she nearly overlooked his presence.
They concealed themselves behind every sufficiently large object until they ascended the wall. Three guards traversed the vicinity while they concealed themselves in the shadows, failing to glance in their direction as they passed. Molly traced the wall and averted her gaze upon encountering the clearing where Joseph had requested her to dance. Despite its romantic nature, it did not constitute a genuine memory for her.
The diminutive window was situated adjacent to the corner of the building’s side. Jayce seized her arm and pulled her close as two guards emerged from around the corner. She sensed his warm breath on the nape of her neck, his hand covering her mouth while he pressed her against his chest as they moved past.
“…I was not informed about his new…”
The voices diminished after a brief interval. Molly observed as their shadows vanished around the corner before she approached the small window once more. She recognised it as the suitable choice for the room she occupied. It was white; the others appeared brown or black, but there was solely one white specimen.
Molly indicated the diminutive window, and Jayce leaned down to effortlessly pry it open. Molly knelt to scrutinise the diminutive window, yet it was entirely devoid of light. The scent remained unchanged since her departure, and the location appeared devoid of any vitality. She promptly rose and brushed off her trousers before shaking her head at Jayce. Certainly, it would not be that simple.
Jayce gestured for her to remain silent as he grasped her hand and guided her around the building. He halted upon seeing the back door through which Joseph had escorted her. She discreetly indicated that the door would be secured, yet he appeared entirely unfazed.
A few minutes elapsed without any communication from Jayce. He remained motionless and attentive. Molly embraced herself as the anticipation diminished and the chill returned.
A duo of guards approached the corner, engrossed in an intense discussion. Jayce inclined towards her to murmur in her ear. “I will select the larger one,” he stated. Molly’s eyes widened as she reached to seize him, but he had already risen and positioned himself behind them.
Molly hastily rose to assist. He bent down to seize a rock and placed it in her hand while maintaining his gaze on the men. Molly comprehended precisely his expectations of her, and she felt compelled to protest and berate him for the mere suggestion. However, Jayce did not even glance at her. As though he anticipated her dissent if he proceeded.
