Evelisse raised her hood further and crossed her arms. "Speak. All of it. Now."
The men hesitated, then looked at one another.
One finally spoke.
"You told us to get caught, Boss. You said it was the only way in. That they'd never suspect prisoners were the ones starting it all."
'Starting what?'
Another added, "We followed orders. We kept quiet even under torture. We didn't break. Because we trust you. You told us to wait for the signal."
"What signal?" Evelisse asked coolly.
"The fire," one of them whispered. "The fire in the throne room."
Evelisse's breath caught.
"What fire?"
"It hasn't happened yet. But it will. The moment the fire starts, the east wing defenses drop. That's when the real group enters."
Evelisse's thoughts raced.
'They're planning an attack. From inside. Using a prisoner distraction... They're not the distraction. They're the trigger.'
"And once they're in?" she asked.
"They retrieve the girl," one said.
Evelisse blinked.
"What girl?"
