The Lords of Aedyn looked up with irritation as a guard knocked at the door and opened it to admit Anaximander. The Jackal sighed deeply, annoyed at the intrusion. They had been discussing their plans over breakfast for the new weapon which Peter had agreed to design for them.

Anaximander was robed in his ceremonial best and had planned to deliver a great deal of flowery speeches along with his news. But something he saw in the Wolf's posture—something in the dead coldness of the eyes behind that mask—indicated that this might not have been the wisest approach. And so he said, quite simply and without apology, "My Lord, the prisoner has escaped."

An awful silence fell upon the room. The Wolf stood, and the eyes behind the mask were no longer cold but full of fire. But the Leopard spoke instead. "You will interrogate the guards who permitted her escape. We need to know if they had help from inside the castle."

Anaximander nodded. "It is almost certain that she was freed by renegade slaves—the same who got away from the working party some months ago, overpowering their guards."

"Another failure on your part," said the Wolf in that strange, emotionless voice. 

"Go. Find out what happened—and remember that the fair stranger must know nothing of what has transpired. We shall discuss your future on your return."

The Lord Chamberlain paused for an imperceptible moment, then bowed low to the lords, turned on his heel, and left the Hall. He walked as one already condemned. Unless he sorted this out very quickly, he would be dead within days. The Lords of Aedyn tolerated no failure on the part of their servants.
 

Knowing he would need his rest, Peter had forced himself to go to bed. But he'd slept poorly and rose with the first light of dawn. With nothing to do, he paced up and down inside his apartment, hungry, miserable, and more convinced with each passing moment that he had made a terrible mistake. The Lords of Aedyn were evil, but that did not make them fools. He had been mad to think that they would allow Julia to go free simply because he told them how to make a cannon! And of course they would want to make sure it worked before releasing her. He should have seen that coming.

Peter sighed and ran a hand roughly through his hair. What a mess! He racked his mind again, trying to work out whether there was anything that could still be done to turn the situation around. But what could he do? His apartment was now kept locked from the outside, and he could not leave the room—much less the castle—without the permission of the Lords of Aedyn. 

He was under house arrest, and there was nothing left to do. He sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. If only he could think of something clever that would get them all out of this mess! Some drastic escape, and a heroic rescue for Julia…

The door swung open. The captain of the guards entered, accompanied by two of his men. His face was grim, and he wasted no words.

 "You will come with me to the Great Hall to show us the construction of your cannon." A slave entered the room behind him, carrying a tray with a simple meal. "Eat," said the captain. "You have five minutes. I shall be waiting outside for you." 

He and his men left the room, locking its great door behind them.

Peter drank deeply from the cup and tore off a piece of bread. His last meal, he thought grimly. He was just about to bite into the bread when he noticed that something was wrong. There was a piece of paper rolled up inside it.

Looking around to make sure he was not being watched, Peter unrolled the paper, his eyes going wide at the message written within.

"J escaped. Safe in forest. Destroy this message."

Peter read it again, making sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Julia was safe—safe in spite of all his stupid blunders. He wondered who could have sent the message—maybe one of the slaves of whom Julia had seemed so fond? There was no way that the Lords of Aedyn would tell him about this. They wanted him to think he was at their mercy. But if this message was true, they no longer had any way of controlling him.

Hurriedly Peter placed the rest of the bread in his mouth and began to chew. There were no more messages. Finally, he crumpled up the paper up into a little ball and swallowed it, grimacing. He knocked on his door for the guards to let him out, and as he left the apartment a plan began to form in his mind just as a smile began to form on his lips.

"Are you ready?" asked the captain.

"Yes, I'm ready," said Peter.

Continue to Chapter Twelve.