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WE HURRIED through the deserted corridors, down to the storerooms Kurda led e sacks, revealing a sh, but I pulled him back and asked if we could rest for a couple of minutes - I was in a lot of pain

"Will you be able to continue?" he asked

"Yes, but only if we stop for regular breaks I know ti without resting"

When I felt ready, I followed Kurda through the hole and found ested we slide to the botto all the way down," he said "There’s a shelf halfway down this hole that leads to another tunnel"

Sure enough, after several e, left the hole, and were soon back on level ground "How did you find this place?" I asked

"I followed a bat," he said, and winked

We caet out a map He studied it silently for a few seconds, then took the turn to the left

"Are you sure you knohere you’re going?" I asked

"Not entirely" He laughed "That’s why I brought my maps I haven’t been down some of these tunnels in decades"

I tried keeping track of the route ere taking, in case anything happened to Kurda, and I had to find my way back on my own, but it was ienius could have memorized the way

We passed over a couple of small streams Kurda told me that they joined up with others farther ahead, to for the dead in the past "We could always swily

"Why not flap our arms and fly ahile we’re at it?" Kurda replied

Soht any candles - he said the wax droppings wouldvaressed, the harder it became for me to keep up, and we had to stop often so I could catch y to continue

"I’d carry you if there was roo sweat and blood fro larger tunnels shortly I can give you a boost then if you’d like"

"That’d be great," I wheezed

"What about e get out of the tunnels?" he asked "Do you want me to come with you some of the way, to make sure you’re OK?"

I shook my head "You’d be discovered by the Generals if you did I’ll be fine once I get outside The fresh air will perk me up I’ll find somewhere to sleep, rest for a few hours, then -"

I stopped Loose pebbles had clattered to the floor in one of the tunnels behind us Kurda heard them too He ran to theintently After a few seconds, he raced back tohed, sitting down again

"Darren!" he screeched softly "You can’t stay We’ve got to make a break for it before -"

"I can’t," I told hih - there’s no way I can take part in a full-speed chase If we’ve been found, that’s the end Go on ahead and hide I’ll pretend I acted alone"

"You knoouldn’t leave you," he said, squatting beside me

We waited in silence as the footsteps ca us I hoped it wasn’t Mr Crepsley - I dreaded the thought of facing hi vampire reached the mouth of the tunnel, studied us from the shadows a moment, then ducked forward and hurried over It was Gavner Purl! "You two are in so much trouble," he snarled "Whose dumb idea was it to run?"

"Mine!" Kurda and I said at the exact same time

Gavner shook his head, exasperated "You’re as bad as each other," he snapped "Come on - the truth"

"It wasmy arm to silence my protestations "I persuaded Darren to come The blame is mine"

"You’re an idiot," Gavner repriets out You won’t just have to forget about beco a Vampire Prince - chances are you’ll be carted off to the Hall of Death to suffer the same fate as Darren"

"Only if you tell on me," Kurda said quietly

"You think I won’t?" Gavner challenged him

"If it was your intention to punish us, you wouldn’t have come alone"

Gavner stared at the senior varoaned "I don’t want to see you killed If the two of you come back with me, I’ll keep your name out of it In fact, nobody ever need know it happened Harkat and I are the only ones who know at the ment is passed"

"Why?" Kurda asked "So he can be taken to the Hall of Death and iment of the Princes - yes," Gavner said

Kurda shook his head "That’s e’re escaping fro to take a boy’s life in such a heartless fashion"

"Wrong or right," Gavner snapped, "the judgment of the Princes is final!"

Kurda narrowed his eyes "You agree with me," he whispered "You think his life should be spared"

Gavner nodded reluctantly "But that’sof the Princes"

"Why not?" Kurda asked "Do we have to obey the, even when they rule unjustly?"

"It’s our way," Gavner growled

"Ways can be changed," Kurda insisted "The Princes are too inflexible They ignore the fact that the world isforward In a feeeks, I’ll be a Prince I can change things Let Darren go, and I’ll get the ruling against him overturned I’ll clear his name and allow him to return and complete his Trials Turn a blind eye just this once and I swear you won’t regret it"

Gavner was troubled by Kurda’s words "It’s wrong to plot against the Princes," he muttered

"Nobody will know," Kurda proot away by hiainst everything we believe in," Gavner sighed

"Sometimes we have to abandon old beliefs in favor of new ones," Kurda said

While Gavner agonized over his decision, I spoke up "I’ll go back if you want , which is why I let Kurda talkBut if you say I should return, I will"

"I don’t want you to die," Gavner cried "But running away never solved anything"

"Nonsense!" Kurda snorted "Vaood sense to run froainst us If we take Darren back, we take hiht it over in silence, then nodded morosely "I don’t like it, but it’s the lesser of two evils I won’t turn you in But," he added, "only if you agree to present the truth to the others once you become a Prince We’ll come clean, clear Darren’s name if we can, accept our punishment if we can’t OK?"

"That’s fine by me," Kurda said

"Your word on it?"

Kurda nodded "My word"