Chapter 19
ALEXEI
Half of me is happy, and the other half is murderous.
St. fucking Monarch’s.
The air is tense in the security room as we stand by a round table, putting a map together. Demitri, Isabella, and I are trying to remember the layout.
Isabella points to the south side. “There’s a courtyard here. Guards patrol every five minutes.”
Demitri gestures to the west. “The outdoor shooting range. It’s too close to the armory to breach from there unless we blow it up.”
“Isabella,” I say as I grab a pencil and lean over the map, “How many guards are on the south side?”
She thinks for a moment. “I’d guess between ten and fifteen.”
I write down fifteen, then glance at Demitri.
“Stationed near the shooting range?” he asks. “Easily double. I’d prepare for thirty guards.”
Then he shakes his head, and it has me asking, “What?”
“The guards aren’t the problem. We’ll be able to get through the first line of defense.” His eyes lock with mine. “It’s the custodians I’m worried about.”
“Two always follow Madame Keller,” Isabella mentions.
“And there’s Miss Dervishi and Mr. Yeoh, the instructors,” Demitri adds. “They trained us. They’ll be able to anticipate our moves.”
Fuck.
“Where would the other custodians be?” I ask.
The last time I was at St. Monarch’s was almost two years ago, and I didn’t pay attention to the guards.
“Two in the hallway leading to Madame Keller's office and two near the armory.”
I write the numbers down. “When we breach, we’ll have three highly fucking skilled people to deal with stationed by the armory, then two outside the office, and two on the inside.”
“And Madame Keller,” Demirtri adds. “Don’t underestimate her. She might be old, but she can still fire a gun just as good as any of us.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Besides the first line of defense and the nine skilled people, we’ll have to find a way to get through the fucking vault door that will seal them in the office.” I think for a moment, then say, “Unless we just blow that part of the building. Would the walls be steel-reinforced?”
Demitri shakes his head. “Maybe the back of the office where the cabinets with weapons are, but not the sides.”
Nodding, Isabella agrees, “Demitri’s right. After remodeling the castle, they kept the walls intact because of the historical artwork. The ceilings as well.”
“At least we have that counting in our favor,” I mutter. I stare at the map. “First line of defense will easily be sixty men. Second line, I’m guessing twenty.”
Demitri lets out a sigh. “Final line of defense seven and a vault door.”
“Nine,” Isabella corrects Demitri. “Counting my mother and Hugo.”
“You shot Hugo during the attack, and I’m pretty sure Demitri and I got shots in as well, so he might be out of the picture,” I say.
“Let’s count him just in case,” Isabella replies.
Lifting a hand to my face, I scrub my knuckles over my jaw. “And that’s not adding the custodians and assassins in training.”
“We’ll have to take Nikhil and Sacha.”
I glance at Demitri and see the worry for Ariana’s safety if they’re not here to protect her. “We’ll send Ariana to the island.”
Demitri nods.
“I’ll leave Tristan with her,” I add to set his mind at ease.
“What about MJ?” Demitri asks.
MJ is Hailey’s custodian that my brother got her for protection. From what Carson’s told me, she’s good. “I’ll talk to Carson. Hailey can join Ariana on the island.”
“Maybe we should leave them on Damien and Winter’s island. Cillian and their guards will be able to protect them better than Tristan.”
I begin to nod, knowing Winter’s personal guard, Cillian, is good and tough as nails. “Good idea.” I let out a heavy breath. “Now to figure out what kind of weapons we’re looking at.”
“A lot,” Isabella chuckles, shaking her head at the map.
Ariana comes into the security room. “Time for a break, guys. Come eat.”
I drop the pencil on the map, and when Demitri and Isabella follow Ariana, I glance back at the numbers I wrote down.
Worry gnaws at my insides like a fucking rat.
I’ll be risking everyone who means something to me. My friends. My brother. Demitri. Isabella.
There’s a chance some of us will die.
Closing my eyes, I contemplate calling the whole thing off and waiting Sonia out. She can’t live there forever.
Demitri comes back into the security room. “What?”
I shake my head. “I’ll be risking everyone I love. Sonia’s not worth it.”
Demitri places his hand on my shoulder, and we just stare at each other for a moment, then he says, “We don’t back down, Alexei. If we do, Sonia wins. It will make her stronger and you weaker.”
I let out a slow breath and lift my chin. “We don’t back down.”