Chapter 173: You Are Meant For Greater Things
The night was deathly quiet, broken only by the faint gasps of the cold draft that crept through the cracks above the pit.
Rhaegar lay motionless, his breathing shallow as he pretended to sleep along with the others. Around him, the muted snores and restless movements of the other boys provided a hollow soundtrack to his anticipation.
Tayiid sat across the pit, his back to the wall, as stoic and calm as ever. His expression gave nothing away, though Rhaegar could see the tension in the way his fingers traced the handle of the makeshift blade resting on his lap. This was finally the night.
As agreed, Rhaegar did not eat the food served to them the entire day with the intention of staying alert for what was about to come. Pretending to be asleep just like everyone else, he was afraid his nervous, loud heartbeat could be heard even outside the prison. Waiting was exhausting and every minute seemed to last an eternity.
And then, they came.
The guards’ footsteps were heavy against the stone above; in the quiet darkness of the night, they reminded of the giants’ march. Rhaegar kept his body still, his eyelids lowered just enough to watch the scene unfold.
"Time to get the big one," a guard muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. It was evident that he was drunk.
There was the sound of rope being unwound, the thick hemp slithering like a snake.
They lowered the rope into the pit, its end dangling just a few feet above the ground. Tayiid rose slowly, his towering frame casting a shadow over the sleeping boys. He didn’t look back at Rhaegar.
Gripping the rope tightly, Tayiid gave it a testing tug before wrapping it around his strong waist and tying a knot. Rhaegar’s heart pounded as he watched his friend move upward as the guards began to pull, his large body disappearing into the world above.
And the moment Tayiid vanished from view, chaos erupted.