Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair)
Chapter 698

Meanwhile, Rafael had already infiltrated Harmony Palace but had yet to reach the dungeon.

Harmony Palace's dungeon had four entrances. The craftsmen who originally built it were long dead, silenced after the fact. However, Jacob had managed to find the son of the foreman. The foreman's son possessed a set of blueprints from that time, which was how they obtained the dungeon's layout. The dungeon was roughly half the size of Harmony Palace, dug deep into the ground. Bricks were used during construction, dividing the space into four separate cell blocks-north, south, east, and west.

Each entrance corresponded to one of the cell blocks, with the eastern cell block accessible through the western courtyard. The purpose of what lay within remained a mystery, but it was clear that the southern and eastern blocks weren't meant for imprisonment. Based on the blueprints, they were simply two large underground chambers.

In contrast, the northern and western cell blocks were designed for holding prisoners. Each block had one large cell, and the rest were divided into smaller individual cells. According to the layout, the four blocks weren't connected and were completely isolated. Rafael didn't know whether Daniel's family was held in the western or the northern cell block, so he decided to try the western cell block first. The two areas were close together, and their entrances weren't far apart.

The extravagance of Harmony Palace was apparent from the number of lamps everywhere. They likely used a lot of oil every night.

However, Rafael had the advantage of being quick on his feet. The residence had many buildings and trees, so it was easy for him to stay hidden.

The entrance to the western cell block wasn't in the western courtyard, but rather in the eastern one. This intricate design was meant to confuse, but it was rather poorly executed.

The poor execution stemmed from the fact that Eleanor had never been discovered, and no one feared her. Harmony Palace was vast enough that even if someone reached the back courtyard, they wouldn't find the entrance.

With so many courtyards, side halls, and beautifully landscaped gardens, who would suspect that there was a dungeon within the residence? Who would expect the faux mountain in the eastern courtyard to be the entrance to the western cell block?

After a patrol passed, Rafael slipped easily into the dungeon. It was dug deep, and he followed the wall down for quite some time before hearing the sound of a child crying.

Rafael knew he was on the right track. His infiltration was going surprisingly smoothly.

There were lamps lit inside the cell block, though the light was dim. After descending, Rafael noticed that no one was guarding the area. He quickly moved over to open the door of an empty cell and hid inside.

Each cell was sealed tight, with only

a tiny opening in the iron door. Once Rafael hid inside, he would remain undetected as long as no one opened the cell door. Before closing the door, he wrapped a wire around the latch to make it appear locked. Unless someone looked closely, they wouldn't notice anything amiss.

There were crying sounds coming from the third cell to his left. He didn't get too close, but because he heard the sounds after entering the dungeon, he knew people were locked up in that direction.

He guessed that those inside were

the concubines imprisoned by Eleanor, or perhaps their daughters. These women likely loathed Eleanor, but may have grown numb and compliant. If they realized someone had broken in and thought they could seize an opportunity to escape, they could very Well scream for help.

Thus, Rafael chose to remain farther from the occupied cell.

Pressing his ear against the wall, he could hear a soothing voice from the left.

"Jack, don't be afraid. Curtis, you

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don't need to be scared. Daddy and Mommy are here. My dear, trust that our parents will notice you're missing. They'll go to the authorities or ask Carissa for help. Carissa knows Prince Rafael, remember? They will definitely come to rescue us. Don't be afraid."

That should be Daniel speaking. He reassured his family, but his voice trembled slightly at the end.

Daniel still didn't know who that temperamental woman was or why she had brought him and his family here. Judging by the way she conducted herself, she was likely formidable.

His mind was in a jumble. He couldn't focus enough to think about whom he might have offended. The things the woman had said were strange. It didn't sound like someone who had a grudge against him.

Just as Rafael settled into his hiding spot, footsteps echoed nearby. Someone was approaching from the left.

He quickly opened the small iron flap and pressed against the wall, peering out to see who was passing by.

The footsteps stopped just outside Daniel's cell. A voice laced with impatience said, "Stop your whining! You're disturbing everyone else's rest. Since you're in here, you'd better accept your fate. The only way you're leaving is in a coffin!" It was Henry's voice.