"We need to find Lupis immediately before his house guards discover us."
Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted from the grand staircase at the end of the hall.
"You do not need to look very far," Duke Lupis said, stepping down into the dim light. He wore simple linen robes and carried a candelabra. He looked at the fourteen exhausted adults with a calm expression.
"Your Grace," Marcus stepped forward. "Voranthar turned on us. He accused us of the noble assassinations and ordered our execution. We need sanctuary until we can find a way out of the capital."
Lupis offered a small, understanding smile. "I am well aware of the King's deteriorating sanity. I heard the commotion from the palace. It is precisely why I made preparations."
He gestured for them to follow him toward an iron door concealed behind a heavy tapestry in the study.
