Chapter 37 - The missing.

Marco led the way as we walked down to the ground floor of the palace. On the east wing was a large room with a small desk and several cushioned chairs. This room was where our chief palace guard would schedule the duties of the day with any guards that were on palace patrol. Every night and day, there would always be two of our guards placed in this room, because on the left, opposite the desk was a heavy metal door. Marco commanded one of his guards to escort us and twist open the steel lock. The door creaked open and as his guard picked up a lantern next to the door, lit it and led us through. As soon as my feet hit the stone and narrow steps I was instantly hit with the smell of dung, mould and rusted metal, and the further we went down the steps, with just enough light to vaguely see your own two feet in front of you.

We reached the underground of the palace, and along the brick walls were loose chains with cuffs hanging from hooks, and down the long cold corridor there was only