The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride

Tyrion and Edgar were in and out of the secret passage as Caleb and other guards did their best to break open the door.

Caleb used an axe to strike the centre of the door. When progress seemed to be made, Tyrion returned with Edgar.

Tyrion covered his nose with his hand. The air where they stood carried an awful stench, and it was becoming harder to breathe the longer they stayed in the closed space.

Caleb struck the door with all his might, thinking of Julie, who had been terrified by a plot started by Quinn. His hands ached, but Caleb was determined to break down the door to uncover what secrets were kept under William's home.

Tyrion wanted to take the axe from Caleb to have him rest, but seeing the look in Caleb's eyes, Tyrion feared that if he touched Caleb, he might be mistakenly struck.

"I see why you keep him around now. I only see brute strength like this among Rafael's knights, and you have two of them. I should start using Reed's son more," Tyrion contemplated.

Caleb laughed, satisfied with himself when he saw a crack, and the axe blade finally went right through to the other side. "I've done it," he said.

"Rest and let someone else take charge. Give me the axe," Edgar said, reaching for it.

"With all due respect, that bastard could have harmed my niece. I'm going to get this door down myself-"

"Wait," Tyrion shushed the pair. "Do you hear that?"

Caleb froze, stopping just before the axe could hit the door again.

Tyrion walked to the door and pressed his ear near the crack Caleb made. It sounded like wind passing through the passage at first, whistling through the other cracks, but then Tyrion heard it.

The weak, faint sound of someone calling for help.

"There's someone inside," Tyrion said, stepping back for Caleb to continue.

Hearing that they finally stumbled upon what they had been searching for, Caleb found the strength he needed to keep breaking the door down.

Beads of sweat trickled down Caleb's face, burning his eyes, but he didn't stop to wipe them away.

Caleb soon threw the axe onto the floor and rammed his shoulder against the door.

Caleb was both relieved and afraid when his body went forward as the door broke, causing him to stumble.

Rather than be concerned about the fall, Caleb covered his nose, put off by the scent.

Tyrion entered the room, and like Caleb, he covered his nose. The scent of the room gave away that someone had died here, but there was good news.

Tyrion looked at the source behind the calls for help. Robert Fenwick was still alive.

Robert's hands were chained to the wall, and his body slumped, but he was alive.

Edgar ordered the guards to free Robert and the two others present in the room who were alive.

Like Robert was chained, there were four others, but it was evident they were dead, along with the lifeless body on a table. Each one was stripped naked.

Tyrion didn't want to imagine the horrors each one faced.

Tyrion went to where the guards tried to free Robert from the shackles. "Mr Fenwick, was anyone else taken from this room? Robert," Tyrion said, holding Robert's head up with his hand. "He's out of it."

"Drugged," said Edgar.

Tyrion let go of Robert since he wasn't in a state to say anything other than to call for help.

Tyrion stood up and looked at the others more carefully. "There is a child there," he pointed out.

Tyrion looked away, unable to stand the sight of the deceased child.

They finally found what Quinn wished to keep hidden, but it was devastating that they had come at a time when so much life was lost.

"Even if noise could have got out to reach us above, we wouldn't have heard anyone because he drugged them. Search every corner of this place. Find all passages that lead out of it," Edgar ordered his guards.

Tyrion avoided looking at the bodies and started to search for what had led them here in the first place.

The rest of William's wealth needed to be found, but Tyrion wouldn't be surprised if they didn't find it.

William's money would have been quite useful for Quinn to help offer money to many desperate families.

"Duke Collins!" A call for Edgar made Tyrion stop what he was doing.

Tyrion followed where the guard stood and came to a stop before an open door. "That's a lot of money and gold," he said, once again forced to cover his nose. "Why is every inch of this room so awful?"

"There are bones amongst the money, Your Highness. They look to be quite old," the guard said, his hand pointing to where bones rested.

Tyrion was careful where he stepped as he entered the room, which he now noticed was not only filled with money, thanks to the guard.

Edgar entered behind Tyrion.

"When the court searched William's home, they not only missed money. He was crazy enough to have women kept down here. He does belong on the same list as Simon. William was sicker than you thought," said Tyrion.

Edgar stared at the bones and what was left of what looked to be dresses. "No one spoke of more women being present," he said.

"I'm almost certain not many would have known they were here. You were all busy searching for clues about who took the women at that time, right? And you had just fought with Grant Henson. You shouldn't dwell on not being able to save them," Tyrion said, trying to ease Edgar of guilt.

"I'm not. I wasn't the one to inspect his home," Edgar replied, then walked away.

Edgar did the hard part, which was to get inside William's home to kill him. It was left to the court and town guards to search the home, but they were more focused on trying to find who had killed William and where his body was placed.

Tyrion exited the room, yearning for fresh air. "Collect all of it and have it sent to the palace. Take out all the bodies. Be careful with those who are alive. Have them sent to the palace as well. Inform the king that I have sent them to be treated by the palace doctors."

Tyrion stared at Robert, who was lucky. A little bit more, and all of his family could have joined him below William's home.

It was unfortunate that the need for money led to everyone being placed in this room and being tortured. Once word of it got out, it should be a lesson to those who only thought of money and ignored the signs of danger.