Turn me loose.

Time wasn’t wasted with a stealthy arrival, and once on the third floor, Larkin and the guards following him headed straight for the guest room. At the end of the hallway, Larkin stopped and lowered his weapon. He listened, and he heard the voices of Matthias and Tic. His hand went out to the left doorknob, turned and pushed. It didn’t budge, and he hadn’t expected it to. It was unlocked, though, and that meant only one thing: Matthias had barricaded himself inside with Tic.

He looked down at the axe in his hands, before it had been a tool of intimidation, but now he might have to use it. A smile threatened to creep into his expression; he wouldn’t mind giving it a swing or two, but first to get through. He lifted his eyes to the doors, and then turned to the men who waited patiently for his orders.

“You, go back and find Grub. Tell him to disable to the passageway.” He pointed at one of the guards, and the man left to carry out. The rest of the guards remained standing straight and patient, staves held tightly in both hands.

Larkin’s second order was for the men to remove the doors - but carefully, he didn’t want anything chipped or broken. They went to remove the hinges of the huge doors, the others waiting to catch them as they fell back. He stood back and watched as they worked, impatient as always.

The first door fell, and the men caught it before it hit the floor, straining to let it down softly.