Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 420

Adrian said, “If Dames went to find Daph, then he’s probably upstairs on the second floor.”

The second floor had been set up as a makeshift dressing room for the student performers.

Selene didn’t hang up the call. She slipped her phone into her jeans pocket, then shrugged off her backpack and rummaged inside for her insulated water bottle.

She dampened a handkerchief with the water and asked, “Adrian, if I cover my mouth and nose with this and run up to the second floor, how long do you think I can last up there?”

Adrian replied, “If the fire isn’t contained, you’ll need to get out in 56 seconds. Not a second longer.”

He’d already calculated how quickly carbon monoxide would reach dangerous levels up there. If Selene stayed past those 56 seconds, she’d risk losing consciousness.

“Alright, I’m counting on you. Start the countdown for me!”

She entrusted her life to Adrian, who waited outside the auditorium, unable to enter.

Though they were separated by walls and chaos, it felt like they stood back to back, each shielding the other from whatever came next.

Selene pressed the wet handkerchief over her nose and mouth and sprinted up the stairs.

Adrian sat inside his sports car, his laptop open on the seat beside him, his expression grim.

In the back seat, Daph watched Selene’s live feed on the screen. She stayed silent, knowing this was no time for distractions.

*

Inside the burning auditorium, Selene raced up to the second floor, peering into each room as she went, searching for any sign of Dames.

Suddenly, from the hallway, she heard the faint sound of someone crying.

She followed the sound, pushed open a door, and found Dames lying on the floor, tied up with rope, a soft whimper escaping his throat.

He looked up and, seeing Selene, cried out, “What took you so long?!”

Relief flooded Selene as she spotted her son. She dashed over and saw that the other end of the rope was looped around a table leg.

Thankfully, whoever tied him up had used a slipknot—one glance, and Selene knew exactly how to undo it.

Selene crouched and opened the cabinet. Inside, to her shock, was Altair—bound tightly with ropes, stuffed into the cramped space. When he saw her, tears streamed down his cheeks.

“Altair?!”

Selene hadn’t expected to find him here, let alone tied up like this. She tried to lift him out, but saw that, on top of the ropes, a heavy chain shackled him to a welded iron ring inside the cabinet.

The knots were tight—no way to untie them by hand—and the chain wouldn’t budge. Selene pulled a small knife from her pocket and began to saw at the ropes.

Altair’s face was bright red from the smoke billowing in. He shook his head desperately at her, choking on his own sobs.

Dames, from behind, pleaded, “Mom, please, we have to get out of here!”

He started coughing, his voice raw. “Mom, if we stay any longer, we’re not going to make it!”

Selene pressed her phone into Dames’s hand. “Take this. Mr. Shaw is on the line—he’ll guide you out. Go. Now.”

Dames stood frozen, his eyes as dark and turbulent as ink swirling in water.