“Yes. The healer took the effects of the drugs away so we would wake up. I was then promptly told who they were and what they wanted with us.”
Feeling belittled and guilty I mumbled fearfully, “What do they want with us?”
He laughed humourlessly. “They find themselves fortunate enough to have in their hands the Handmaiden of Phaedra and the Captain of the Royal Guard. We’re bargaining chips, my Lady. They’re going to hold our safety ransom in exchange for land from Markiza Raven.”
I scoffed at the ridiculousness of it. “Are they idiots?” I made a face. “Even if they managed some temporary agreement with Novia, once we’re free we’ll just send in the entire Guard to arrest them for what they’ve done.”
Wolfe shook his head. “Not if they keep us hostage for a while. They know how much the Princezna cares about you.”
An awful understanding dawned. “You mean… they mean to keep us here… indefinitely?”
“That would be my guess.” He nodded. “They’ll promise to look after us, keep us alive. But they won’t hand us over until they’re certain of their position. If ever.”
Acid curdled in my stomach and I dragged myself along the floor so I could lean my head against the wall. The tight, fearful knot that had begun to grow in my chest since we learned of the growing crime in Phaedra enlarged painfully. “This is because of Haydyn… isn’t it? Because her power is waning?”
Wolfe sighed and followed my lead, leaning back against the wall, his light eyes hard as flint. I looked away, unnerved by him when he had that focused, ruthless look in his eye. “Yes. It is,” he replied finally.
“We have to get out of here.” I shook my head frantically and jumped up to rush at the cellar door. My legs felt wobbly after having not used them for a while but determinedly I held onto my balance.
“Rogan…”
I pulled at the door but it was worthless. Ignoring the prick of tears behind my eyes I peered through the bars. There was nothing there to see. Just a narrow, dark staircase leading upwards into the house. I whirled around, my eyes narrowing on the window. I ran at it but couldn’t reach it. I twisted around to glare at Wolfe. “Can you get your ass up for a minute to see if these bars will shift?”
He pinned me to the wall with a disgusted look. “I’m the Captain of the Royal Guard, Rogan, not an idiot. I tried the window and the door as soon as they left us in this damn cellar.”
I deflated instantly, but refused to show my fear. “Well, we have to do something.”
“The only chance we get is if they let us out of here.”
Reluctantly hearing the wisdom in his statement, I nodded and made my way back over to my spot at the wall. I slumped down to the ground and stared straight ahead. It was then I became aware of how much I needed a bath. I wrinkled my nose. Being kidnapped was not fun.
Wolfe grunted and muttered a curse under his breath.
“If you’ve got something to say, say it,” I snapped.
“Oh it’s nothing,” his words were laced in heavy sarcasm, “Just relaxing, you know, thanking my fortunate stars for being the one who was put in charge of protecting you.”
“Hey!” I whipped around to scowl at him. “No one asked you to protect me! To follow me!”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m the Princezna’s Captain, Lady Rogan, and you are the most important person in her life. Not to mention the last of the Azyl and the only bloody person who knows where the Somna Plant is! It’s my job to protect you. And you make it very difficult.”
“I went for a walk!”
“And got us kidnapped by creepy… Iavii… people!” He spat.
“Oh dear haven,” I groaned, and leaned back against the cold brick wall, closing my eyes. “Will you get over it, already?”
He spluttered, “Get over it? Get over it? Do you have any idea what this could do to me? What if I can’t get us out of here, Rogan?! What if something happens to you?!”
“Relax. It’s not like they’ll blame you and you’ll lose your job.” I sighed heavily. “I can’t believe I got kidnapped with Captain Wolfe Stovia. Talk about fun.”
“You are such a brat.”
I smiled, glad I was annoying him. “And you are such a pompous, untrustworthy snake.”
I felt his indrawn breath without looking at him, and determinedly squished the guilt that seized my body.
Before he could reply, the key turning in the door made us both sit up, alert and wary. A huge, burly man with long dark hair pulled back into a messy queue strolled into the cellar. His intimidating figure seemed to take up the entire space as he watched us like a predator, studying its prey.
“We’ve brought ye food.” He had a slight accent, his words rolling and unrefined. He nodded at someone and a young man came into the room carrying a tray. “One move and I run ye through,” the big man warned, his hand going to the hilt of a sword strapped to a belt around his hip.
I looked at Wolfe for guidance but he just kept his eyes trained on the larger of the men. The young man came forward, keeping his distance from us, and laid the tray down on the ground. He looked up at me as he picked one bowl off of it and slid it towards me. As he did the same for Wolfe’s bowl, his eyes never left me, and I squirmed under his strange regard. He watched me with a clinical interest that was extremely disturbing. I waited for Wolfe to do something. But he just sat there.
“I need to use the… I have need of… I need to relieve myself,” I finished, blushing at my impulsive outburst.
“Relieve yerself?” The big man grinned. “Ye mean ye need to use the piss pot?”
I flushed even harder at his crassness but nodded, hoping he would let me out of the cellar enough for me to find my bearings.
“There’s one in the corner.” He grinned even harder. “Behind the changing screen.”
I was horrified. “You are jesting?”
He shook his head. “If ye’re that desperate, ye’ll use it.”
Disgusted, I could do nothing but wait with bated breath for them to leave and then I turned on Wolfe. “Why didn’t you do something?”
He shrugged and grabbed the bowl and bread that had been left for him. “He had the upper hand. Plus… I’m hungry.”
I think my jaw may have hit the ground at how blasé he was. Infuriated with not only him but myself, wishing I had somehow had a life that prepared me more for the kind of hogwash that kept happening to me, I snatched my bowl up and bit out, “Wonderful. Just wonderful. Let me know when you decide to start working on that whole protecting me bit you keep spouting.”
He threw me a look but didn’t retort… which annoyed me more than I would have liked.
When we had finished eating he finally said, with a mischievous smile in his voice, “You know if you need to… relieve yourself… I could hum, or sing… so you’re not embarrassed, you know by the noi-”
I blushed so hard my face could have warmed the guard around a camp site. “I understand your meaning.” I stopped him.
“I’m just saying I-”
“You could sing, yes, yes, very funny.”
He nearly choked himself to death laughing when three hours later I made him do just that, as I darted behind the changing screen to use the chamber pot.
Worse still, he actually had a very nice singing voice.
Chapter Twelve
“I really am getting tired of people manhandling me,” I murmured, covering my fear with bravado and ignoring the bite of the dagger at my neck. I tried not to think how ironic it was that only a few days ago I had someone else in the position I was now in.
“Rogan,” Wolfe murmured back in warning.
I shrugged and the gypsy at my back pressed the blade harder against my skin and I winced as it cut.
“Hey!” Wolfe growled in outrage, making a move toward me. The two huge gypsies holding him in their grasp reeled him back in.
“I told ye, the girl gets it if ye make a move to attack.” The man holding me was the one from yesterday with the messy queue and hand-me-down gentleman’s clothing. The hand he wrapped around my waist tightened and he pulled me back against him so I was flush with his body. “And ye,” he whispered softly, threateningly in my ear, “Keep it quiet. Or I’ll find a far more pleasurable way to occupy yer mouth.”
Aghast and repulsed, humiliated at being treated this way in front of Wolfe, who eyed the gypsy as if the man had just signed his own death warrant, I immediately decided it would be best if I shut up. The four men in the cellar with us were huge. What on havens did these people eat?
“Now,” the gypsy continued, “We’re going for a little walk outside. And ye’re both going to behave.” I noticed how measured his words were, as if he had to concentrate on his enunciation.
I tried to catch Wolfe’s eye to see if he had a plan but the gypsy pushed me ahead and I stumbled, my throat nearly catching the blade edge again.
A menacing growl rumbled from behind me. “If you want me to behave, you better stop putting her life in danger,” Wolfe warned in a tone that would have intimidated a lesser man.
The gypsy grunted but he was more careful with me as he took us upstairs. The overwhelming light made my eyes tear. I really only caught a glimpse of a cosy parlour as we were taken out the front door of the modestly sized farmhouse we were being kept in. As he dragged me down the porch stairs, my eyes widened at the fields in front of me. Dozens of tents scattered the farm; dogs, cats running around, horses grazing leisurely, some sheep and cattle off in the distance. In the centre was a huge stone campfire, unlit, but still surrounded by the comings and goings of the gypsies.
“Come on,” the gypsy grunted and pushed me ahead. We made our way past a few tents, people stopping to stare at us curiously. Finally he stopped us at a small tent made from blue, purple and red patchwork and dropped the dagger from my throat.
“Vrik,” a soft, seductive voice called to him and we all turned as a dark haired beauty sauntered over to us, her h*ps swishing her drab skirts back and forth. The worn blouse and grey skirt did nothing to detract from her exoticness. My spine stiffened in insult as she looked over me distastefully and instantly dismissed me. Worse, she turned to Wolfe and her eyes widened appreciatively – she even licked her lips. “Are these them?” she asked Vrik without taking her eyes off Wolfe.
The gypsy behind me answered, so I assumed he was Vrik, “Yes. Selena wants to see them.”
She nodded without question and then turned back to undressing Wolfe with her eyes. My heart picked up pace as I watched Wolfe stare back at her, expressionless. “Can I have this one, Vrik, when ye’re done with him?”
He snorted. “Scarla, we haven’t even sent the message off to Javinia that we have them. A little patience, please.”
She flashed her black, cat-shaped eyes at him. “But I want him!”
“I’m sure the lad will be more than happy to see to ye when we reach an agreement with Markiza Raven. But until then he’s a prisoner, alright.”
Scarla pouted and reached out to trail a hand down Wolfe’s chest. Wolfe flinched. “I’m not happy about this, Vrik. Perhaps I should speak with papa?”
“Papa will tell ye the same thing. Now leave, Scarla.”
It was obvious these two ill-mannered being were siblings. Scarla huffed a little more and then went up onto her tiptoes to whisper in Wolfe’s ear. I don’t know what she said but I don’t think I had ever seen Wolfe blush before. My heart thumped and my own cheeks flushed. I looked away quickly, gritting my teeth.
When Scarla left, Vrik grabbed my arm tight and thrust me into the tent, the other men and Wolfe at our backs. Immediately my eyes adjusted to the dimness of the tiny tent. I stopped, startled by the sight of the older woman in front of me. Inside was bare; grass beneath my feet, no furniture, except to my complete bemusement a gorgeous old library desk that would have looked more at home in a study at the Palace. The old woman sat patiently behind it.
“Here ye are, Selena. Our prisoners.” Vrik pushed me towards her and I caught myself on the desk. “Let us know if ye see anything that’ll tell us about any future land agreements that we may come to with that damn Rada.”
Selena looked at him blankly, as if he were below her interest. “Take the girl back outside. I wish to speak with the boy first.”
As I was dragged back outside, past Wolfe, I threw him a questioning look. But he was staring avidly at Selena. Who an earth was this woman? What was going on?
Finding myself at the mercy of other gypsies’ curiosities, I turned so my back was facing camp. Vrik just stared at me, his arms crossed over his chest.
“What’s going on?” I asked, more than a little impatient now.
“Be quiet.”
“Who is Selena?”
“I said be quiet.”
“You know you’re really rather rude.”
The beast actually bared his teeth and growled at me. “And ye are getting on my last nerve, Princezna.”
Trying to pretend that his animal behaviour didn’t bother me, I sniffed. “I’m not a princezna.”
He made a face. “Ye look it and act it.”
I did not, I huffed. I think all and all I had been taking my kidnap extremely well. Especially considering the terrible memories it brought back of being carted off by Wolfe’s father. I hardened in remembrance and growled back at him. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Vrik raised an eyebrow, looking me over. And then he had the audacity to grin. “Ye might be fun after all, Princezna.”