Page 55 of Bound By Honey

The two had been sitting there in companionable silence, each lost in their thoughts for most of the day. The rest of the Charming Four had left earlier that morning and weren't expected back for a few more hours. Sage was grateful to have someone to share the moment with, to listen to the breeze and the birds’ songs in the trees. But then, something caught their eye.

Sawyer and Sage watched with interest, focusing on the group of people crossing the rope bridge below. There were five of them, and in the center was a tall figure, broad of shoulder, and wearing a hooded cloak. Sage frowned at the sight of him; she knew who it was.

"That's the crown prince," she said, her voice low. "What is he doing here and under disguise?"

Sawyer clenched his fists. "It can't be good. We still haven't figured out why he had you make that potion for him."

"Has he done anything out of the ordinary?"

"No. Nothing."

The group neared the island's edge. "And now he's here," Sage said, "finally doing something unusual. I'm sure he has something planned."

Sawyer nodded. "I need to see what he's up to. Stay here."

Sage sighed. "Sawyer, you're not going without me. You guys made me promise to stay near one of you on this trip at all times."

"We also said you had to listen to our orders if we gave them. Sage, you are injured. If you come with me, you will be more of a hindrance than a help. I'm not going to engage with them. Only scout."

Sage crossed her arms and frowned. "I won't be in your way."

"This is no time for arguing," Sawyer said, his voice firm. "Stay here." He turned to go but stopped when he felt Sage's hand on his arm. He looked down and saw the concern in her eyes.

"Be careful," she said before letting him go. He gave her a small smile before slipping quietly through the trees, heading toward the group.

The crown prince and his group reached the island, and, from the balcony, Sage stiffened when she saw Sawyer creeping too close. A guard yelled out when Sawyer was spotted, and she wanted to cry out as they attacked him.

He threw up walls of ice, separating him and his attackers, as he looked for a way to escape. Sage wrapped her arms around herself as the guards broke through Sawyer's ice walls and attacked him.

An idea struck her. She grabbed her pack and hobbled down the stairs toward Sawyer and his attackers as fast as her injured body would let her.

She made it to the street where Sawyer was fighting off his attackers with ice spears. They outnumbered him, and Sage feared he wouldn't be able to fight them all off by himself. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for what she was about to do and pulled two bottles from her bag. She smashed them on the ground beside each other and a heavy purple fog multiplied and rolled toward the Crown Prince and his men.

The guards were momentarily stunned by this sudden attack, giving Sawyer enough time to escape into the nearby trees.

Sage breathed a sigh of relief and turned around—only to find herself face-to-face with the crown prince.

The prince smirked, delighting in his victory. “I see we meet again. It appears you are working for my brother in more ways than I originally expected,” he said sinisterly, clamping down on her arm and tugging her along after him. His guards followed close behind.

Sage tried to pull her arm free from the prince's grip, but he held tight, his fingers digging into her skin. She gritted her teeth and followed him, her heart pounding. She had to stay calm and figure out a way to escape from him and his guards.

"What do you want from me, Your Highness?" she asked, steadying her voice.

"Oh, nothing much." His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Just a little chat. I'm sure you have some interesting stories about my dear brother's activities. I promise no harm will come to you if you listen and do what we say."

Sage shook her head as her mind worked out how he could have twisted his words. Fae may not be able to lie, but they were the best at working loopholes into their speech. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a librarian and an apothecary. I don't involve myself in politics."

The crown prince laughed. "Don't insult my intelligence, Sage. I know you are on a mission for my brother and his group, looking for something. Something powerful. And I want to know where it is."

Sage swallowed hard as she tried to come up with a plan. She couldn't give away any information, even if she had it. The crown prince was dangerous and she didn't know what he would do if he found what he was looking for.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated, her tone firm.

The prince's grip on her arm tightened, and Sage winced. "I don't believe you," he said, his eyes narrowing. "But that's alright. We'll find out one way or another."

One of the prince’s guards bound Sage's hands with rope and led her by the arm. The other guards remained close behind them as they made their way through the small town and out onto a dirt path that led into the forest.

Sage glanced around, hoping to catch sight of Sawyer following from a distance. But she saw no sign of him, and her heart sank. She felt so helpless and alone, not knowing what to do but follow her captors.

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