Page 74 of Cage of Destiny
The man holding her didn’t respond.She tried to lift her head to see where Kerdan was, but her buncame loose. Her hair spilled down, blocking her view as she hungupside down over the man’s shoulder.
They walked for several minutes beforestopping in a sizable clearing. Allyssa was set down on her bottomnext to Kerdan off to the side of the clearing.
“Are you all right?” hedemanded.
“I’m fine.”
A massive fire roared in the center ofthe area, dozens of soldiers milling about.
“Put them over there withthe others,” someone said.
Allyssa looked up and saw Odar and herfather being escorted toward them. Neco, Nathenek, Hurit, and Larekwere nowhere to be seen. Had they managed to get away before theRusseks attacked or had they been killed? Leaning forward, shestuck her head between her knees, her stomach rolling with nausea.She needed to remain calm. There had to be a backupplan.
Odar and Darmik were shoved onto theground next to her, their hands tied behind their backs. Thereweren’t any marks or injuries visible on her father. She wanted toask him about the rest of their companions, but she knew not to sayanything in case they had managed to escape.
Someone asked, “Should we take them tothe queen now?”
“No. We’ll leave at firstlight when we can see. The queen won’t want to be disturbed at thislate hour.” The soldier then assigned a dozen men to watch themuntil daylight.
Allyssa scooted closer to Darmik. “Areyou okay?” she whispered.
“Yes.” Did that mean theothers had escaped? Darmik gave a slight nod, and she relaxed hershoulders, letting out a big breath. They were alive. Thesesoldiers must not know about them. Allyssa could hold on becausethere was hope.
“Are you happy?” Odarsneered.
“What’s that supposed tomean?” she asked, startled by his condescendingattitude.
“I wasn’t talking to you,”he replied. “I was talking to him.” He nodded towardKerdan.
“Me?” Kerdan still didn’thave a shirt on. “Of course I’m not happy we’ve been captured. Iwould have preferred to slip into the duke’s home to kill Janarather than be led there by her army.”
By now, Allyssa knew to payclose attention to what Kerdan did—and didn’t—say.Preferredhinted at aplan for both courses of action. And from the sound of it, he muststill intend to kill Jana as soon as he had a chance. But Neco andNathenek were missing. Maybe they were on their way to the duke’sright now to kill the queen.
“You are single-handedlyresponsible for us being captured,” Odar insisted.
“How is Kerdanresponsible?” she asked. Odar was probably just upset to findhimself in this situation again, and he was taking his anger andfrustration out on Kerdan.
Darmik closed his eyes, leaning hishead against the tree trunk, apparently not interested in theirconversation.
Odar scooted closer to her, his facered with fury. “If he’d been paying attention to the task at hand,he would have noticed all the soldiers in the forest, and wewouldn’t have been captured.”
“So you noticed thesoldiers?” Allyssa countered, wiggling against her bindings. If shecould free her arms, she would punch him.
He tilted his head to theside, raising his eyebrows infinitesimally.Oh. He must have noticed the soldiersthen. Perhaps that was how Neco, Nathenek, Hurit, and Larek managedto escape. Why didn’t Odar or Darmik sneak away? Neither lookedlike they had put up a fight.
“Did you know this wouldhappen?” she whispered to Darmik. He shook his head. “How are youso calm right now?”
Her father sighed and looked at her.“One, I’m trying to think of a plan. Two, I’m conserving my energy.Three, I’m tired. Any more questions?”
“No.”
“I still don’t see thepoint in blaming me,” Kerdan uttered. “In town, there was no talkof soldiers being in the area.”
“That’s my point,” Odarsaid. “You were so busy drooling over Allyssa that you missed whatwas right in front of you.”
Odar had used her name, confirming forthese soldiers her identity—a princess, not a whore.
Kerdan chuckled, the sound dark andmenacing. “I don’t miss what’s right in front of me, nor do I throwwhat’s valuable away.”
