Page 37 of Cage of Destiny
He chuckled. “It’s easy for a personto hide his true feelings, but not the eyes. The eyes are a directline to a person’s thoughts.”
“I’ll try to pay moreattention.” Whenever Kerdan watched her, she felt him assessing herlike a captain would with one of his men—nothing romantic aboutit.
“Odar also watches you likea hawk.”
“I don’t want to talk abouthim.” Especially with Nathenek. When she returned to Lakeside, sheneeded to have a nice, lengthy conversation with her mother, Mayra,and Madelyn. They could help her work through her feelings on thematter. But not Nathenek—he was a man and older than herparents.
“Don’t get me wrong,” hesaid as if she hadn’t spoken, “I don’t like the guy. But he doeslove you.”
“Odar?”
“Yes.” He nodded toward thedoor, and they headed out of the room. She wanted to ask why hedidn’t like Odar when he continued, “You’re young. He was probablyyour first crush so it hurts worse than it should. You’ll get overhim.”
“You sound as if you speakfrom experience.”
“Your father is expectingus.”
He hadn’t answered her question. Whenthey arrived in the dining hall, Darmik and Neco sat on one side ofthe table while Kerdan and Odar sat on opposite ends. Nathenek andAllyssa quickly sat down across from her father.
“We will allow Jana’s planto play out,” Darmik said. “Allyssa, Odar, and Kerdan need toarrive in Jontis separately. Odar and Allyssa will be taken intocustody, but Kerdan will manage to escape.”
“I will ensure there is asignificant amount of confusion in the town,” Neco added. “Thatway, Kerdan’s escape will be more believable.”
“We’re just going to letthe Russek soldiers capture us?” Odar asked, his voice soundinglike he was speaking to an inept child. “And hope they don’t maimor kill us before we’re taken to Jana?”
Odar’s concerns mirrored Allyssa’s.While she wanted to kill the queen, she didn’t understand how theywould be able to do so if they were prisoners. Also, her father hadspecifically said she would only be involved with the planningstages. What had changed that he now allowed her to be in the thickof it?
“Jana put a considerablebounty on your heads,” Kerdan said. “There are not only Russeksoldiers, but also several mercenary groups hunting the two of you.I’ve placed a group of my own men in Jontis to capture youfirst.”
“Your plan is to toss thetwo of us in Jontis and hope Kerdan’s men find us first?” Odarasked, disbelief etching his words.
“Yes,” Darmik answered.“I’ve assigned Nathenek exclusively to Allyssa’s safety. He willensure she is not harmed in Jontis.”
Odar raised his eyebrows. “Anythingelse?”
“That’s all you need toknow at this point,” Darmik said. “That way, as the plan unfolds,your and Allyssa’s reactions will be genuine.”
Odar pushed away from the table. “Letme know when it’s time to leave.”
After he exited the room, Allyssasaid, “I’d like to speak to him alone.” No one moved or said aword. She forged on. “If Odar and I are to pull this off, we can’tact like we hate one another once we’re pretend captured. We needto have some sort of understanding in place so we can worktogether.”
Darmik looked at Kerdan. “Do you haveanything to say on the matter?”
Kerdan shook his head. “Allyssa knowswhat’s best. I trust her judgment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I havesome last-minute preparations with Brookfel to attend to.” He stoodand left the room.
Neco laughed.
“What do you find soamusing?” Darmik asked.
“I know you don’t like him,but I do.”
“Who?” Allyssaasked.
“Kerdan,” Necoanswered.
“You don’t like him,Father?” Why had he allowed her to entertain the marriage proposalif he didn’t like the man?
“I don’t know him wellenough to have an opinion on the matter yet.”
