Page 110 of A Warrior's Heart

Had we made port somewhere? Throughout the weeks, the ship had stopped several times, probably to restock supplies, and then we’d sail again.

Heavy footsteps on the stairs pulled me from my thoughts, and I covered my head with my arms in preparation for the beating that was sure to follow. Keys jangled in the lock before the door swung open.

“Poor bloke,” a man said, his voice unfamiliar. “Doesn’t even look human no more.”

“He’s not human,” another said. “He’s one of them fish men.”

“Fish man or not, he deserves more than this.”

When he touched the cuff around my ankle, I jerked away from him. There were two men. Sailors by the look of it. One held an oil lamp, and I squinted against the brightness of it.

“Woah. Take it easy.” The man held up a key. “I’m only unlockin’ your chains.”

“Where are we?” I rasped. My throat was so dry.

“Talena,” the man answered.

Talena? It took my clouded mind a moment to place the name. Then, I remembered it was where King James lived. I had traveled there once upon a time with Malik, Lorcan, and Alek when we had sought James’ help fighting the dark mages.

I winced when the man removed my ankle cuff. Dried blood and bruises covered the raw skin. The men grabbed my arms and heaved me up from the dirty floor of the cell. I slumped against one of them, not able to hold my weight at first.

I knew I should try to run now that I was unchained, yet I was too weak to stand on my own, let alone fight off the men and run away. They brought forth another set of cuffs and bound my hands together in front of me before leading me out of the cell.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Don’t answer him,” the quieter of the two men said. “He’s the king’s prisoner, not a lad to be friendly with.”

“What about that one?” the other sailor asked.

I looked to where he pointed and gaped. A man lay inside the cell at the end of the row. During my time on the ship, I thought I had been alone. It was difficult to see much of him, but I recognized his manner of dress. An assassin. Lusca or Marlin? I had seen one of their decapitated heads on the beach.

Had the other been taken captive instead of killed?

“Soldiers are gonna grab that one,” the man answered. “The bloke needs a small force of men to take ‘im in.”

Though I stumbled several times, I managed to walk up the stairs. One of the men opened the hatch, and I whimpered at the harsh sunlight assaulting my eyes. After a month of living in darkness, it was painful to be outside. My eyes felt like they were burning from their sockets. Everything was too bright.

They dragged me onto the deck, the wooden floor scorching hot beneath the soles of my bare feet. When first taken captive, they had removed my boots before cuffing me.

Once off the ship, people gawked as I was led to a wagon that had a large wooden cage on the back of it. I must’ve looked horrible given their mixed expressions of repulsion and pity. The men threw me inside the cage and locked it before giving the keys to another man. The horses leading the wagon took off down the road.

As the wagon rattled down the path, I cracked open my eyelids.

The sun still hurt, but the top of the cage shielded most of the harsh rays, leaving me in the shade. I peeked out through the wooden bars and gazed up at the blue sky and white, puffy clouds. Tall trees blew in the crisp breeze, and I breathed in the fresh air, taking advantage of the time I had outside.

I suspected they were taking me to another holding cell. Perhaps they were even taking me to the gallows where I’d be hanged until dead. Ezra had failed in making me yield to him. There was no point in keeping me alive.

Had Malik and Lorcan made it back to Avalontis yet?

I hoped so.

The wagon approached the palace gates, and after stopping to speak with the guards, the driver took us into the citadel. I jolted forward as the cart made a sudden stop. A man removed the lock on the cage before pulling me off the wagon. I lost my balance once on the ground and cried out when the soldier kicked me.

“Stand, you mongrel!”

He wasn’t nearly as gentle as the two sailors had been earlier. I was taken through a side entrance to the castle and dragged down large stone steps, the daylight fading as I descended once again into darkness. The soldier lit a torch and yanked me forward. I felt like crying but forced the tears away.

I was too tired to cry anyway, both physically and emotionally.