Page 142 of The Freedom You Seek
The King of Merchants appeared at my side, and before I could react and switch my target, a sharp pain blossomedin my neck, just inches above the darkness living under my skin.
What was that?
My eyes widened as I noticed the needle Perran held that he’d used to inject something into my flesh. Oh no, what in the good gods’ names? Now, I needed to get away more than before.
A wave of nausea hit me so hard that I stilled in my struggles.
“Do you know, Miss Ortha, why I’ve brought so many men with me to catch a single wild woman like you?”
Dizziness spread through my limbs, and clouds wrapped around my thoughts. Even if I’d wanted to, I couldn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Swaying, I realized the guard had released me, and I stumbled a few steps to the side before simply collapsing to the ground.
“It’s funny, seriously. You see, Miss Ortha, it was a delight to watch you plot to outmaneuver me, to lure me away from my protection while I was unarmed. And yes, you may have seen my guards staying behind me, but because of their numbers, you didn’t notice the one who slipped away, besting you at your own game.”
“Bastard.” My voice sounded slurred, and my head was spinning. I glared up at Perran Feroy, who loomed over me like a bad omen of doom—or rather, the two of them I saw. Whatever this was, I had to fight it faster, or my prospects would look even worse. I had to resist, I simply had to.
A coughing fit rattled through me, and ice crawled through my veins. My muscles began to contract painfully, and it was impossible to suppress a pathetic whimper.
“Shh, Miss Ortha. Soon, the mild poison I’ve given you will have you fully in its grip. Don’t worry, it won’t kill you, but it’ll definitely subdue the savage bitch you are for a while. And I must say, I quite like the foam coming out of your mouth. It’s a nice touch, wouldn’t you say?”
“What is…your plan?” It was hard to form full sentences, and my eyelids fought with leaden weight only to lose the battle I was waging on my own body. It was over. Against that poison, I never would have stood a chance.
“I told you. You’re excellent bait. Whoever freed you from the gallows may still be invested in you and come to your rescue. Only this time, I’ll be prepared. I’ll catch them, find out everything, and then enjoy your demise. This is truly theonlyworth you have for me anymore. Well, except…how much do you love being tortured, Miss Ortha?”
His smug face tripled in my vision. I was barely conscious anymore when the guard yanked me up and tied my wrists together behind my back. As I started to dissociate, it became harder and harder to stay in control of myself. Hot regret pulsed through my mind, and I couldn’t blame anyone but myself for the situation I was in.
The King of Merchants grabbed my satchel and peered inside. There was nothing I could do to prevent him from pulling out the wooden box, and he whistled as his greedy eyes caught sight of the Dagger of Kalag and the Vessel of Immaru, although I presumed he had no idea what he held in his unworthy, filthy hands.
“You…no idea…what…who…dealing—”
“No, darling, but I will knowsoon enough.”
“No—”
“Plant the trail,” Perran spoke with authority to his men, and as I was manhandled toward the horses, I succumbed to the narcotic effect of the poison. At the same time, my last fleeting thoughts conjured up intensely glowing amethyst eyes that burned into mine, and the memory of my villain who once saved my life and whisked me away shattered my soul into a million tiny pieces.
It’d been three days ago when Fiolar, Carthain, Ireas, and I had finally reached Amalach. When we’d arrived, we had found my grandnephew in a dire situation, and if we’d just appeared moments later, my grandnephew might not have survived. Two Guardians had been attacking his unconscious body, and it’d been a lot of effort to take them down.
The fool had tried to steal a book without even thinking of the consequences. Or it had been his usual cocky behavior driving him to recklessness. If anything rarely challenged you, it was hard to stay grounded.
Three days and Dionadair had not woken up once. He was healing, but at a much slower pace than he shouldhave, even though he was not even wearing a Glamour. Fiolar had insisted on bringing him away from Amalach in case the remnant magic of the Mystic Library would replace the Guardians on its own. If that had been the case, nothing could have stopped them from coming after the stolen book and its thief again. So yes, we were forced to leave the ruins of the formerly splendid city in a rush.
It was a challenge to bring an unconscious fae into a human inn undetected. Ireas was able to cast some minor illusion magic, but glamouring others was not his strength, and he almost burned himself out in the process.
I sat on a chair next to Dion’s unconscious form, looking thoughtfully down at him as the door opened. “Fiolar. Any news?”
“You first.”
“He still didn’t wake up.”
“You have a theory about that, don’t you?”
“Of course. It is obvious that the Rite of Binding succeeded.” The bracelet of dark magic under my grandnephew’s skin told me as much.
“And?”
“The binding formed, but it could not settle in full.”
“Because Nayana was nowhere to be found.”