Page 107 of The Frog Prince

Henne wiped off his hand. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Otto spat out a mouthful of blood, chin jutting stubbornly though there were tears in his eyes. “Hitting me won’t change the fact that I’ll always be a better healer than you.”

Henne smacked him again, and Alwin tugged ineffectively against the arms restraining him.

“Well I can certainly try,” Henne growled. “Don’t forget, I taught you everything you know. You’d be nothing without me.”

Otto laughed without mirth. “I learned everything inspiteof you. All the late nights studying every book I could find so I could go behind you and clean up your messes, so that peopledidn’t have to suffer from your incompetence. Don’t think I didn’t notice every time you’d steal my ideas. Don’t think I didn’t allow it willingly just because I’d rather help people than hoard it for my own recognition.”

Otto glared up at his former mentor. “That is the difference between you and me, Henne. A heart.”

“Hearts are weak,” Henne said. “Susceptible to the diseases of nature and the mind. If you wanted to be strong, you’d cut it out yourself.”

“I’d rather die than be like you!” Otto declared.

“Oh, do not fear.” Henne cut a look at Alwin. “If the monster does not agree, you will.”

The faces of all those Alwin had lost flashed before his eyes, Otto’s now among them. Still. Silent. Light extinguished.

Alwin froze in fear and Henne smiled slowly; a hunter spotting their prey’s weak spot.

“OTTO!” Gisela shouted, racing toward them with her skirts in her hands and her hair trailing behind her.

She was caught by one of the men around the waist and she screamed at him, clenching her small fist and smashing him in the nose. He cried out, blood flowing as she gained her freedom again, only for a second man to grab her. She kicked and struggled, but she was no match when the first man joined in again, subduing her.

“Heathens!” she cursed them. “Let me go! You have no right! Henne, you black-hearted piece of shit!”

“Shut that little banshee up. She’s obviously conspiring with the monster too.”

A dirty, gloved hand covered her mouth.

“Let her go,” Otto said, trying to jerk forward. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“She got herself involved with it,” Henne growled. “I was nice enough not to put a knife to her throat to lure you out here,but she insists on playing the hero. Don’t worry though, once I’m done with you two I’ll make sure she goes to a nice master. She’s very pretty, almost as pretty as an elf, so she’ll fetch a good price.”

“I’ll kill you!” Otto growled.

Henne laughed, long and loud. “You?”

Otto flushed red with anger, and Alwin opened his mouth to try and calm him. A wave of pain and sickness moved through him, and he croaked a groan as bile traveled up his throat and spilled onto the dirt, impossible to hold back.

Otto’s eyes met his as he shook with worry.

“What did you do to him?” Otto demanded, trying to shuffle closer on his knees.

He seemed to be shaking off the effects much faster than him, while Alwin just felt worse and worse, his muscles spasming and heart pounding.

“I thought you were a better healer than me, apprentice?” Henne jeered at him, poking him in the chest with his cane. “You can’t work it out?”

“I know you used Henbane, you asshole,” Otto snapped, the muscles and tendons in his arms and neck straining with effort. “I’m asking what you laced it with!”

Henne smirked, drawing his cane back to polish the curved handle. “Did you know that even the most common plants can be deadly to frogs? Rhododendron’s effect is particularly interesting to observe on the heart and nervous system.”

Otto drew in a sharp breath, wide eyes moving to Alwin in fright before moving back. “Give him the antidote. Why capture us just to kill him? Heal him now.”

“He’ll last long enough for my purposes,” Henne said, dismissing him and walking away.

“HENNE!” Otto screamed at his back, yanking his arms to try and get free, only to be wrestled into the dirt again. Tears finally escaped his eyes, wetting the ground under his dirty face.