Waking up was rough. My head pounded like a drum, and everything ached. I blinked against the dim light, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Liam was still unconscious, at least, I thought so and Noah was nowhere in sight. The only source of light was a small flickering flame tied to a stick next to a weird-looking chair.
I took a deep breath and assessed our situation. Liam was chained to two pillars of solid rock, his legs locked down by some sort of invisible force. Meanwhile, I was just tied to a third pillar behind me.
Oh, great. They underestimated me because I was a girl, classic.
I sighed, already annoyed, one moment, I was minding my business, throwing daggers, and the next, I was kidnapped. How does that even happen so often?
I was so lost in thought that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a voice spoke right in front of me.
"A penny for your thoughts?"
I yelped and jerked backward, pressing myself against the pillar like it could swallow me. Liam was very much awake.
"Didn't mean to scare you," he said, clearly enjoying my distress.
"You were unconscious!" I accused, my heart still racing.
"I pretended to be," he admitted with a casual shrug, the chains around his wrists clinking loudly.
I stared at him. "For what? The drama?"
He ignored me, glancing down at his chains. "You'd think she could've just tied me up like you but no, full-on chains, what am I, a criminal?" He muttered to himself, clearly offended.
I narrowed my eyes. "Who's 'she'?"
Liam smirked. "Letting us get captured was the plan."
I gaped at him. "Wait, you mean to tell me we got kidnapped on purpose?"
"Yup."
I was going to strangle him. As soon as I got free, I was absolutely going to strangle him.
Before I could tell him exactly what I thought of his brilliant plan, the walls rumbled with a piercing screech. A stone panel slid open, revealing a woman dressed in elegant robes, her head held high like she owned the place.
And behind her was Noah.
Looking completely fine.
Noah took one look at Liam's chains and smirked. Smirked.
That was twice today, did he hit his head on a tree?
"Too bad I was the only one given special treatment," Noah said, his voice dripping with amusement.
Liam scoffed. "Here comes the Queen." He gave the woman an exaggerated bow, well, as much of a bow as he could manage while chained up.
The woman snorted, yes, snorted, in a very unladylike way. "At least I'm not the one dangling between two pillars."
Liam rolled his eyes. "Why chain me?" She snorted "The new recruits don't recognize you Liam, you don't come here often"
"How is that my fault and if they recognize Noah, how come they don't recognize me" he whined, I did a double take
Did Liam just whined?
"What brings you and the assassin to my humble prison?"
Noah scowled. "Assassin? Seriously?"
The woman ignored him, turning her gaze on me instead. "And who is this beauty?"
Liam scoffed. "Don't get any ideas, she's off-limits."
I blinked. "Off-limits? Excuse me?"
"The King sent her here to learn," Liam explained.
The woman's expression turned calculating. "I see. So, she's the one?"
Okay, now I was officially freaked out.
"Think she's ready?" she asked, giving Liam a knowing look.
Liam sighed dramatically. "Can we unchain me first before we start the whole doom of the world speech?"
The woman muttered something under her breath, and clink, Liam's chains unlocked instantly. He landed face-first on the ground with a loud thud.
I burst out laughing, I couldn't help it, it was just too perfect.
Noah turned his creepy stare on me, but I was too busy laughing to care.
The woman gave Liam an innocent smile. "There you go."
"That hurts," Liam groaned, rubbing his face.
Instead of sympathy, she pulled him into a hug.
"Mom" Liam called, hugging her back
"Mom?" I blurted out, they ignored me
I squinted at them, how did I not notice the resemblance?
I cleared my throat and lifted my arms expectantly. "Uh, I'm still tied up, by the way."
The woman muttered another spell, and the ropes fell away. I stretched with a satisfied sigh but still fascinated by the magic she used.
"Come on," she said. "Let's get you cleaned up before we start talking."
We all nodded and followed her toward the village.