Page 84 of Untamed

Now, Jaime’s breath was deep, and he didn’t respond to any of my movements. He’d received many blows before being dumped into this pit, and I couldn’t tell if his head lolled to the side in sleep or if he was unconscious from his beating. I prayed he would be all right.

Ancient One, please free us somehow.Why had I ever thought I could possibly protect myself or follow through with the plan to poison Whyzer Patro? Of course, Queen Cottia believed such nonsense, but she grew up as an assassin and spent her formative years learning dark arts. That wasn’t me.

“Unlock the two in the last pen.” A deep voice shouted from somewhere above.

Boots clomped along the creaky floors and keys jangled towards us. A beast of a man hung a lamp on the wall across from us and searched through his keys. His gigantic paws yanked me up to my feet and then did the same to Jaime.

Jaime groaned, but his swollen eye cracked open, and so did his good one. His lifeless gaze wandered as our jailor pushed him, stumbling along. I bit back words that longed to rail at him to stop hurting Jaime, but fear kept my lips pinned together.

“Move along girl, before I drag you by your tresses.”

I skittered out and was prodded from behind to keep going up until we hit a stairwell with a slab of gray sky above. Blinking, I winced at the way the light stung my eyes. How long had we been below deck?

At the helm beside the captain, Whyzer Patro stood in his gray hood. His cape lifted in the heavy winds. Choppy waters pounded against the side of the galleon. Should anyone fall overboard, the water would prove treacherous.

“Keep moving.” The hefty pirate jerking Jaime along shoved me up the last of the stairs.

My feet lost their grip, and I tried to right myself, but without my arms, all I could do was twist a fraction. I slammed against the stairs, the hard edge digging into my shoulder.

Pain radiated through my side. The man lifted me by the back of my dress. A ripping noise tore through the air as I was roughly hoisted to my feet. This time, I walked with a singular devotion to putting one foot in front of the other. My body throbbed, and so did my heart.

The closer I got to Whyzer Patro, the more I detested his peppered beard, malicious dark stare, and protruding cheek bones that added an extra shadow to his face. The man carried a cloud of evil so potent even a barely gifted person like me could feel the oppression in the air. I wanted to spit at him, but my right cheek already throbbed from where he’d hit me. And he would surely smack me with his staff again, or worse.

“Laude of Giddel,” Whyzer Patro rasped. “I’ll ask again. Will you sit on the throne of Pedroz for me?”

“No.” I gulped.

A wicked grin curled his lips. “No, my dear. I’m certain you will do as I say.” He tipped his head toward Jaime.

I kept my gaze fixed on Whyzer Patro, so I wouldn’t melt into a puddle of tears. How I wished I could have run off with Jaime like Queen Cottia had suggested. A calm life in the countryside sounded glorious: chickens, scratchy dresses, and no relics. I swallowed the lump of acidic tears clogging the back of my throat.

“My darling queen, will you capitulate?” Whyzer Patro’s deep voice could lull a baby to sleep. “You will have a palace, the best cooks to delight your tastebuds, and you can keep your pet.” He glanced at Jaime who stared back at him with one furious eye.

“I really really want to say yes, but I’m not sure what will be required of me, and I can’t think.” My tongue went dry. “May I have a drink of water?”

His thin lips curled into a smirk. “Of course. Send the pet back to his quarters while we chat.”

“No, please…” I wanted to beg for Jaime’s life, but I was no good at this. If I played along, I might even have a chance at dripping the poison in the whyzer’s drink after all. But would I dare when it came down to executing the plan?

“Please? Do you beg for his life and expect to do nothing in return?”

My chin fell to my chest. Last time, he wanted to brand me with his staff. According to Queen Cottia, that would make me a puppet for this evil whyzer. “Please.” The word came out like a whimper.

“You have until tomorrow to decide. Perhaps a little tour would persuade you.” Whyzer Patro pointed up ahead.

The skies twinkled with a strange glint in the air, even though sunlight didn’t cut through the clouds. All around, water encircled the ship with no hint of when we’d see land again. In the middle of the Agata Sea, one could get lost and die with nobody being the wiser. My days had a number, just like it said in the Ancient Tome.

All the words I’d held back from Princess Beatriz played through my mind. Her giant brown eyes as she’d pled for me to tell her the truth flashed before me. All the sweet treats she’d left me to buy secrets stirred my belly with remorse. I should have told her about my betrothal. I should have run straight to her room to spill every secret about Cosme and my parents. All those missed opportunities to share our last days as best friends had vanished. This time, she wasn’t the one who pulled away; it was me.

Whyzer Patro spoke in a foreign language that had a strange guttural sound and pulled my attention from my inner turmoil. Chills coated my skin.

The air tore in front of the ship, like a thick curtain being ripped apart, to reveal daylight with sun and an island. A warm breeze swept across my face, and the galleon cut into calm turquoise waters as if we’d entered a portal to another location. I spun my head around. Behind me, the sea remained choppy and bleak until the edges of the strange doorway rippled smaller, smaller, smaller, and then disappeared altogether. How would anyone save us? How would we ever get home again?

Whyzer Patro sneered as if he’d read my mind and took delight in what he was doing. “Señorita Laude, you underestimate me. Your compliance will make my plans easier, but even if you reject such an offer, you make a great ransom.” He chuckled. “I still have a score to settle with the queen of Giddel.”

Chapter 35

Beatriz

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