Page 20 of A Princess, Stolen
The high screeching of seagulls sailed overhead.
“My life,” I whispered.
“Exactly.”
Silence followed. Deep and ominous.
“You want his life in exchange for mine?” I asked at some point, horrified and shaken to the core.
“You said it. I was merely showing you what you risked today. Your life. Now we’ll see what he’s willing to sacrifice for you.”
I felt myself blanching.Oh please!They weren’t allowed to ask that! Above all, it made no sense at all. If they wanted Dad dead, they could have shot him right then and there!
“If he dies, you won’t get any money,” I gasped.
“Oh, you don’t say!” He laughed, and for a tiny moment, a memory flickered in my mind. I saw the shaded gardens of Rosewood Manor, the hopscotch squares, and the daisy in my hand. The smile that flashed across the boy’s face and how he had grabbed my pigtails.
“You…you want money, don’t you?” Something inside me made me feel even smaller.
“I don’t know. Maybe we just want the princess.” He sounded dangerous as if this wasn’t merely about Dad’s billions, but as if he personally wanted to hurt me. He came closer. Panic rose inside me and I was tempted to rip off the blindfold. “Don’t do that!”
The harshness of his words stopped me and I stumbled backward, my back hitting something hard that prevented me from moving further. I was trapped and then suddenly I felt him in front of me, so close I forgot how to breathe.
“You’re wearing a dress like you’re waiting for a damn prince.” Without warning, he grabbed the fabric and I felt a tug and heard the silk and tulle tear. I screamed involuntarily, and as I thrashed around, he grabbed my wrists. He only needed one hand since I was far too paralyzed to truly fight back. “There, new rags for scrubbing the deck!” he sneered, and it appearedhe threw the pieces of my dress into someone’s hands or maybe even on the floor.
A few of his men cheered.
I stood still, not breathing or breathing far too hard, I didn’t know. All I felt was his hand grabbing one of my braids, somehow winding it up or pulling it, and then I felt his breath on my ear. Compared to the cold air, it was warm. No, it was glowing!
“You eat from silver plates that are worth more than all our belongings put together. You slap beluga on your bread like butter even when children are starving next to you. You take drugs because your life is a boring pile of arrogance without meaning and you don’t give a damn about people like us. Maybe we don’t give a damn about you either.”
His grip hurt and burned my scalp.
I made a strange noise, not a sob, not a whimper, not aplea, but a pathetic mixture of everything.
And as if he was reacting to that, he suddenly stopped. “I won’t touch you, don’t worry! Nothing could be further from my mind, princess, believe me!” He sounded absolutely contemptuous. Apparently, what he was doing was not consideredtouching. Still, despite his words, he didn’t release me. He hesitated.
What was he doing?
He felt my braid. Thoroughly. His fingers felt over the braided ribbon and remained there.
For a few seconds, he seemed frozen and silent.
Then I heard him swallow loudly. And just like before, images flashed through my mind. The Palace of Shards, the ivy columns, colorful shadows on my skin. Nathan’s dirty feet and the gray bracelet.
It doesn’t glitter.
I told you, it’s not much.
My mind was suddenly completely blank. Was it a coincidence that he felt my braid as if he recognized the ribbon? I blinked frantically under the scarf. Should I say something? Perhaps he was simply wondering what was braided into my hair. Still, he remained completely stiff before his fingers stroked my hair again, more gently this time, almost tenderly as if he remembered something.
“I…” I began, but my voice faded as he let go of me so abruptly, it was as if he had been burned.
“Tie her hands behind her back,” he ordered roughly. “And get her out of my sight!Now!”
He strode away and hurled an angry, “Set course for our destination and disable the transponders!” across the deck, whereupon I was grabbed again.
I felt as if he had dunked me in a bucket of ice water even though I was infinitely relieved to be away. From whatever. Nevertheless, there was one thing I still needed to know despite the chaos in my head. “Isaac? Is he here?” I called after him.
