Page 68 of A Princess, Stolen
“Who?” he demanded.
The cloaked figure appeared before me; the thousand eyes behind the finely woven threads. I felt the hard hand on my mouth and smelled the pungent scent of camphor.
I had to get out of there. I staggered to my feet but my legs gave way. Nathan reacted immediately. He grabbed me around the waist, supporting me by wrapping my arm around his neck and holding me so that I could stand upright. Everything about me was shaking.
“It’s okay, Will, you’re safe,” he said, his anger, however, made it difficult for him to speak gently to me. “Nothing canhappen to you now. But you have to tell us who it was, otherwise, we can’t protect you.”
I swallowed. My gaze flew over the blurred, embarrassed faces of the crew. I only saw one clearly at that moment. Sparta. He stared innocently at me, his gaunt features marred by shock. I blinked and in my mind, his dreadlocks turned into a pointed executioner’s hood.
My heart started racing, and suddenly, I felt as helpless as the moment he grabbed me.
“Sparta,” I whispered in horror. “It was Sparta.”
Nathan took me to his room and wordlessly helped me out of my wet clothes until I was standing in front of him in only men’s underwear.
“Can you manage the rest on your own?” he asked, looking at me worriedly.
I merely nodded. I was terribly cold even though they had wrapped me in two blankets beforehand. My teeth chattered and I was incredibly relieved that Nathan didn’t shout at me. Or tie me down somewhere. Obviously, I had had to confess the truth to convince them of Sparta’s guilt, so now the whole crew knew of my failed escape attempt.
Nathan shook his head as if he still couldn't believe it all before he pocketed the blunt knife that he found when he removed my boots. “And you wanted to defend yourself against Sparta with that?” he asked, aghast.
I nodded. I hadn’t thought about that knife under the water, but it probably wouldn’t have been able to cut a single thread anyway. “I couldn’t find another one,” I replied sheepishly, shifting my weight.
“I should lecture you…” Nathan looked at me reproachfully. “Honestly, next time you’re planning something so daring, arm yourself properly.”
“O-okay.”
Nathan sighed. “Pan will bring you tea. You shouldn’t be alone for long because of dry drowning…sometimes it comes later…if there’s still some water in your lungs.”
“I know.”
“I would stay with you myself, but I have to take care of Sparta first.”
I vaguely imagined what taking care of looked like, but I didn’t want to ask. Sparta was sitting in my old cell for the time being. Pan and Nathan had led him away like a criminal. He had raged and yelled, spat in my direction, and declared his innocence, but they had locked him up anyway.
Before Nathan disappeared, he pointed to the dresser. “Help yourself to my clothes, but don’t expect haute couture. This is all I own.” He wanted to close the door, but I held him back.
“Nathan?” My voice still sounded hoarse from all the coughing.
He looked at me, the door handle in his hand.
“Thank you,” I said quietly. “Thank you for getting me out.”
His expression betrayed no emotion, but he nodded briefly. “You scared the hell out of me, do you even know that?” He sounded so serious and that almost made me cry. His words filled something inside me that felt empty and hollow at the moment. I merely shook my head, happy that I didn’t burst into tears.
After he left, I stood there for a while, trying to calm myself down, but I heard Sparta yelling from the corridor.
“You’re making the biggest mistake of your life, Nathan!” It sounded as if he was shaking the bars with all his might. “It wasn’t me! God damn it! Willa! Tell him the truth! I swear, whenI get out of here, I’ll…” I covered my ears so I wouldn’t have to hear his voice anymore. Of course, he protested his innocence, the bastard! Who would admit it willingly?
But I was certain even if Nathan had doubts.
“You said your attacker was masked,” he repeated three times.
“Yes, still, I’m certain it was Sparta. A thousand percent. Honestly.”
The Outer Banks plan was Sparta’s and he was the only one who knew where to find me at five in the morning. He also smelled of camphor. He must have only come up with this plan to get rid of me since he could never have accomplished it on board unnoticed.
I had no idea how long I stood in front of the dresser with my hands covering my ears. I only lowered them when Sparta grew quiet. I could now hear Nathan speaking, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying through the door.
