Page 36 of The Stolen Princess
Myka changed the pitch of her voice again. “You can have the scarf if you can reach it,” she mocked. “If that isn’t the oldest flirting trick in the book, then I don’t know what is.”
“I was trying to get the price of your salt down,” he explained.
“Yeah, right. You’re such a typical bad guy.” Actually, Myka had never met a bad guy. All this time, she’d pictured a bad guy to be dirty and ugly with yellowed teeth and ogre-like eyes, not covered in muscles with a smooth face and striking jawline. Was every bad guy this handsome? Probably. It didn’t seem likely that ugly villains would gain much of a following.
“Except for the fact that I’m not a bad guy. Your father is.”
“My father is the kindest man and the most amazing leader I’ve ever seen.”
Drake’s jaw set. “Sounds like your father has been feeding you lies.”
Myka laughed. “Where I come from, kidnapping another human being is considered wrong, making you and your little band of brothers the bad guys.”
“Yeah, well, where I come from, building and hiding wea—”
“And where exactly do you come from?” she interrupted. “What rock did you slither out from under? You’re like a snake.”
He shook his head. “Why am I arguing with you? I don’t need to stand here and listen to this. Let’s go back.”
“No,” she folded her arms across her chest. “I demand answers.”
“Just because you demand something doesn’t mean you’re going to get it. We’re going back to the other guys even if I have to drag you over there.”
Myka sucked in a deep breath. She couldn’t get any information, and it frustrated her. Drake treated her like a child, so that was how she would act. Her body went limp, and she dropped to the ground.
“What are you doing?”
“You’ll have to drag me,” she said.
“Get up,” Drake hissed.
Not a chance.
Her behavior was completely immature. Myka knew that, but this situation compelled her do things she wasn’t proud of, like squatting in the trees and acting like a child. When she didn’t move, Drake grabbed her under her arm and tried pulling her up, but her deadweight made it almost impossible for him to move her.
“Stand up.” He tried pulling her up again, but in her current position, Myka was too heavy.
Drake sighed. “Grady!” he called. “Come help me with the princess.”
“What?” Grady called back.
“The princess. I need help.” Frustration filled every corner of his words.
Suddenly Grady appeared next to them—Myka could see his worn black shoes. Grady was the Shaggy Hair man.
“What did you do to her? Is she hurt?” he asked.
“No,” Drake muttered. “I didn’t do anything to her.”
“If she’s not hurt, then why can’t she walk on her own?”
Great question, Grady.
Myka couldn’t walk on her own because she was trying to be as difficult as possible for Drake and her kidnappers. Which was infuriating Drake more than she had anticipated.
Drake huffed. “She’s faking it.”
“Why would she fake like she can’t walk?”
