Page 5 of Cage of Darkness
He chuckled as he removed the swordfrom her stomach and pointed it northward. “Start walking,” heordered. Without hesitating, Jarvik obeyed. “You next,” he said toAllyssa, shoving her away from him. “Keep at least five feetbetween the two of you.”
Gathering the fabric of her shirt, shepressed it against the puncture wound in her stomach, trying tostop the bleeding. The three of them walked in silence for theremainder of the day as they traveled north along the edge of theBizantek Forest.
***
Allyssa rubbed her blistered andswollen feet. Walking for the past eight days had taken a toll onher body. She leaned against the tree trunk, thankful to besitting. The sun had already set; night encroaching uponthem.
The assassin tied Jarvik’s hands andfeet together and then wrapped the rope around the tree, securinghim in place. Once finished, he did the same to her before slinkingaway between the trees. They only had ten minutes or so until hereturned with whatever animal he managed to catch forfood.
She coughed, wanting Jarvik to look ather. When he finally did, she murmured, “Tonight.”
“Not until we’re closer toa town or village,” he whispered.
“We are almost at theEmperion border. Fia is just over that ridge. It has to betonight.”
He nodded and looked away again. Thatwas the most they’d spoken since the assassin threatened her withhis sword.
She had just started to nod off whenthe assassin returned. After skinning a fat rabbit, he cooked itover the fire. Allyssa’s mouth watered, and her stomach grumbled.While he made sure to feed them, it was by no means enoughconsidering the amount of walking they’d been doing over the courseof the past week. Once the meat was done, he handed one small pieceto her and one to Jarvik. She ate her portion, licking her fingersclean.
After the assassin finished eating, heput the fire out. She wished he’d let it burn while they sleptsince he’d discarded her cape so he could see her hands at alltimes. Wearing only pants and a tunic wasn’t nearly enough to keepthe chilly air at bay through the night. At least the wounds on herneck and stomach had scabbed over.
The assassin came over to Allyssa anduntied her from the tree, securing the rope to his waistinstead.
“Is this really necessary?”They’d been sleeping this way ever since they lost the horses lastweek. However, if Allyssa and Jarvik were to escape tonight, sheneeded to be away from the assassin—not tied to him so he couldsense when she moved. “Why not keep me secured to a tree likeJarvik?”
“Because I enjoy makingPrince Odar jealous.”
“You’re mistaken,” shesaid. “Jarvik doesn’t care.”
“It is you who aremistaken,” he said. “I see the look of pain on the prince’s face,and I relish in it.”
Did this man have no morals? Shecouldn’t understand what had happened to make him so cruel andvulgar. Or was he born this way?
“Do you think it wise tosleep so close to me?” she asked, sidling up next to him. “What ifI manage to unsheathe your dagger and kill you in yoursleep?”
“I’m certain you won’t,” hereplied, a cocky grin spreading across his face. “Or else you wouldhave done it by now.” He grabbed her chin, pinching it. “You don’thave it in you to murder someone who is peacefullysleeping.”
“I think that’s a theory weshould test.” She had an overwhelming urge to head-butt him, butrefrained from doing so.
He released her chin and removed hisdaggers, throwing them into a nearby tree, high enough so shecouldn’t reach them. She raised her eyebrows and chuckled—he’dnever removed them before.
The assassin laid down, smiling atJarvik as he pulled Allyssa next to him on the leaf-coated ground.She remained as far away from him as the short rope wouldallow.
Chapter Three
Allyssa startled awake from a lightsqueeze to her arm. Jarvik was crouched next to her, a dagger inhis free hand. She nodded and remained still, not wanting to wakethe sleeping assassin. As to how Jarvik had managed to undo his ownbindings, climb the tree to retrieve the assassin’s dagger, and cuther ties, all without rousing their captor, she had noidea.
He pulled out a small tin from hispocket. He must have stolen the assassin’s paralyzing substancebefore he’d set the horses free. Twisting the lid off, he poked thetip of the dagger into the gooey gel and silently moved to theassassin’s side. Allyssa held her breath while he slid the knifedown the man’s leg, cutting him to ensure the ointment penetratedhis blood stream.
The assassin’s eyes flewopen, and he reached out, latching onto Jarvik’s wrist. The daggerfell to the ground. Allyssa slammed her fist into the assassin’sstomach. Grabbing his free hand, she yanked his arm across herchest while she twisted her legs over his body, pinning him down.Jarvik punched the man’s jaw. The assassin clutched onto Jarvik’shair, yanking him down. Allyssa pulled the assassin’s arm harder,and there was a sickeningpop. He screamed, his arm going limp.She scrambled away from him. He released Jarvik, clutching hisdislocated elbow against his chest. Jarvik picked up the droppeddagger, cutting the assassin’s other leg.
“Do his arms,too.”
Jarvik pricked the assassin’s arms,paralyzing them as well.
“I’ll get you for this,”the assassin snarled, hatred flaring in his eyes. “You won’t beable to escape me.”
“We should kill him,”Jarvik said to Allyssa.
