“Worth it,” I say with a smirk.
“Let’s see if you say that once the time comes.”
I turn in front of him and begin walking backwards. “Hey, you see these muscles?” I point to the very small bicep I’m attempting to flex through my torn jacket. “I could probably lift you with one arm.”
“I’d say we should test that theory out, but if I break you that will put a real damper on this mission.”
“Sounds like you’re just too embarrassed to be lifted by a girl.” I turn back around before I trip on a root and embarrass myself.
“You’re right,” he says behind me. “My ego is simply too fragile.”
“The big, bad prince has an image to protect.”
“Exactly,” he hisses when he appears in front of me. His black shadows create a vortex around us, making it impossible to see the forest.
“Is this supposed to scare me?” I cross my arms and tilt my head to the side, unimpressed.
He slowly creeps around me. “It should.”
The shadows fall away and when I whirl around to look at him, he’s nowhere to be found. I don’t bother playing his game, so I wait for him to reappear.
“If this is your idea of hide and seek, it’s not funny,” I shout into the open space when he doesn’t show himself. “Seriously, are you done?”
“What’s the matter? Misplace your Prince Charming?”
I whip my head around to find six women standing behind me, each one holding a silver staff. Their piercing, diamond eyes and long, silver hair stand out against their matte black skin. Illuminating, silver shapes and symbols mark up their petite bodies. Whoever, or whatever they are, I am unfamiliar with.
“What did you do with him?” I demand, reaching for the flame in my heart.
“Nothing. He’s been right here all along,” the one in the middle says.
She lifts her staff and slams it to the ground. Ryder appears between us, frozen in place.
“What have you done to him?”
“We haven’t done anything. He’s simply on a different plane than us.”
She motions to her right, and one of the other women twirls the tip of her staff in the air. As she does, Ryder begins to turn, but when he does it’s as if he’s stuck in between two pieces of glass. One second, I’m looking at him and the next, all I can see is a shimmering edge. It’s almost as if he’s been flattened.
“Let him go!” I order as panic builds in my chest.
“We’ll let him go when you hand over the piece of Verenite Stone you’re hiding.”
I instinctively reach for my pocket, feeling the stone’s indention. I’ve kept it with me ever since I found it in the caves, knowing it’s too valuable to hide somewhere it could be found. However, now I’m wishing I had taken my chances and left it back at the house with the others.
“No!” I shout, trying to buy myself time to come up with a plan.
“Wrong answer,” the middle one warns. With the tap of her staff, Ryder vanishes once again.
“Bring him back!”
“You know the price. The stone for his freedom. I’ll give you one last chance to hand it over.”
She lifts her staff slowly in warning and somehow, I know the next time she slams it into the ground they’ll all be gone and so will any chance of me saving Ryder. I unwillingly reach into my pocket and pull out the small relic.
“Smart girl. Bring it here.”
I walk to the woman who must be in charge and hand over the precious stone. Every part of me fights it, but I don’t have a choice. I’m out numbered, and I don’t know how their magic works. If Amaya were here, maybe she would be able to help, but she’s not. The only hope I have of getting Ryder back onto this plane is to hand over the stone.
