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I held my hands up, now desperate to find out who exactly he thought I was. Though I needed to be smart. If Noah needed more time to rally Unseelie soldiers, I needed the Seelie to think they had exactly who they wanted. Which I guess I still thought was Vanessa, again not sure what height had to do with it. Or hunting?
“What is—"
“Of course, I was surprised you surrendered. Especially now seeing you so feisty first thing in the morning. But we did outnumber you greatly. I wasn’t prepared to kill anyone, at least not yet.” He grinned and winked at me. “Just injure. Enough to capture everyone as prisoners and snag you in the process. I’d say all went according to plan.”
Landon paced back and forth as I tried again. “I think you have the wro—"
He moved around me. “The real test, of course, will come back in Seelie. It will be fun to watch. Mother never holds back.”
At this point, I didn’t think opening my mouth was even worth it. As much as there were two people in this tent, Landon was on a roll, acting as though he were the only one who had room to speak. I didn’t even know if he noticed I was trying to get a word in.
I think I’d much prefer loopy and poisoned than listening to him rattle on with nonsense.
This puzzle was much bigger than I thought if Vanessa was being taken to the Seelie for some sort of test. Was it one of loyalty? Were the Seelie involved in her plan to overthrow the Driscolls?
I chewed at my fingernail, a horrible habit I couldn’t quite break.
“That’s a filthy thing to do, you know.” Landon stopped pacing. “Not becoming at all.”
“Oh, so this gets your attention?” I asked, adding in my own laughter like he had laughed at me earlier. “Not me talking about poison or trying to get a word out with your yapping?”
“It wasn’t poison, don’t be so dramatic.” He sighed, flinging his hands in the air. “Honestly, it was a small concoction to restore senses. You’d think I beat you and shoved it down your throat. You took it willingly.”
“How was I supposed to know it was spiked with some restore your senses nonsense?” I shouted.
Landon’s eyes flashed and his jaw tightened. He looked over his shoulder back toward the flap of the tent, then slowly paced forward. “You may have certain rights, but I am in charge of this army, and I am the prince. You should mind your manners when you’re addressing me, especially in front of the men.”
“I owe you nothing. You’ve taken me as a prisoner. You don’t get my respect, Your Majesty.”I was teetering close to all the energy I had to back talk a prince who rode dragons and could probably have me injured easily. Or worse.
Landon walked toward me, heel to toe, slowly. I couldn’t make out if he was attempting to intimidate me or not, but the sly smile that spread as I took a step back had me leaning toward that.
He opened his mouth, taking a deep breath.
A murderous scream filled the tent.
Not Landon’s next crazy speech, but a scream. Rally cries. Battle cries.
Maybe Noah had come more quickly than I imagined he would.
Landon took three long strides toward the flaps of the tent and peered out.
The outside noise had gone from a quiet rustling of people moving around to all-out frenzy. There was shouting and panic as boots thudded around the woods and campsite.
Landon threw his head back and huffed. “You brought your Unseelie minions with you? I didn’t know you were going to be so much work.”
He turned from the front of the tent and faced me, pointing a slender finger my way. “Stay here if you know what’s good for you.”
And with that simple phrase, one that should have been threatening but instead almost sounded like a request, he ran out into the chaos of his army.
Leaving me alone, unguarded, and in the middle of a war zone. Hopefully it was with the Unseelie and not some other potential threat.
With my head clear and the daylight giving me a better view of what I was tied to, I examined the rope binding me. I yanked on it, wondering how tight the bindings really were.
“Agh.” I winced as the rope burned my wrists. Memo to self, next time don’t use all your strength to test something.
There had to be a way, it was rope. In a tent.
I was in a tent. Which meant nothing was permanently in place. Including the pole I was tied to.
