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“I will not even dignify that remark with a response though I’m sure you’re dying for me to ask,” I said, with as much poise as I could muster. I tried to imagine a situation in which a woman would ask to be gagged and decided I should not waste my imagination. Not when there were more important things to focus on. “Essentially, I am your hostage. You want the sword. For some reason I still don’t understand, you think you need me to get it.”
“Excellent summary. You must have made your tutors very proud.”
“And when I find it and I give it to you, what then? You let me go home?” I wouldn’t ask him to escort me back. I’d find my own way. Somehow.
“So easy,” he mused. “It sounds so easy, doesn’t it?”
“That wasn’t a yes.”I frowned. “I thought Arthur wanted you to kill me.”
Draven put down his cup. “I did receive the distinct impression he wouldn’t mind if you did not return,” he said carefully, not meeting my gaze. “But no, that was not explicitly part of my instructions.”
“Part of the instructions that the king gave you which you have absolutely no intention of following,” I said, throwing up my hands.
“Aren’t you glad I’m not? I’ll follow them as far as they align with my own pursuits.”
“I don’t understand why Arthur selected you to go with me if he didn’t even ask you to kill me,” I grumbled, hearing how ridiculous my words sounded.
Draven looked thoughtful. “I believe he liked the idea of terrorizing you. He believed we didn’t get along.” He met my eyes. “For some reason, I got the distinct impression he believed you didn’t like me.”
“We don’t,” I snapped. “I don’t!”
“And if you believed I was going to kill you,” Draven continued. “Well, so much the better for him. Then you’d be more eager to comply. At least, I suppose that was his assumption.”
“And you don’t require my compliance?”
“Oh, you’ll do as you’re told.” Draven’s voice was almost cheerful. “Because you can imagine many unpleasant alternatives.” He looked over at me. “I’m not going to kill you.”
I clenched my jaw. “How incredibly reassuring. If only you were a trustworthy individual. Then I might be able to actually believe you.”
Draven smirked. “It doesn’t have to be an unpleasant journey. Besides, what else can you do? It’s not as if you can find your way back to Camelot at this point.”
I glared, knowing he was right.
He rose to his feet. “Now, let's get moving. As we’re down a man, I expect you can step up and help break up camp, saddle your own horse.” He looked at me expectantly. “Unless you’re still feeling too poorly for that today.”
I nodded. “I’ll try.”
“Good.” He hesitated. “There’s one thing I need to see to, before we ride on.” He inclined his head to the woods where he had disappeared with Whitehorn last night.
I blanched. “Oh. Yes. Of course.”
Burying the bodies. That was what he was good at, wasn’t it?
I watched him walk away, then started tearing down the tent.
