Chapter Twelve
I dragged the woman inside, and my companions rushed to help me tie her up. We only had a small amount of rope remaining, but it was just enough to bind our newest addition securely. It was fortunate Elissa had insisted on buying the store’s entire stock of rope since we’d already used so much. While Mahini, Ako, Eva, and I worked to wrap her wrists, elbows, and ankles up, Caelia and Elissa held torches to illuminate what we were doing.
“Ow!” the woman yelled as I bound her hands tightly together. “You’re hurting me!”
“You’re fine,” I grumbled, and I tied the knots even tighter.
I hadn’t made any promises to King Frederick not to hurt this mysterious woman, but I was still hesitant to harm a lady. Still, she’d been caught eavesdropping red handed, so I didn’t want to let her off easy. I’d have to find a happy medium, but in the meantime, she wasn’t going anywhere.
“It’s a woman?” Ako’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Me, either.” I smirked.
“What, women aren’t capable of eavesdropping?” Elissa asked with a hand planted on her hips.
“Yeah,” Eva added as she came to my wife’s aid.
Mahini locked him in her piercing gaze, but she remained silent.
“Bash…” Caelia’s chocolate eyes flicked from the other girls to the cat-man with an anxious air.
“No, no,” Ako said as he held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I meant no offense. I am merely surprised. My apologies.”
“Yes, it’s a woman,” I intervened. “She almost got away, too, but she wasn’t faster than a god. Now, we just need to find out who she is and why she was here.”
“She must work for the duke’s son,” Caelia mused. “She probably followed us from the inn.”
I loved how the beautiful shopkeeper was getting more and more outspoken with each day that passed, and it made me excited for the days to come.
“Maybe.” I scratched my chin as I thought it over, and I flashed her a wink. “The only way to find out is to ask her, though, so it looks like we’ll be here for a while longer.”
“The sun is rising already,” Ako observed as his honey-colored eyes trailed toward the entrance where the pre-dawn light had illuminated the hole in the rock wall with a purple hue. “We don’t have much time remaining.”
I hated to admit it, but he was right. I’d already spent a lot of valuable time questioning the duke’s son, and now I had a whole new prisoner to interrogate. I was the god of time, though, so I wasn’t worried about anything going wrong. I’d already gotten the information I needed to move forward on my mission to find the Duke of Edinburg, so whatever the mysterious woman told me would just be icing on the cake.
“Well, if anyone finds us again,” I said. “Then I’ll just reset and start over.”
“I don’t understand your words,” Ako said with a confused tilt of his head. “But I will follow your lead in whichever direction you choose.”
“I’ll explain later,” I lied. “Now, let’s see what our newest friend has to say for herself.”
I chuckled as I turned toward my newest prisoner, and I found her eyes locked on the duke’s son’s bleeding hand. The light-brown eyes beneath the cowl filled with fear, and I could see her muscles shivering despite the desert heat.
“Are you okay?” I asked in a friendly tone as I sat cross-legged beside her. “You look shaken up.”
The masked mysterious woman kept her gaze locked on Lord Exavier, and she remained silent for a long moment, so I repeated the question in a more pressing tone.
“I’m fine,” was the terse reply.
I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. I’d already been up all night long, so my patience was wearing thin, but I still wanted to know who this woman was.
“I’m going to take off your mask now,” I informed her, and then I reached up and grabbed the cowl by the very top before I pulled it free.
A braid of light-brown hair plopped out, and then I was met with one of the ugliest faces I’d ever seen. Her nose was round, and her skin covered in acne. Her eyebrows were bushy, and there were crusties around her eyes and nose. She smelled like she hadn’t bathed in a week, and I almost wanted to put the mask back on.
“Don’t touch me,” the woman spat, and she pulled away from me as far as her restraints would allow.
“Oh, we’re going this route again, are we?” I raised my eyebrows. “Hate to tell you, but it’s already been done. Exavier beat you to the punch.”
The spy’s eyes immediately flicked to the duke’s son, and her light-brown gaze filled with concern and another emotion I recognized instantly.
This mysterious woman was in love with the duke’s son. It was written all over her face. This would be easy. All I had to do was play to her sympathy for my already injured prisoner, and I would get her to talk.
“I hurt him pretty bad, but you can see that from here.” I shrugged. “I’d hate to have to do more just to have a conversation with you.”
“Torture me all you want,” the woman hissed. “I won’t talk.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said with a toothy grin. “I’d torture Exavier while you watched instead.”
“No!” The woman’s jaw fell open, and her eyes flicked between Exavier and me.
I had her right where I wanted her, and there was no way my plan would fail now.
“Talk.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Start with who the fuck do you think you are, and go from there.”
“I-I can’t let any harm befall Lord Exavier on my behalf.” The woman hung her head in shame. “M-My n-name is Tabitha.”
Snot began to drip from her broad nostrils, and tears welled up in her light-brown eyes, but I didn’t want to feel sympathy for one of my prisoners. I raked a hand through my hair and regained my composure before I continued my questions.
“Okay, Tabby,” I said. “That’s a good start. You care about little E’s safety, and you’re willing to put yourself at risk to save him. You know I took his pinky finger off, right?”
“Yes.” Tabitha the spy gulped hard. “I heard his screams.”
The tears began to spill over, and rivulets poured down her cheeks. She sniffed pathetically, and I rolled my eyes as I grabbed her cowl to wipe her face clean with. Tabitha pulled away from me, so I gave up.
“How long were you listening?” I asked.
“Long enough,” Tabitha snapped as she stuck out her chin. “Hurt him again, and you’ll live to regret it.”
“I doubt it.” I grinned. “If you were listening long enough, then you know who I am and what I’m capable of. I think the one who should be regretting their choices right now is you.”
“I am merely following orders,” the spy huffed. “I am a cog in the wheel, nothing more. I am worth little as a hostage, and I know nothing of importance.”
“How did you know where we are?” I pressed, and I ignored her arguments.
The lady spy was silent for a long moment, and I gave her a pointed look before I pushed myself to my feet. Then I crossed the distance to Exavier, and I squeezed his injured hand firmly. Right on cue, the duke’s son howled with pain, and Tabitha began to wail in sympathy.
“Talk,” was all I needed to say to get my point across, and I paused with my hand held near Exavier’s.
“I always watch Lord Exavier’s room closely,” Tabitha finally informed me with a sigh. “I heard a commotion…”
“Did you alert anyone?” I frowned.
“I came alone,” she said. “I am not helpless. I was about to get help to rescue my lord when you caught me.”
“You were helpless against me,” I pointed out, but I decided to move on. “So, you’re like his stalker or something, and you heard a noise in his room. Then what happened?”
“I used my key to unlock his bedchamber door, and I saw the wardrobe had been moved over to the window.” The woman shook her head, and her eyes were full of sadness. “I feared the worst. He’s been worried about something like this happening for a while, ever since his father escaped from prison.”
“Can you blame him?” I chuckled. “The duke basically threw his youngest son out to the wolves.”
“Says the wolf,” Tabitha retorted, but then she shot me a sideways glance. “What are you going to do with me?”
“Well, that depends entirely on you,” I explained. “The more generous you are, the more I will be in return. I need information more than anything else, so tell me all you can about the Edinburg family.”
“Or what?” The woman glared at me. “Lord Exavier loses all his fingers? Why did you stop at one?”
“That was all I needed.” I shrugged. “Do you want me to remove more? I can…”
“No!” she blurted out. “Please, I will talk. You must understand, I was sworn to secrecy by the duke himself, but I also made a promise to protect his son with my life. I am torn between my two duties.”
I ignored the fact that she said duties in a way that made me feel like a middle school kid all over again, and I pushed down the laughter bubbling in my throat.
“You can’t do both,” I pointed out. “You have to choose, and you obviously care more about baby E’s safety than your own, so what’s the harm in sharing some details?”
Tabitha shot me a glare filled with so much hatred I could feel it in my bones, and the hair on the nape of my neck stood on end. Not only was she unpleasant to look at, but she was uncomfortable to be around in general. I would be happy when I could put this day behind me and continue on with my quest, but it was fun to manipulate my prisoners into talking.
Especially when I could just reset so none of it actually happened.
“You have such a callous manner of speaking,” Tabitha observed. “I have heard of you, you know, and I’d hoped I would never meet you.”
“Why’s that?” It was the first I’d ever heard someone say they didn’t want a chance to meet me, and it sparked more curiosity than hurt feelings. I wasn’t an egotistical god, but it was an anomaly I wanted to explore.
“You’re just like everyone else seeking power.” Tabitha frowned. “You take what you want without thought about who you hurt in the process.”
“Hmm.” I pursed my lips as I nodded, and I resisted the urge to argue with her. It wouldn’t serve any purpose besides making my blood boil with rage, so I decided to let it go.
I already knew I was going to hit the reset button anyway, but I still didn’t want to waste my energy on pointless endeavors.
“Are you going to release us now?” Tabitha demanded. “I’ve answered all of your questions.”
“Oh, I’m not letting you go free,” I laughed. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
“You son of a bitch,” she hissed, and she struggled against the ropes that bound her.
“Careful,” I warned. “A lord might lose a finger.”
“What else do you want from me?” Tabitha growled. “If you’re such an awesome god, what are you so scared of?”
This bitch was really starting to piss me off, but I held my cool and took a deep breath.
“I’m not even going to give that a response,” I informed her. “But I do have some more questions for you. I asked you to tell me everything you know about the Edinburg family.”
“Fine.” Tabitha glared at me with the heat of a thousand suns. “Obviously, you know about Lord Exavier being the youngest son. Evyn is the next oldest, and then Eurikson.”
“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know,” I scoffed. “Let me guess, Eurikson is named after his father?”
“I would have to know what you know in order to do so.” Tabitha looked like her eyes were about to cross.
“Where is the duke?” I asked in a more urgent tone.
“That I do not know,” she sighed. “I lost contact with him recently, and I haven’t heard from him at the normal time. I’m beginning to worry.”
“Could he be dead?” Excitement coursed through my veins at the thought, but it was quickly replaced with dread since I’d promised the king I would return with the duke still alive.
“Maybe.” A pained look crossed Tabitha’s pale-brown eyes. “Or hunkered down. I hate to be the one who provides the information that leads to his arrest, though. He hired me personally, and I take my job very seriously.”
“Oh, I can tell,” I chuckled. “So seriously you fell in love with your target. If the duke hired you personally, and you’ve been in contact with him since he escaped prison, then why don’t you know where he is?”
“He isn’t an idiot,” Tabitha informed me. “He knew someone would come looking for him, but he has been buying himself time. That’s what his sons are for. They are doing his bidding while he is hiding.”
“Do you really believe that?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Wouldn’t that make him a coward?”
“I know it for a fact.” Tabitha nodded to emphasize her point. “And he is the bravest man I’ve ever known. He is standing up to a god, after all.”
In this crazy woman’s perspective, I was the bad guy, and it would be asinine to convince her otherwise, but it definitely irked me to hear someone so infatuated with the Duke of Edinburg.
“So, the duke hired you personally and swore you to secrecy.” I scratched my beard as I thought over what I’d learned so far. “What is your job title exactly?”
“My main role is to spy on Lord Exavier, and to report his doings to his father,” Tabitha sighed, and her fingers twitched beneath the bindings that restrained them. “Duke Edinburg doesn’t trust anyone, but especially not Exavier. He thought his son would sell him out to the highest bidder. Exavier was pressing for more responsibilities, and his father sent me to test his loyalty. To my surprise, he was more than loyal… He was ambitious and driven…”
I was glad the duke’s son was still unconscious so he couldn’t interfere with my questions, but Tabitha looked guiltily over at his crumpled form as soon as the words left her mouth.
“Alright, I don’t need the Hallmark version.” I cut off her words with a raised hand. “If Exavier isn’t trusted by daddy, and you don’t even know where Edinburg is, who would know?”
Tabitha didn’t answer for a long moment, and I held her gaze in mine. Then my eyes flicked to Exavier’s injured hand, and her light-brown eyes filled with emotion. I watched while she fought an internal battle, and then her shoulders slumped in defeat.
“Eurikson for sure,” Tabitha informed me with a slow nod. “Maybe Evyn. They’re both more trusted than their younger brother, but the things they had to do to earn that trust are almost unspeakable.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” I snorted. “I saw what Exavier was doing in his father’s name when we arrived in town. I don’t think the poor people’s food is going to help Edinburg as much as it hurts the citizens.”
The duke’s spy was already shaking her head in denial of my words before I even finished my statement, and I couldn’t say I was eager to hear her response.
“It all goes toward feeding the army,” Tabitha countered. “The people need to learn how to do their part, or they’ll soon learn what happens to unprotected people.”
“So, you’ve bought the whole spiel, hook, line, and sinker,” I observed.
“You wish you were half the lord and ruler the Duke of Edinburg is,” Tabitha said with earnest eyes.
I scrutinized her closely for a long moment, and then I decided I wasn’t going to get any more valuable information out of the no longer mysterious woman. I supposed there had to be crazy chicks even in this medieval fantasy world, but I hadn’t expected the duke’s son to have a fan girl.
“Cool.” I shook my head in amusement as I pushed myself to my feet.
I needed a break from the interrogations, so I stretched out my legs as I crossed the distance to my companions. They had built a small fire near the entrance, and they’d started to cook some travel rations. I loved how well-prepared everyone had been to spend the entire night in a random cave, and my stomach growled as the smell of roasting venison met my nostrils.
“Smells good,” I observed with a smile.
“Here,” Eva said, and she handed me a bowl full of meat and veggies. “I had some ready for you.”
“You’re amazing.” I planted a kiss on her cheek as I accepted the meal. “I was in need of a break.”
“You’ve been hard at work all night long,” Elissa observed with a sympathetic smile. “It’s time you took a little bit of time to relax.”
“I’ll sleep all day tomorrow,” I promised. “You and I together, what do you say?”
“What about our mission?” my wife asked, but I saw the hope in her emerald eyes.
“We have a couple of destinations to choose from,” I said. “We have time to take a day to recuperate and plan our next steps.”
I took a greedy mouthful of the delicious food, and I moaned with delight. Even in these circumstances, my women were capable of providing a decent meal, and I was beyond grateful for their presence.
“I’m eager to hear what lies ahead,” Ako said around a mouthful of venison, and his tail swayed contentedly behind him. “More lordnapping?”
“Who knows.” I smirked. “But I can almost guarantee it will be an adventure.”
“Perfect.” The cat-man flashed me a fang-toothed smile.
I merely returned his expression of joy before I dug into the delicious food in my hands. After I’d enjoyed the savory meat and vegetables, I let out a happy sigh and leaned back on my elbows.
“It almost feels like camping,” I observed. “Except there’s two people tied up in the corner.”
“This is a cave,” Ako pointed out. “It doesn’t have corners.”
“You know what I mean,” I laughed. “We’ll have to do something like this once the mission is over, just for fun.”
“Your idea of fun is to spend the night outdoors?” Ako shook his head in disbelief. “Where have you been all my life, my friend? You are describing half of my lifetime.”
“Was it as fun as it sounds?” I asked.
“More than words can describe.” Ako grinned. “But those times are behind me. This is my final adventure before I begin my sedentary lifestyle. It will be a change for me, that is for sure.”
“I know how that goes,” I said. “I’m about to have a baby, talk about big changes going on. We’ll just have to make sure we live it up while we can, right?”
“Exactly,” Ako laughed. “If we weren’t guarding prisoners, I would suggest we drink.”
“Later,” I assured him, and then I returned my attention to the rest of my food.
“I’ll hold you to that.” Ako’s honey-colored eyes twinkled. “Would you like me to finish up with the prisoners? You are looking a little taxed.”
“It’s okay, but thank you.” I flashed him a grateful smile. “We are pretty much done, and then we can all do some relaxing before we leave Kassar.”
“Sounds wonderful,” the shapeshifter said. “I’d like to revisit the sights before we leave.”
“Soon enough,” I assured him. “But haven’t you already been to Kassar?”
“I stayed one night in a more run-down inn than the one we’re renting from,” Ako informed me. “I left early the next day, so I didn’t have time to explore the city.”
I finished off the venison and vegetables, and then I handed my empty bowl back to Evangeline. My fiancée accepted it with a loving smile, and I couldn’t resist giving her another kiss.
“I suppose I should get back to it,” I said as I pushed myself to my feet.
“Bash, behind you!” Elissa gasped, and she pointed toward the back of the cavern.
I whipped around to see Tabitha on her feet and running toward the entrance.
“Shit,” I cursed, and I lunged to my feet.
Mahini was leaping into action an instant later, and her bow was out with the string drawn taut. What unfolded next played out in slow motion before my eyes. My warrior woman narrowed her piercing blue eyes, let out her breath, and released her arrow. The string made a loud twang sound as it vibrated free, and the projectile whooshed as it flew through the air toward the duke’s spy.
Tabitha let out a pained cry as the arrow buried itself deep into her back, and her arms windmilled as she fell to the ground. Her body hit with a thud, and a cloud of dust erupted around her motionless form.
I rushed over to the cavern entrance to check on my prisoner, but she had no pulse, and her eyes stared sightlessly up at the ceiling of the cave.
“She’s dead,” I said in a solemn tone.
“She was running away,” Mahini explained as she pursed her lips. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You did the right thing,” I assured her. “I’d already gotten all the information I needed from her anyway. Let’s just spend the night drinking instead.”
“We can’t go back in time, silly,” Elissa giggled.
“You can’t,” I laughed. “But we are not all the same.”
I thoroughly enjoyed the looks of utter confusion on all of my companions’ faces, and it would be so much fun to tell them all I’d learned without even having to lift a finger. All I had to do was reset back to my save point, and then I would go back to the night before when we were leaving the inn for the evening.
I’d learned a lot during this run through, but I was ready to reset the clock. Now, I had a direction to go in on my duke hunt, and it wouldn’t be long before I found out where Edinburg was hiding. I’d find him before he could gather an army to protect himself with, and then all of Sorreyal would know of his crimes.
I grinned into the confused faces of my lovers and friends, and then I reset back to my save point with a wave of my will.
Chime.