I open the door. There was an
unconscious Jakson, hanging by his wrists, stripped to the waist. A guard
straps some kind of electronic device to Jaks’ neck and chest and locks it with
a key. I gulp hard and try to compose myself and act like I fit in around here.
“Thank you, guard, I’ll
take it from here.”
“The truth serum will need
a few more minutes to work properly, Princess, but the shock device is locked
in place,” he hands me the remote, “and ready to go. I tried it out, and gave
him a little private lesson. He’s a quick learner. He knows he can nod yes or
shake his head no. No words. Any sound that comes from his throat will cause a
shock blast.”
“Then, what’s the remote
do?”
“Hold down the green
button to allow him to speak without being shocked.”
“Give me the key.”
“No! You want to take it
off of him? Already? I just put it on him! But, why?”
“You have the insolence to
tell me no?” I yell, channeling the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland. “Justin,
throw this cocky, disrespectful bastard out the window at the count of ten if
he does not give me the key. Then go down and take the key off of his miserable,
dead body and bring it up to me. Either way, I get the key. So which will it
be?” I give him a steely-eyed stare. “One. Two. Three. Four. Five.”
The guard hands me the
key. “King Frederick will be very angry with you.”
“Oh, he’ll get over it. It
won’t be the first time nor, dare I say it, the last. I’ll deal with it.”
“He’ll be very angry with
me.”
“Tell him I frightened
you. Boo!” I shout. “Now get the hell
out of here before I heave you out of the window myself!” He scurries away like
the little rat he is.
“Justin, can you release
him?”
Justin examined the
apparatus. “Well, I can raise it or lower it by turning this handle, but I have
no idea where the release button is. It’s certainly not marked ‘Release
button.’ And I’m afraid to experiment. Your father doesn’t allow me up here too
often. He says I have no heart for torture. And he is correct. I can lower him.”
“Then lower him gently,
please.”
“Jaks?” I cradle his head
in my arms. “Jaks, honey, can you hear me?”
He opens his eyes and gives
me the tiniest smile. “Sam,” he whispers.
I want to sob, but I don’t
think that would fit with this princess-character, so I rock him gently. “Don’t
worry, I’ll get us out of here. I don’t know how just yet, but I’ll find a way
to get us home.” He nods. “I won’t desert you, I promise, and I won’t leave you
up here at the mercy of this crazy old goat. I’ll stay right here with you and
make sure he doesn’t hurt you until I figure a way out of this mess. I want us
to go home, Jaks,” I kiss his forehead.
“Home,” he repeats.
“Isabella! What in the hell
are you doing?” bellows the king as he enters the room with his men in the most
kingly fashion. “Coddling the same Galt tracker who was hired to kill you? What
is the matter with you? Have you taken leave of all your senses? Justin,
Morgan, take my daughter out of here and see to it that she stays in her
chambers, even if you must barricade her in.” Justin and Morgan picked me up.
“No, Father! Don’t kill him.
Don’t strike him. Please don’t be brutal. Don’t hurt him. Simply ask him what
you want to know. He’ll tell you the truth. He’s an honest and reasonable man. And
don’t cut anything off. Don’t hurt him, promise me. Promise it, Father!”
The king says nothing as I
am escorted to my room.
Time passes as I pace the
length of my bedchamber.
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