Page 28 of Rapunzel's Gambit (All That Glitters)
I chewed my tongue, hoping that I looked as though I was trying to remember, rather than thinking how to phrase things so it was believable without endangering Pollox.
“I never picked up on a pattern. There were times when he would stay close for days, then he would disappear for hours, but it could have been any time of the day or night.”
One of the knights let out an oath, and Griffin elbowed him in the ribs and hissed, “Language! There’s a lady here,” under his breath.
“Describe the interior of the tower where you were held. Was there an exit? Trapdoors? Any structural weaknesses?”
The questioning lasted for what felt like hours as they had me list out everything I could about the tower turret inside and out, then grilled me about Pollox’s habits, personality, mannerisms, weaknesses, and strengths, as well as any information passed to me by past rescuers, and about a hundred other things. By the end of the interrogation, my brain felt like a wrung sponge. Any information I could divulge to appear helpful I did so, all while withholding the crucial details and still gleaning tidbits about their plans to pass to Pollox once I went back to him.
It was well after nightfall by the time we finished, and even after I was dismissed, the others stayed later to attend to the mundane matters of duty rotations and annual training.
“I’ll walk you to your quarters,” Griffin offered without hesitation. Another squire chuckled softly and shot him a not-so-discreet wink that made heat rise to my cheeks.
“Come back quickly,” the captain ordered, waving his hand to allow Griffin to leave.
“Sorry about all that,” Griffin said as he walked me along the dark corridors. “I told them you wouldn’t want to be interrogated.”
“It was necessary,” I told him, distracted by how Griffin’s arm felt beneath my fingers. “The dragon has been a problem for a few years and needs to be dealt with.”
“I’m just glad it hasn’t killed more people than it already has,” he answered dejectedly.
Once again, my heart froze. “What deaths? I hadn’t heard of any.” If I had, I never would have sought out Pollox in the first place.
Griffin appeared surprised. “Not in Rookwyn, but the dragon killed several villagers in Brookshire last year, that town on the other side of Coronis’s border. Did they not send word?”
“If they did, Father and his advisors didn’t inform me.” How could I have missed such crucial information?
“That’s why we’re so concerned. I worried that the dragon might have…I worried that you might not survive. I’m glad you’re safe.”
“He never tried to hurt me,” I said, slightly defensively. “And I never saw him hurt anyone else, not seriously, anyway.”
He was quiet as we walked past a few guards, all stationed near windows and staring out at the starry sky. “Princess Rapunzel?” Griffin began cautiously.
“Just Rapunzel is fine.”
He hesitated. “Rapunzel, may I ask you a question?”
“If I can ask you one in return.”
The corner of his mouth tugged upward. “That’s fair. I wanted to ask once more if you aresurethe dragon has never tried to stake a claim on you. Dragons don’t harm their hoard, and if he considers you part of that, he wouldn’t have tried to injure you, but…”
“He…he may have said something at one point. It’s hard to remember,” I answered evasively. “But I’m here now, so it doesn’t matter if he did try to claim me, right?”
Griffin’s jaw locked.
“Right?” I probed.
“I wish I could say that was true. I don’t mean to alarm you, but dragons never relinquish their holds on what they have claimed as their own. He will come for you, and he may try to kill anyone who attempts to stop him from taking you.”
My and Pollox’s scheme to swindle riches from royalty suddenly felt much more dangerous than I was prepared to handle. What had I gotten myself into?
We reached the door to my chamber, but I didn’t release Griffin’s arm.
“You said you had a question for me, too?” Griffin asked, placing his hand over mine where I held onto his arm.
I pulled my thoughts away from the mental image of Pollox incinerating villages. I didn’t even know if that had been him. It might have been some other dragon. It took me a moment to remember what I’d intended to ask Griffin. “During the debrief, they said that you were the one who came up with the plan to have the rope underneath the armor. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
