Kill Cenric?
My eyes widen, and a gasp escapes my lips before I can stop it.
I take a step back, ready to flee, but my foot catches on a loose cobblestone. I stumble, and the sound echoes through the alley like a clap of thunder.
A chill runs down my spine as the men’s heads snap in my direction.
Oh no!
Chapter
Two
EVERLY
The menclose in on me, their faces twisted with anger.
Think, Everly, think.
You’ve gotten yourself out of worse scrapes than this.
Remember that time you accidentally set fire to Mother’s favorite chair?
You talked your way out of that one.
Before I can think of a single word, the portly man lunges at me. My reflexes kick in, and I quickly dodge to the side. Then, before he can attack again, I kick him in the groin. He grunts and doubles over, but his friend with dirty blond hair is already moving in. I whirl around and slam my elbow into his nose with a satisfying crunch. Blood gushes down his face as he lets out a roar of pain.
Take that, you bastard!
Unfortunately, my victory is short-lived. The first man recovers from my kick and grabs me from behind, his arms likethick vines around my waist. I struggle and thrash, but he’s too strong.
Fury flashes in the portly man’s eyes as he advances. “You’re going to regret hitting me, bitch.”
He raises his hand, and I brace myself for the blow. It comes hard and fast, a stinging slap across my cheek that snaps my head to the side. Brilliant light explodes behind my eyes, and for a moment, the world goes fuzzy.
Well, that’s going to leave a mark.
So much for my flawless complexion.
I try to move, to fight back, but my mind is too hazy, my arms too heavy.
They gag me with a dirty rag that tastes of sweat. Then, they tie a blindfold over my eyes, plunging me into darkness.
This is not how I imagined my day going. I was supposed to find employment, not get attacked. The gods must be having a laugh at my expense right now.
The portly man hoists me over his shoulder, the rough fabric of his surcoat scratching my cheek as he carries me out of the alley. I try to keep track of where we’re going, but it’s impossible with the blindfold on. All I can do is bounce along helplessly.
After a short while, we come to a stop. A door creaks open, followed by footsteps, then the man unceremoniously dumps me onto a hard chair. The blond one rips the blindfold off. I blink in the sudden light and glance around the tiny, dingy room with no windows. The only furniture is the chair I’m sitting on and a rickety table in the corner.
I open my mouth to protest, but before the words leave mylips, the one who carried me over his shoulders grabs my hands and ties them together. Next, he fastens my legs to the chair with another rope.
My mind drifts to my family in Astarobane. Mother, with her kind eyes that always understand me, even when I cannot find the words to express myself. Grandmother, with her booming laugh that can fill an entire room. And Kassandra, with her unwavering support and boundless compassion.
They would want me to fight, to find my way back to them.
Desperately, I scan the room, looking for something that might help me escape, but there’s nothing. Just bare walls and a dirt floor.
I lift my chin as another man enters the room. He’s dressed in an unmarked dark gray surcoat over black pants, a broadsword hanging at his hip. Everything about him screams danger—from the way he holds himself to the calculating look in his eyes.
