by ammyford1
The door by my head opened and the man pulled me out, throwing me over his shoulder. It was all I could do to stop myself from screaming out in pain as my body protested at the sudden movement. There was a nauseating stench of stagnant water and diesel fumes. He carried me onto the boat and threw me roughly onto the bench seat causing my head to hit the side of the boat. I let out a muffled cry. No one heard it over the sound of the engine. My vision blurred and I thought I was about to pass out again. The driver opened the throttle and the engine roared as we pulled away from the water’s edge.
We moved across the water at speed, every jolt causing me more pain. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, we reached the other side. The engine died and the boat rocked as one of the men climbed out and secured the boat to the jetty. The other man picked me up and threw me over his shoulder again. He stepped off the boat, carried me up a bank and onto a gravel path leading to an entrance at the side of a building lit by spotlights from the ground. I caught a glimpse of creamy coloured sandstone walls as we passed through a doorway into a damp smelling corridor. From my limited vantage point we were inside some kind of castle. My image of an Indiana-style fortress hadn’t been too far off the mark. The men’s voices echoed as they chatted to each other, it was as if they were carrying out little more than an ordinary shopping delivery. The aching of the aftershock from the stun gun was easing but my head hurt and my stomach felt bruised against the man’s shoulder. We wound our way along a number of corridors and up two flights of steps until we came to a heavy wooden door. It creaked as one of the men pushed it open. I was expecting a prison cell but much to my surprise it was a lavishly decorated bedroom. I was thrown unceremoniously onto the bed and braced myself as my captor leant towards me, there was little I could do in my defence. Fortunately, all he did was rip the tape away from my mouth, causing my skin to burn. I eyed him warily as he pulled out a knife, not daring to move a hair as he sliced through the tape that bound my wrists and ankles together. And then without saying a word he turned on his heels and left. I heard the key turn in the lock.
I slowly eased up onto my elbows, my head feeling like it was about to explode. I surveyed the room. It was softly lit and felt warm. I was lying on a huge four poster bed draped in heavy, deep red velvet. The bed was flanked by two ornately carved bedside tables with a lamp on each, their shades matching the colour of the luxurious bed covers and drapes. There was an enormous open fire place with a fire crackling in its hearth and a deep pile rug laid out on the smooth polished stone floor in front of it. Two armchairs had been arranged invitingly around the hearth. There were a couple of large, dark wooden pieces of furniture against two walls and in the corner was a huge roll-top free standing bath. I half expected to see steam rising from it. The whole room looked like the honeymoon suite of an expensive Scottish castle and was the complete opposite of what I had been expecting. I hoped Toby had been living in similar luxury.
Ok, so now what? As lovely as the room was it was still my prison. I got up off the bed and winced at the pain in my head. I tried to open the shutters at the windows but they were locked. I walked over to the fireplace and caught sight of myself in a large full length mirror. I looked a mess, my hair was all over the place and the pretty night dress that Salara had lent me had the rusty smear of blood down the front. Poor Salara. I hoped to God she was alright. The thought of Galius finding out his wife had been brutally attacked or worse, killed was not a welcome one.
I gingerly walked over to the stone basin sitting on the washstand and filled it with warm water. I washed my face and hands and dried them with a towel hanging on a rail next to the sink. I pulled my hair into a pony tail with the hairband on my wrist and sat in one of the armchairs, staring into the fire and waited. I tried not to play out all the possible scenarios about what might have happened to Toby’s rescue party in my head and prayed they already had Toby and were on their way out of here. I couldn’t understand what Bazeera wanted with me, I was nothing to her, but as long as Toby and Ahran were safe that was all that mattered. It comforted me enormously to know that Toby had a family now who would love and care for him, if indeed, this was the beginning of my own demise.
I wasn’t sure how long I had been sitting there when I heard someone unlock the door. I jumped out of the chair my heart racing. It was another of Bazeera’s henchmen and I stood my ground as he came towards me. He had a roll of tape in his hand and he gestured for me to turn around. Maybe the news I had killed one of his colleagues had spread and he wasn’t taking any chances. I felt a satisfied smile tug at my lips. I had no choice now though, and turned away from him with my hands behind my back. My heart’s fast staccato rhythm echoed in my ears as I contemplated where he was taking me. Was this it? Was my time really up?
We walked down a number of corridors and the flagstone floor felt cold under my bare feet. The place was indeed like a large medieval castle and much older than any of the buildings I had seen in Ramia. Finally, we came to a set of large, wooden, heavily studded double doors. My guard pushed one of them open and I stumbled as he pushed me roughly into the room. It was enormous. At one end, two large banners displaying coats of arms hung on the wall, a large banqueting table stood in the middle and to my utter horror, Ahran was bound to one of the chairs around it, his head slumped forward on his chest frighteningly still.
“Ahran!” I shrieked, and tried to break free from the hand that was restraining me. For one heart-stopping moment I thought he was dead.
At the sound of my voice, he slowly lifted his head. It was sweet relief to see him move but I gasped when I saw his face. His left eye was purple and swollen and there was a nasty gash across his cheek which was encrusted with dried blood. The deep red of fresh bruising was beginning to show itself along his jawline and his mouth was taped. My heart twisted painfully and I pulled against the unrelenting hands holding me.
“What have they done to you?” I growled.
Ahran looked warily to his right and I followed his eyes.
“Ah! You must be the boy’s aunt,” said a man leaning against a large knoll sofa in front of the fire. I hadn’t noticed him at first.
“I would shake your hand, but it looks like you are a little tied up,” he said in accented English.
He was tall and on the skinny side of slim, with a shaven head, a long narrow face and a pronounced jaw. He had a savage look about him.
“Well, you are a pretty one,” he said, eyeing me appreciatively as he came towards me.
Everything about him made my skin crawl and I raised my chin in defiance.
He stopped in front of me, too close for my liking as the rancid stench of alcohol wafted under my nose. He ran his finger down the side of my face. I recoiled from his touch but the guard held me tight. A muffled growl came from Ahran and he strained against his bindings causing his chair to scrape noisily across the stone floor.
The man looked between me and Ahran with a dawning realisation.
“Ah, what do we have here? This fragile human girl means something to the great Ahran Elessar of Dinara.” Remarkably the enjoyment on his face made him look even meaner. “Tsk, tsk, Ahran, rule number one, don’t get involved with Sapiens they are nothing but trouble. Look where it got your cousin. A bastard child and the opportunity for his family’s enemies to demand whatever they wish.”
“How dare you?!” I said through gritted teeth.
The weaselly looking man laughed. “Aha she has spirit too!” He began to run his hand up my thigh. “Oh, I dare my lovely, I dare very much,” he said salaciously.
Ahran growled even louder and thrashed violently in his chair.
“Maybe Ahran, you would like to watch me and this mouth-watering little dish, put on a little floor show for your entertainment.” He grabbed hold of my ponytail and pulled me towards him, there was a sickening mix of pleasure, anticipation and violence in his eyes.
I screamed as he pulled me towards him, powerless to resist.
“T
hat’s enough Sila!” boomed a female voice from the doorway.
He let me go reluctantly and I saw the disappointment flicker across his face.
“I do apologise for Sila’s behaviour, sometimes the power goes to his head.” I turned to see a woman walking towards me. She was tall, with sharp features that were accentuated by her jet black hair piled on top of her head in an elaborate up-do. She wore wide-legged black trousers and a black silk blouse with a string of beads around her neck. She was roughly middle aged and had an hour-glass figure. Her high-heels clicked across the floor as she approached me. She looked glamorous, if a little overly made up.
“Let me introduce myself. I am Bazeera of Morana,” she said.
Hearing her name shot slithers of hatred through me. So this was the evil bitch. I looked at her with contempt. She ignored my hostility. “I am sorry for having to tie you both up, but I can’t afford to take any chances. My men tell me you are not as harmless as you look,” she said, eyeing me with a hint of admiration.
She turned her attention to Ahran. “Ahran, it’s good to see you.” She greeted him as if she was an old family friend. “I haven’t seen you since you were a boy and now look at you. A fine young man you’ve turned into.” She made no comment about the disfiguring injuries to his beautiful face.
“Where is Toby?” I demanded.
“Don’t worry, he’s safe and will be returned unharmed as soon as Halsan gives in to my demands.” She paused. “It’s strange, I would have expected him to have done so by now but he seems to be taking his time. Perhaps the boy isn’t as important to him as I first thought,” she taunted. “Maybe it will hurry his decision knowing that I now have you two. You made it so easy for me Ahran, arriving on my doorstep like you did.” Her tone was honey sweet laced with poison. “I have quite a cache here, the King’s direct heir and the second in line to the throne, I am honoured to be in such distinguished company,” she said, putting her hand to her chest melodramatically.
“The King won’t let you get away with this,” I said venomously.
“Oh, but I have got away with it and the King will have no choice but to give in to my demands,” she said with a satisfied smile.
Her face could have been beautiful if it hadn’t have been etched with lines of bitterness that actually made me want to pity her. How sad that she was so power hungry she had resorted to kidnapping an innocent boy to wreak her revenge and to get what she was after.
“Take her back to her room, whilst we await the King’s response,” Bazeera said to my guard.
“What about Ahran?” I asked in desperation.
“Such concern. So sweet. I’m afraid I haven’t finished with him yet.”
I took one last look at Ahran and he looked heartbreakingly apologetic as I was frogmarched out of the room. The pain and exhaustion on his face brought me to tears. What else did that witch have lined up for him and how much more could he take? What had happened to Elaya and Galius? A horrible image of their bodies floating in water flashed in my mind and I closed my eyes tightly. All I could hope now was that Halsan would give in to Bazeera’s demands soon and we would get out of here alive.
I was locked up in my room again, this time my wrists remained bound. I sat on the bed in a fog of despair. This had not gone at all to plan. Toby was still in Bazeera’s clutches and the only man I had ever loved was tied up defencelessly and being used as a punch bag.
I began to doubt Halsan for the first time. Would his own power mean more to him than our lives? After all, what had he risked to save Toby? He had lost a few special agents at best, at worst, he loses Ahran and Toby but holds onto his empire. My mind went round in circles worrying about whether Halsan valued his lands and power more than his nephew and grandson. I tried to comfort myself with the thought that Halsan had to give into Bazeera’s demands if he had any chance of continuing his line of succession, even if it meant a vastly reduced kingdom.
I was helpless. Mine, Toby’s and Ahran’s lives were now in the hands of a King who I hoped more than anything in the world had a stronger sense of lineage than his own power.
Chapter 21
I laid on the bed replaying the events of the last few hours. Salara may very well be lying dead on her kitchen floor. I had been captured and met my nemesis in the form of Bazeera. I had no idea where Galius and Elaya were, there was no sign of Toby and Ahran had been beaten to within an inch of his life. It was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. I closed my eyes tightly and concentrated on steadying each breath, passing out wasn’t going to help anyone. I tried to think reassuring, comforting thoughts, like home and my safe and comfortable life there instead of the hell I found myself in here. The events of the night continued to whirl restlessly around in my head until I eventually dozed off.
I awoke to a soft tap on the shutters. Jumping up and forgetting that my wrists were still bound I stumbled towards the window. The tap came again. I cautiously leant towards them. “Is there someone there?”
“Sophie, it’s me, Elaya,” came a whisper from the other side.
“Oh my God, Elaya!” The relief at hearing her voice washed over me even though somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered how I could be having this conversation with her two stories up. “I can’t open the shutters, they’re locked and my hands are taped together.”
“Stand back, I am going to shoot the lock,” she said.
I took a few steps backwards and the sound of the wood splintering, echoed around the room. I glanced at the door, fearful that someone might have heard it.
A few seconds went by but no one came to investigate.
Elaya pushed the shutter open and in one deft movement she was standing in the room with me. She hugged me and tears sprang to my eyes. “I thought you were dead!” I said, still not quite able to believe that she was here with me.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I nodded, a little overwhelmed.
“Here let me get that off you.” She took a knife out of a sheath strapped to her thigh and sliced through the tape.
“How did you know I was here?” I asked as I rubbed the spot where the tape had been and circled my shoulders a couple of times.
“I watched them carry you onto the island,” she explained. “Where’s Salara?”
“She’s back at the ranch. They hurt her pretty badly Elaya. I’m not even sure if she’s alive.” The bile rose in my throat as I pictured Salara lying on the kitchen floor.
Elaya closed her eyes momentarily. “And Raffy?”
I shrugged and shook my head, “I don’t know.” Tears spilt onto my cheeks and I took a shuddery breath. “How did you know which room I was in?” I asked, changing the subject. There was little we could have done for either of them at that moment.
“I didn’t. It was a lucky guess,” she admitted. “Bazeera’s quarters are on the other side of the fortress so I knew it wasn’t one of her rooms and this was the only room with a light on and the shutters closed.”
“They’ve captured Ahran,” I reported.
“Yes, I know. Galius has gone to find him and Toby.”
“Thank God for that! When I saw Ahran, I thought you and Galius had been killed.”
She shook her head and gave me a look as if to say ‘don’t be ridiculous’.
“Is he alright?” Elaya asked, the concern evident on her face.
I shook my head, my chest tightened at the memory of Ahran bound to a chair, bruised and battered. “They’ve beaten him pretty badly.” I choked back more tears.
“He’s tough, he’ll mend,” she said reassuringly.
“That’s funny, he said the same about you once,” I said with a weak smile.
Elaya smiled back. “Don’t worry Sophie. Galius will rescue him.” She said this without a shadow of a doubt.
“How come you weren’t captured?” I asked.
“We split up, I guess Ahran was unlucky.” She shrugged. “Come on, we should get going. It will be light soon and it will
be easier to get off the island under the cover of darkness.”
“Aren’t we going to wait for the others?” I asked. As much as I wanted to get out of here, I didn’t want to leave without them.
“Don’t worry. Galius will get them away safely. It’s better that we go separately, we will be less conspicuous that way.” I knew what she said was right but it didn’t make me feel any more comfortable about leaving not knowing whether they were safe or not.
Elaya moved towards the window. “Have you got a head for heights?”
“Um, no, not really,” I said as I peered out. The ground seemed a very long way down.
“Don’t worry, just hold on tight. I was my army corps champion climber for ten years running.”
Elaya jumped lithely up onto the wide window ledge and sat with her legs dangling out into the darkness. She turned and held her hand out to me. It wasn’t the first time she’d reminded me of Catwoman.
“Climb on my back and close your eyes if you don’t like the view.” I stared at her wide-eyed but Elaya seemed totally at ease with our exit strategy.
I hesitated.
“Come on, we haven’t got much time,” she warned.
I wished I weighed a few pounds lighter as I climbed onto her back. It didn’t seem possible that she could scale down the wall with me clinging to her. I closed my eyes and held my breath as she turned around and began our descent. She made her way down as sure-footed as a mountain goat, using the clips and studs she had embedded in the mortar on her way up. We were on the ground in a matter of minutes. I slid from her back.
“Are you alright?” she whispered. There was barely a change in her breathing.
“Yes, I’m fine. You were amazing,” I whispered back in awe. I didn’t think I would ever get used to the Elessar’s superior talents, they were extraordinary.
“Thanks,” she said and gave me a beaming smile. If I wasn’t mistaken she was enjoying herself.
“There is a small rowing boat hidden in the reeds. There are a couple of cameras up ahead. If we stay close to the wall they won’t be able to detect us.”
