“Braizen, this is ridiculous,” Lin cuts in. “Surely you aren’t actually considering her desperate attempt to flee as a plan.”

Braizen’s eyes leave mine for a moment, and I use the release to catch my breath. He looks back at the others. “Too many times, you’ve all told me to pull rank, and I’ve never listened. We lost almost everyone in one day. We have no food or money. Our horses will die before our very eyes, and we will join them shortly after. We are desperate. We can sit here and argue and allow this Verdanian Princess to watch us slowly perish over the next few days because we’re too proud to listen, or we can at least hear what she has to say.”

Lin droops in defeat, and Lorna sucks on her teeth.

Braizen faces me again. “But they’re right, Sparrow. I can’t have you running away for Lannex to catch. I’m desperate, but I’m not dumb.”

There are so many cruel rejoinders I long to voice, but I’m too hungry and too tired. And there’s no time for games; the sun drops lower in the sky by the second.

“We stage a kidnapping,” I say, jerking my chin towards Torrent. “He steals me in front of Lannex, then runs. The noble will be forced by honor to make sure I’m protected. He and however many men he has with him will have no choice but to retrieve me. I’ll make sure of it.”

Torrent stops grinding his teeth, which I take as a good omen. Braizen slowly scratches at the pricks of his stubble. I wait, still helpless against this gods damn tree.

“Well,” Braizen finally breaks the silence and turns to his crew. “What do we think?”

“I think we’d be the stupidest bandits alive to trust a Verdanian. Especially one we’ve been holding hostage,” Lorna hisses. She’s been waiting to say this; I can tell.

“I agree,” Lin mutters. “However, with Torrent holding her and how fast he runs… It could work.”

“Torr?” Braizen asks, turning to his mightiest member.

The blond giant is openly trying to reel in his disdain, and his hard stare almost sizzles against my skin. Just as I think he’ll spew some putrid hate against Verdanians, an unholy grin breaks across his face.

Braizen chuckles and offers in a low voice, “It could be fun.”

The huge man’s eyes glisten as he corrects his Prince. “Oh, it’ll be more than fun.”

Chapter Seven

Idalia

Nine Years Previous

My blade makes a nasty clang as it hits the stone floor. I hiss and bend to retrieve it, but my lungs heave, and my arms protest. Instead, I sit hard on my rear and swipe at the hair stuck to my sweaty forehead.

“Pick it up, Idalia. Quickly.” My father orders from where he stands in the corner. I roll my eyes and shake my head.