One of Wynn’s men grabbed my wrists and tugged gloves onto my hands. He then tied them behind my back, effectively preventing me from any skin contact, which would have allowed me to flow into his mind and read his thoughts. Putting a hand on my shoulder, he guided me forward. My body obeyed and I walked beside him.

Wynn kept pace next to me. “Wow, it’s as if someone blew out your inner flame, Baby Face. Nothing left but an empty lantern. And I had to kill everyone. I can’t afford to leave any witnesses behind, and I’m sure that stubborn ox Odd was already planning a rescue party. Not that I couldn’t handle him and a few soldiers, but this is far easier. Besides, we don’t take prisoners.”

She’d used we again. Was she referring to her and Sepp? And why tell me all this? Perhaps she felt guilty over Odd’s murder. She had truly cared for him at one point. I hoped Sergeant Gylon and the others had saved my friends. And while I was glad Kerrick and Flea hadn’t been caught in Wynn’s trap, worry for them churned deep in my heart. Where were they? Had the Skeleton King captured them?

Mulling over all she’d told me, I avoided agonizing over my friends and Kerrick. I considered the possibility that Tohon was still encased in a magical stasis and this was an elaborate trick. For what purpose, I’d no idea.

Plenty of other questions circled my mind as we traveled that night. Why would Wynn come in and bother making that big speech if she planned to capture me and kill everyone else regardless? Wynn had the manpower. Perhaps she wished to gloat first. Too bad I had no control over my voice and couldn’t ask her.

The sun rose to our left. The direction surprised me. I’d assumed we headed northwest to Tohon’s castle in Sogra Realm. But the location of the sunrise meant we had journeyed south instead.

After a few hours, the toxin wore off and my mind re-connected with my body. I’d planned to hide that fact, but I stumbled and fell forward, striking my head on the ground. Pain stabbed above my right eye. My arm muscles complained about the tight bindings that dug into my wrists and my legs ached with fatigue.

Who knew being disembodied had its perks?

“We’ll rest here,” Wynn said. She crouched down next to me. “We can do this one of two ways, Baby Face.”

“Go on, I’m all aquiver.”

“Cute.” She stood and kicked me in the stomach.

All my other pains disappeared in a hurry as fire blazed inside my guts. I curled into a ball, enduring the wave of agony.

When I’d recovered, Wynn returned to her position. “Are you paying attention?”

“Yes.”