Chapter 3 #2
No, it had to be him. He needed to get control of his shit, or there was going to be an accident. Nothing good could come of revealing himself to his captors.
Then there was the other prisoner. Was he really a captive, or was he a plant put in place to get Shey to lower his guard and talk? It was a technique he and his people had used multiple times to get gang leaders, smugglers, and even a few spies to spill their guts without resorting to torture.
He’d have to be careful.
“Come to papa,” the other man said, talking to his newly acquired piece of bread.
“Hey! I paid for the info. Where is it?” Shey barked.
“Mm, yeah,” the prisoner mumbled around a mouthful of dry bread. “Stuff something in your ears.”
“Are you kidding me? You got half my roll for that?”
“What? It’s good info.” There was a new lightness to his voice, and Shey swore the asshole was laughing at him. “Wait. I’ve got an upgrade for you. Do you have a mattress on your bed over there?”
Shey’s gaze strayed to the thin cushion on the metal shelf. It was a stretch to call it a mattress. “Yeah.”
“Okay, so tear off a bit of the cover or pull out some of the stuffing. Put that in your ears. I guess you can also tear off a piece of your clothes if you want to go that route. Either way, make sure it’s small enough that it doesn’t stick out where Scarella or her minions can see it.
They’ll rip it out of your ears and probably take some of your ears with it.
Oh! And don’t put your fingers in your ears. ”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. There was another guy in the cell across from mine. He began doing that, so she had all his fingers cut off. He didn’t last much longer after that.”
Shey’s stomach twisted as he sat with his back against the cold wall with the bars on his left.
He stared at the remains of the roll in his hands, frowning.
This was going to be tricky. Until he knew where he was, who had him, and the amount of firepower they were wielding, busting out with his magic would have to wait.
He didn’t want to lose body parts while he was waiting.
Then there was the other problem: The longer he stayed, the bigger the risk of his captors figuring out his real identity. No one could know he was Prince Shey.
“Do you know who has us?” Shey inquired, then quickly tacked on, “And you’re not getting the other half of my roll.”
His companion huffed a laugh. “Fast learner. That’s good.
No, I don’t. Whoever it is, they have money, even if they don’t spend it on food.
” The last part he shouted, as if he were trying to remind his captors of their shitty service.
“They’re well-equipped with weapons. Their outfits are snazzy.
The guns they carry look expensive, but I don’t know guns. I could be wrong.”
“How long have you been here?”
“No clue.”
“What?”
“Do you see a window in your cell? I sure as shit don’t have one. They don’t bring meals on a regular schedule. Sometimes it feels like we get three meals, and at other times it might be one. There’s no way to gauge the passage of time.”
Shey glanced around his cell. There was no window in there to give a peek of the outside world. The tiny window in the door at the end of the hall seemed as if it peered out into another hallway. Days, weeks, or even months could pass in there, and they’d have no way of knowing.
Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. At this point, his mother and the few leaders in Caspagir who knew of his plan had to be frantic. That was yet another reason he couldn’t linger here long. Someone was bound to do something reckless and stupid if he didn’t contact the Caspagir government soon.
“You’re the fourth male to be brought in since I arrived.
I’ve seen three women too.” The other prisoner’s voice had dipped so low Shey struggled to hear him.
“The women lasted the shortest amount of time. It’s Scarella’s voice.
It breaks them faster, I think. She gets what she wants out of them, and my guess is that she kills them. ”
“Doesn’t set them free?”
A bitter snort came from the next cell over.
“Kidnapping people off the streets who did nothing wrong. They’re threatened.
Beaten. Do you think they can afford to let these people go?
People who can at least identify their faces?
Nah. She’s killing them. Well, not her personally.
She’s not the type to want to get her hands dirty.
Can’t risk breaking a nail. Her goons are killing them. ”
Yeah, that seemed true.
“Piece of free advice…”
“Really? No charge? You don’t even want my yellow goo?” Shey mocked.
A choked laugh echoed through the prison. “Bastard. That’s supposed to be pasta salad, and the taste is poisonous. I’m keeping my free advice to myself now.”
A reluctant smile tugged at one corner of Shey’s mouth. At least his companion was entertaining, or maybe he was simply grateful to have someone to break up the monotony. “Don’t be like that. You’ve gotta help the new guy.”
There was a long silence that stretched through the prison before the other prisoner finally let out an elaborate sigh.
“Okay. Fine. Only because you’ve been a little interesting to talk to. My advice is that no matter what Scarella says, don’t believe her. No matter what deal she tries to strike, what bargain she offers, or even her threats against you and your family. Don’t believe her.”
Shey hadn’t planned on it, but it was reassuring to have his cellmate say what he’d already been thinking. “Your free advice is pretty damn cheap.”
“Maybe, but think of the time I’ve saved you from figuring it out on your own. Now you can spend your ample time left figuring out how the hell we’re going to get out of here.”
Shey sat up and turned his head toward the wall as if to stare at his companion. “We, huh? What makes you so confident that I’m going to figure a way out of here or that I’d even take you with me? I could be like all the others you’ve seen come and go in here.”
“We’re going to figure a way out,” he corrected Shey.
“And we’re getting out of here together because we need each other.
There’s no way one person can do it. There are too many guards with too many weapons.
We don’t even know what we face outside of the building.
We could be walking out into a desert or a mountain. Two is better than one.”
Shey smirked. “Have you made this pitch to all the other prisoners?” He was starting to appreciate this guy’s sensibility, even if he was a little crazy about coffee. Still didn’t trust him, though.
“Nope.”
Shey scoffed. “Yeah, I believe that.”
The stranger’s voice didn’t waver but remained calm and even, full of confidence. “I haven’t. Scarella made a serious mistake when she grabbed you.”
“Why is that?”
“You’re not some poor slob from the street.
You’re educated. I think you might have even spent some time in the military.
I can hear it in your voice. Plus, she’s cautious with you.
She does that brief visit with everyone to feel them out.
But with you, she had twice the normal number of guards with her.
Also, it didn’t take you long at all to pull yourself together after you learned of her fear trick.
You’re getting out of here, and you’re taking me with you. ”
For several minutes, Shey said nothing. He didn’t trust the other man, but he wasn’t looking for trust. There was a deep truth in what he was saying—they needed each other to escape this place and survive more than five feet from the building.
Sure, Shey could blast through the building with all the magic he had in him, but it would reveal the secrets he’d tucked away and put his kingdom in danger.
Yet, while he might have found a potential comrade-in-arms to help him fight his way through, Shey was smart enough to know that he couldn’t underestimate this person. There was wisdom in his words. A calmness that came with age and experience, even though he sounded young to Shey’s ears.
“What’s your name?” Shey inquired, breaking the silence.
“You can call me Ty. Get some rest, Shawn. You’re going to need it if we’re going to get out of here. I’m done drinking the shit they call coffee.”
Shey smirked at the plain gray floor. Ty drew out the name he’d given to Scarella, giving it a playful lilt. He knew it was a fake. But then, Ty was likely a fake name, too. It didn’t matter. They would be comrades-in-arms as long as they needed to be.
And if Ty tried to stab him in the back, Shey would kill him.