Chapter 5 #2
Scar Jaw snarled, but he didn’t resist as Lilac Eyes yanked his arms behind his back. The scarf wound around his wrists, thick and tight. Lilac Eyes cinched it with more force than necessary.
I smirked. “Wow, good to see you putting so much energy into this.”
“Shut up,” they muttered, almost in unison.
I chuckled. “Now step back.”
Fingers flexing, Lilac Eyes’ breath fogged the air. He was close enough for me to see a tiny scar by his lower lip and a fine tremor in his hands.
“One more thing.” I nodded to his hands. “Your wrists.”
His chin jerked up. “You want me to tie myself up? Really?”
“I don’t need you to go that far.” I smiled brightly despite my insides knotting.
The longer this took, the more likely someone else would come.
“Yet. You’re going to make two nice loops for me.
Big enough to slide over your wrists. Then you’re going to put the loop around one hand and hold the second loop.
You’re going to put both your hands behind your back and slide your other hand through the second loop and then step within grabbing distance, and I’ll finish the job.
Or,” I added when he opened his mouth, “I can open Scar Jaw’s throat right now and roll the dice on whether you get me first or I get you. ”
His lips pressed into a hard line. “You’re a menace.”
“Thank you! That’s the nicest thing I’ve heard all day.” I sighed deeply. “Blue scarf. Loop. Let’s go.”
He yanked the second scarf off the floor, fingers working the blue wool. He tied a loose circle around one wrist, formed another loop, and held it, not pulling it tight, the knot clumsy on purpose.
I had to speed this up. He was stalling. “Higher. If you try something like that again, I’ll stab Scar Jaw here out of pure irritation.”
“Just do it,” Scar Jaw rasped.
Adjusting the knot, Lilac Eyes made the first loop snugger but still with slack while the other hand remained free.
“Good.” I nodded. “Now come here.”
He stared at me for a heartbeat, the muscle in his cheek ticking, then stepped forward until he was within arm’s reach. I shifted Scar Jaw enough to free one of my hands, keeping the knife at his throat with the other. “Put your other wrist in the loop. Then put your hands up,” I said.
Lilac Eyes did as I demanded, then lifted his bound wrists behind him.
I shot my free hand out, grabbed the scarf, and wrenched it tight around the second wrist he’d tied and looped both wrists together.
He sucked in a breath as the wool bit into his skin. I twisted the fabric, knotting it hard, then gave the scarf a sharp jerk to test it. He couldn’t pull free without dislocating something.
“Happy?” he ground out.
“Is anyone?” I flashed him a small smile. “But this is a good start.”
Scar Jaw tried to jerk away again, testing my grip now that my attention had shifted. I slammed my elbow into his ribs, and he bent over, wheezing.
“You mentioned punishment.” I raised my voice so it sounded carefree. “How creative are we talking here? Lava pit? Disembowelment? Do you have a brochure or reading material I can browse on my way out?”
“You’ll be lucky if it’s quick.” Scar Jaw stood upright, though he was still breathless. “No one escapes the king’s dungeon.”
I patted his arm. “Good thing I’m not planning to stick around long enough to find out.” Time for the finishing touches and getting the hell out of here. “Both of you, on your knees.”
They both glared.
“If you think I’m—” Scar Jaw started.
The knife kissed his skin again, a fresh bead of blood sliding down its edge.
“I don’t recommend you finish that thought, because I’m running out of patience,” I snapped. “On your knees. Both of you. Down on the ground, sides against the bench, each of you facing a wall, backs to each other.”
Lilac Eyes exhaled through his nose, then knelt. Scar Jaw’s shoulders heaved as he followed, grumbling.
They were pressed against the far stone wall next to the stone bench with their feet in the straw. Keeping the knife in place, I shifted behind Scar Jaw, using my shoulder to pin him while I reached for his scarf binding with my free hand.
I yanked hard, and it held. Excellent.
“Last step.” I edged closer to them so I could see both their faces. “Open your mouths.”
Lilac Eyes narrowed his gaze. “Well, if you—”
“Do it or else.” I gave him a sweet smile, though I was quite certain it didn’t reach my eyes. “I don’t need either of you screaming for your murder king.”
“Someone will hear you escaping.” Lilac Eyes’ voice was low and vicious.
“Even if you gag us, there are patrols throughout the main levels and around the walls. You won’t even make it to the stairs.
And when you’re dragged back here by your hair, you’ll realize how hospitable everyone was before you spat in our faces. You’ll wish you’d been left to freeze.”
“Maybe.” I shrugged, though his words definitely did leave a mark. I had no idea of the layout or even where I was. “Maybe not. But I’m not staying in this cell, waiting to freeze or be ‘resolved.’ All I want is to get home. Mouth open, please.”
His nostrils flared, and he slowly opened his mouth. I shoved one glove in, then used the softer cotton scarf to tie it around his mouth in a gag. He made a muffled, furious sound as I pulled the fabric tight and knotted it at the back of his neck.
“Good job.” I patted the top of his head like a dog. “Very cooperative.”
Scar Jaw clenched his teeth when I turned to him.
“Look.” I mashed my lips together and leaned in. “I don’t want to kill you. I really do just want to go home. Don’t give me a reason to change my mind and get violent. You both can see I don’t belong here.”
His eyes searched mine for a second, maybe weighing whether this was worth it. I wasn’t sure, but with a guttural grunt, he opened his mouth.
I stuffed the glove in, bound and gagged him the same way, then stepped back.
Both men glared up at me, breathing hard through their noses, hands bound, mouths gagged, backs to the wall.
Guilt pricked at me, but I shoved it down. No time. No room.
“I’m sure you’re lovely when you’re not throwing people into dungeons.
” I tied their bound hands to one another and then to the legs of the bench with the tails of the blue scarves.
That should keep them for a while and keep them from banging and making too much noise.
Then I backed toward the door, keeping them in sight.
My boot nudged the keyring. I scooped it up, the metal heavy and cold in my palm. Then I grabbed the other weapons.
Lilac Eyes made a muffled, furious noise and jerked at his bindings. Thankfully, the knots held.
At least one thing had gone my way today.
“Yeah, I know. You’re going to hunt me down.
It’ll be terrible. I’ll regret my life choices.
We can schedule that trauma later.” My stomach twisted.
Bold as my words were, I had to figure out how to escape this place.
That portal in the sky I’d fallen through had closed, but everyone had acted as if it was common knowledge that portals like that existed, so that had to mean there was another.
I slipped out into the corridor, every hair on my arms rising at the feel of open space behind me. Heart hammering, I carried the weapons to a safe distance, set them down, then returned and closed the cell door.
The iron clanged into place, the sound echoing down the hall and making my heart jolt.
Scar Jaw lunged as far as he could with bound wrists, which resulted in a useless, furious motion. Lilac Eyes leaned forward too, eyes burning holes through me.
I found the right key and jammed it into the lock. The mechanism turned with a heavy click.
Locked.
We’d officially traded places.
I swallowed, my throat tight. “Well, that’s about all for now. Don’t cause any trouble, okay?” I forced a smile.
They glared. I didn’t give myself time to think about it.
I shoved the keys into my pocket and sifted through the weapons.
The crossbow was solid but too heavy to be a good choice to take on the run.
Besides, I didn't trust myself to get off more than one shot without wasting time on figuring out how to reload.
Daggers were straightforward enough. The short swords, while nice, needed belts and sheaths to be carried effectively.
I settled on one of the sturdier black metal daggers in place of the knife I’d swiped off King Grumpy Face. I cut off a strip of cloth from the coat and wrapped it around the knife blade, then slid it into my pocket and palmed the dagger. The keys rattled in my pocket against the covered blade.
“Okay, Hannah,” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder at the cell. Both men glared death at me, twitching and wriggling against the bonds. “Time to not die.”
I turned toward the dark corridor that the guards had dragged me down.
Farther down were the stairs to the courtyard.
It had been surrounded by walls with guards on top.
There was little chance of making a break for safety from there.
And if memory served me from a couple of Dungeons and Dragons runs I’d attempted with an ex, castles typically had one courtyard with walls around the main building and then often additional walls outside of that.
Best to assume I’d have to get through multiple walls.
If I could get up higher, maybe to the next floor or two, I could scope out where I was.
And if these chuckleheads got free, they'd probably assume I'd head straight for the courtyard and be trapped.
I retraced my steps to the junction where the corridor split, straining my ears for any sound of concern.
The torches burned lower with thinner smoke than the ones near my cell, as if even fire itself was afraid to draw attention.
I paused at the corner where Kai and Ashren had turned, pressed my shoulder to the icy stone, and listened.
Nothing.