How to Seduce an Earl

Chapter 17

Annabeth's eyes snapped open. The dizzying sensation was gone from her mind, and she relished the clarity of her mind. She was going to need every bit of concentration to get out of her predicament.

She sat up, finding herself on a bed. It wasn't the bed from the hotel, that she was sure of. Someone had changed her clothing as well, her blue dress missing and turned into a dark tunic and pants. Annabeth tugged at the clothing, noting that she wasn't tied down. Both her engagement and wedding rings were left untouched on her fingers to her relief.

A clock hanging on a nearby wall told her she'd been knocked out for an hour or so. This place was a lot nicer than she expected, if a bit cold with the storm raging outside. She would have predicted that when she woke up, she would be stuffed in a barrel and smuggled out of the Kingdom as a result of human trafficking or kidnapping for ransom. But certainly not a room where she wasn't gagged or blindfolded.

Percy had said he wouldn't be back until late at night. He might not have even realized she was gone until hours later, which meant Annabeth had to rely on herself to get out of her predicament. And boy does trouble find her.

A sound like a page turning tore the silence of the room. She wasn't alone.

The barmaid from earlier, now out of her uniform and in similar dark clothes as Annabeth, sat at a table some fifteen feet away. The room was dimly lit and the barmaid so quiet, Annabeth hadn't noticed her at first. Nestled in the kidnapper's hands was the architecture book Percy had gifted her.

"Percy always did give good gifts," the barmaid commented. At Annabeth's glare, she put the book back down on the table.

"Who are you?" Annabeth licked her dry lips.

The barmaid had said 'Percy'. Only close friends or relatives called each other by their first names. The barmaid looked too old to be Estelle, and certainly too young to be Percy's mother. Percy had only mentioned the existence of one red haired woman to her, but Annabeth couldn't recall which one he said she was.

"Calypso or Rachel?"

A delicate auburn eyebrow lifted up. "Oh, he talked to you about that? I'm surprised. Most men don't like talking about their past lovers. Ah, there's a glass of water besides you on that dresser, and your knife is there as well. The water's not poisoned, I promise. I'm sure the medicine made your throat parched. The ale I gave you earlier only contained a very potent form of seasickness medicine. Guaranteed to knock you out if taken in a high dose."

Annabeth slowly reached for the glass of water. She was wont to believe the glass of water was not spiked. If Rachel/Calypso had wanted to kill or hurt her, she would have done so beforehand. What kind of kidnapper let their victim have their knife back?

Still, Annabeth kept her senses on high alert. She could throw her knife at the kidnapper if needed. Thank goodness for bribing the poor swordmasters to teach her knife-throwing skills.

"I'm Lady Rachel, priestess of the Apollo temple."

Annabeth studied her husband's former fiancee. With her heart shaped face framed by red curls the hue of sunsets, Lady Rachel was quite pretty. Beautiful even, Annabeth begrudgingly admitted. Maybe her husband had a thing for women with curly hair.

"What reasons would a priestess of the Apollo temple and my husband's former lover have for kidnapping me?" Annabeth asked. Priestesses of the Apollo temple were renowned for their beauty and for their many acts of charity. Why kidnap her unless Lady Rachel disliked the thought of her former fiancee with someone else?

"You're completely right in questioning that. We don't have much time so I'll explain quick. Baron Rodrick Ducaine." Rachel said simply.

Annabeth blinked. "I'm sorry, what?" This was not where she expected the conversation to go. A catfight between females over a shared lover, maybe.