Kidnapping the Prince

Kidnapping the Prince Installment XVII

Kidnapping the Prince Installment XVII

~DAY TEN OF THE BALL~

It didn’t take long for Dan to regain consciousness, but by the time he had opened his slightly unfocused eyes the faint pounding on the laundry room door above us had grown louder.

“Good, you’re awake,” I said briskly, ignoring the pangs in my chest. “Ryan, help me stand him up.” Together, the two of us managed to get Dan into a standing position. He tried to say something, but it came out muffled and indistinguishable through the handkerchief tied around his mouth. The look in his eyes spoke for him though.

“Dan, now is not the time for explanations,” I said apologetically. We needed to get back to the Third Quarter as soon as possible. Lucas hoisted the rucksack onto his back and picked up the basket of food as Ryan lifted the candle as high as he could, throwing the circle of light wider. I kept one arm on Dan, making sure he wouldn’t lose his balance and fall over.

“Let’s go.”

And with that, our solemn little procession set off.

Ryan led in front because only he knew the way. Dan and I came second with Lucas following behind us, dagger outstretched, because at first Dan hadn’t wanted to cooperate. It had taken Lucas lightly jabbing him in the back with his own decorative dagger for him to walk. We moved slowly though because Dan wasn’t able to take very large steps nor very fast.

Ryan led us through the basement confidently, and I tried to keep up with the turns we took, but before long I was lost. As we turned another corner, I saw the room Ryan and I had scouted out that night, thinking that it would be a good holding place for the prince. Now, we passed it without another look.

As we walked, Dan kept tripping as he was unused to walking with his hands and knees bound. Each time I would catch him only to have him glare at me with more hate than I would have thought possible before jerking away again, unwilling to have me touch him for any longer than necessary. At first I’d felt hurt, but then as he continued to refuse my help even when he almost fell face first into the dusty floor that hurt turned to pure annoyance. Stupid stubborn and proud prince.

Just when I’d begun to feel really tired, Ryan spoke up.

“Stop here,” he commanded from the head of the procession. “This is where we’re supposed to enter the underground passages.

“You sure?” I asked skeptically with a glance around. There was nothing remarkable about where we’d stopped. Same dusty floors, same stone walls, same rotting wooden beams.

“Of course,” he said indignantly. “According to Marse the entrance should be right. . . there.” He was pointing to a faint X that had been painted onto the wall a few feet from where we were. It looked like the paint was once red but it had faded into almost nothing.

“Stay here,” I told Dan before going to help Ryan and Lucas locate the entrance to the below. It took a while because of the thick layer of dust on the ground, but eventually we found it about three feet away from the X. The heavy door lifted with a loud creak and sent a million specks of dust flying into the already dusty air. Spluttering, the three of us peered into the gaping hole, Ryan holding the candle aloft. The air that greeted us was moldy and oppressive, and all we could see was another rickety staircase leading into the darkness.

“I am so not going first this time,” I said as I stood up and backed away. “Lynx Knite may be brave, but that is one scary hole.”

“I don’t fancy it myself either,” Ryan muttered unhappily. Lucas, however, rolled his eyes and laughed.