The Beauty in Pain | Book One of In Pain Trilogy *EDITING*

22. Moving Forward

Mynera jumped to her feet. "Saenar?"

"Don't move, Mynera," Saenar growled. His face looked angry and hard under the firelight. He nudged Barron with the edge of his sword, eyes boring into him.

"Get up," he told the mercenary.

Barron slowly got to his feet, raising his hands to the air in surrender. "There's no need to attack," he said calmly.

"I'll be the judge of that."

Suddenly, something grabbed Mynera from behind. She gasped, whirling and came face to face with Hale. He smirked at her.

"Looks like you got yourself tied up," he muttered, his fingers quickly fumbling with the rope.

"Not that I had a choice," she muttered back. "What are you guys doing here? How did you know - ?"

"How did we know that you were taken by Lord Gavin's men? Let's just say that Lord Ingstad isn't very good at keeping secrets."

"He tried to kill you, didn't he?"

"Quite so. Made one hell of a spectacle with it too."

Her hands felt blissfully free. She rubbed the raw, bloodied skin, smiling gratefully. "So now you're here to save the day? How befitting a gentleman."

"You don't sound very happy, Mynera."

"Oh, I am. Grateful. I just wanted to see if I could get out myself that's all. But enough of that." She pointed to Saenar who was giving Barron the worst death glare imaginable, while Barron just stood looking quite unintimidated.

Hale threw the rope over his shoulder. "He's angry."

"I can see that."

"After you two are finished talking about me," Saenar said, his eyes never leaving Barron. "Tie him up."

"There's no need for that," Barron drawled.

"Don't talk, scum!" Saenar ordered. "Now hold out your hands."

Barron sighed and held his hands out. Hale wrapped the rope around his wrists, tying them tightly.

"Now his legs."

"Really?" Barron groaned. "Now is that really necessary? I don't intend on running away with a sword at my neck."

"You didn't really seem to mind when I was the one locked up in a cage," Mynera pointed out, retrieving her foot rope from the cage.

"I suppose."

She threw the rope at Hale. "Not so great when you're the one being tied up, huh?"

He shrugged. "I've been through worse."

He sat, allowing Hale to bind his legs. "I do hope you've realized that I'm not the only one here."

Saenar glanced over at Kraub, murmuring in his sleep. They all looked at him for a moment. He didn't shift at all, not fazed by their constant chatter.

"He doesn't seem to be a problem right now," Hale pointed out.

Mynera nodded in agreement. She never saw someone sleep so deeply.

"Where is Madeline?" she asked Saenar.

"She's with the horses. We left her behind to watch them. This might have been too dangerous for her."

"Too dangerous?" She rolled her eyes. "This looks dangerous to you?"

"We didn't know the situation, Mynera. All we knew was that you were taken and that we had to get you away from here."