The Runaway Queen

Chapter 3

Orin stepped into the observation room, looking at the nonsense happening in the interview room. The assassin was held down by several guards while another checked her mouth for false teeth or caps. It wasn't beyond a dangerous interloper to have poison in them. One crack of the tooth and they'd be dead, taking the secrets of their mission with them.

The guard stepped out of the room.

"Sir, we have not found anything in her mouth."

"Alright. Check her body for weapons. Be respectful."

"Of course. Will you be joining our guest in the interview room?"

"Soon. His highness will arrive shortly, and I should be here when that happens."

With a nod, the guard returned to the room and checked Seraphina for weapons. When they opened the jacket, a raven poked its head out and cawed at them. The guards gasped as they stepped back.

"Don't," Seraphina begged. "Please don't hurt him. He's harmless."

Orin sighed as the guard appeared.

"Find a cage for the bird. It can stay in the room if it behaves."

A guard nodded and went in search of a cage. In the interview room, the guards lifted Seraphina from the table and checked her for additional weapons. As she moved, the long black hair fell from the hood of her jacket. A few guards knew her, but the newer ones were clueless. Some thought the raven-haired beauty was tempting but knew to be wary. If she was cuffed like a criminal, she would not be trusted.

One stopped, staring at Seraphina. Realising she was being watched, she lifted her gaze to the guard. The guileless blue eyes stared at him as a sculpted brow raised. Clearing his throat, he quickly darted his gaze away.

Orin watched as the arrows were removed from the quiver and set on the table next to the bow. As much as it was expected, he found the view disheartening.

When Seraphina was checked and cleared, she was handcuffed to the table. One of the guards took the items from the table to the observation room.

Orin was looking at the items when Hawthorn and Kohen entered. The king looked at them indifferently, so Orin passed them to a guard.

"Please place these in the trunk of the lead car."

The guard took the weapons, and with a nod, he quickly left the room.

Hearing metal rattle, Orin turned to the doorway. A flustered guard showed him the only thing he could find, a metal rat trap cage.

"Is that all that there is?"

"Yes."

"It will have to do. Alter or do whatever is necessary to accommodate the bird."

The guard placed it on a table, removed the springs attached to the door, and checked it. Orin watched as he fumbled, trying to figure out how to shut it now that the mechanism had been altered.

"It's fine. We can use one of the springs to hold the door down."

The guard took it into the interview room. Seraphina said nothing as she looked at the abysmal cage. The bird cawed as the guard reached in to pull him out.

"Please be careful with his wing."

Bram was safely stowed in the small box-like cage. Seraphina thought that he looked sad, but there wasn't much she could do about it at the moment. She was grateful they'd agreed to keep him here rather than tossing him outside.

Left alone again, Seraphina sighed. Seconds had barely passed when the door opened, and a guard delivered a small plastic cup. She looked at the water and then at the guard. Offering a challenging smirk, he said nothing as he exited the room.