Bridging the Ancient ✓

Chapter 11

For the first time in days, Renit forces himself to stand and walk towards the bars. The first time he does it without having to relieve himself. I'm at his side immediately, bracing an arm around his waist and slipping underneath his shoulder so he can drape his own across my body and have something to lean on.

The prince grunts and winces, limping over to the bars as the wound in the back of his leg lingers. His hand hits the titanium—hard—and he steadies himself to face the three rebels standing on the other side. Not one of their faces flashes the normal amount of amusement when watching him suffer through the pain of infection, instead each of them is focused on the task at hand.

"What do you plan to do?" Renit huffs. All of the effort it took to get from the wall to the bars is enough to drain what he had left. The infection will keep him from attacking to protect his father—exactly what they had planned.

"We plan to offer him you in exchange for his ear. He is to come to an undisclosed location, alone, and if he promises to change his ways, he can have his son back," Bren explains.

Bren's eyes dart from me to the prince, how close we are in a cell that can easily be meant to separate us. There is enough room, anyway. But I stay close to Renit's side and support his standing so he doesn't fall over and make a fool of himself in front of three rebels that will have no problem with laughing at him. Tesha, especially.

The archer studies us as if she's examining every feature, every blink, and every breath. If we make the wrong move, she'll kill us and the same goes for Akeno who although doesn't show as much strength, is as stealthy as an assassin and fits the bill, too.

Renit sucks on a tooth. "Tell me the truth, lumber boy. You might as well." Renit's grin is nothing short of unsettling.

At the sound of the nickname, lumber boy, Bren's eyes flare with that hidden fire underneath his skin. While his eyes are normally blue, they turn molten at the mocking but one quick glance at me, a promise I didn't tell the prince anything he didn't need to hear, he settles. And so does the building heat inside of the dungeons—strong enough to make Tesha shift in her boots.

"What makes you think the truth is different?" She inputs. She steps within arms reach of Renit but everyone knows he wouldn't think of doing anything. Out of everyone here, she hates him the most and will look for many opportunities to take him out and claim he was the one that attacked first.

"Your cause is bigger than having my father's ear." Renit sneers. "You want his head, don't you? Otherwise, this is all a waste. If you wanted his ear, you could have come to one of the council meetings and discussed your issues there. If you plan to spill blood, well, there are other places for that." The prince leans into my side and I can't help but bask in his warmth and the hand pressed onto my shoulder. Even Bren notices the simple touch meant to help him stand. In his mind, the reason for it is much different.

Tesha and Bren exchange a glance without rush or worry. If they had to, this would take all night. But Bren snickers and says, "We figured with the infection, you'd be a little worse for wear."

"I can spot a lie a mile away." Renit lifts his chin higher. "If you kidnap a prince, a witch bowed to by his subjects, you obviously plan on doing something more than talking to your leader. I've lived many times your senior and have fought in a war before I came here. I've killed assassins, snipers—" A pointed look at Tesha, "—and rebels alike. A lie is nothing new to me and neither is your plan. Besides, my father will not budge for rebels."

Bren shrugs. "He will if he knows his son is in danger."

I squeeze my eyes shut just for a second as the need to protect him comes battering through me. Why is that? Why can't I stand here with these rebels and have a normal conversation without worrying about Renit's safety? Our powers are connected now, meaning mine will do whatever it takes to ensure he remains alive.

"You know the truth to that, Bren," I interrupt. "You hurt him, you hurt me, too." That hand around my shoulder tightens in warning and I pinch Renit's side to keep him from moving any further than he already has.

Bren's eyes whisper apologies. But it's Tesha, the sniper, that is foolish enough to speak first. "We will have no problem hurting you, princess. That's the point of this cause, we take what we want and leave nothing behind. Including you. And the prince."

"Tesha, stop it," Akeno warns. At the sound of his gentle voice, she backs down but keeps that hard stare. She focuses on hating me, hardly the prince, and I wonder if there is a different reason for it than the issue at hand. I look between her and Akeno but that doesn't reveal if their pasts are the same.

"Do you think your father will come for you?" Bren asks, returning to the subject at hand. Any other cat fights and I might start participating in one.

Renit shifts his hand against the bars, purposely clanking the ring on his finger against it to draw Bren's attention and possibly piss him off. When he puckers his lips, I know that to be the case. And that arm around my shoulder is not helping either. "I don't know, go to the capital and ask him."

A messenger appears at the top of the stairs, waiting for approval to take that message to the capital, and Bren's eyes lift towards the young man. Another rebel, likely disguised as a normal person who happened to be in the crossroads of this whole operation. At least I hope they're not sacrificing one of their own.

Akeno's eyes flash with amusement as he's unable to hide the daring smirk on his face in response to Renit's testimony. Without looking at the messenger once, Bren orders, "Take that message to the capital. It is to remain anonymous."

The messenger nods and disappears back into the world of sunlight beyond these hell-crept dungeons. "That's it, then?" I ask, shrugging.

"You are to be held hostage until we hear back. The answer the king gives lies in the result of your life." Tesha smirks as wickedly as they come and with a hand on her back, Bren pushes her towards the dungeon stairs.

Akeno follows after with a final nod towards us. Out of all the rebels, he's the one with the most respect towards Renit's status and the fact that he's a living, breathing witch like the rest.

"The clock is ticking," Bren says quietly so no one hears. "I suggest you get some rest, prince."