I Refuse to be a Named Character

Part 4

Please don't let me be too late!

I pushed my horse ahead, racing towards the Scorpion Camp. While I rode, I tried desperately to think of everything that "Deadly Crown" had said about the bandits there.

In the original story, Lucien had taken the Tarif of the Serpent Camp, forcing Graham and his group to go to the Scorpion Camp instead. At that time the leader of the bandits, who went by the name of Slash, challenged Graham to a contest of wills. He would place one glass of wine on the table for each person that participated in the challenge. Only one of the drinks would be poisoned. The more people who were part of the challenge, the less chance that Graham would drink the poisoned wine.

Needless to say, all of Graham's harem agreed to help. It was a tense seen, as everyone worried that the wine in front of them might be poisoned. Graham had actually lifted his cup to drink, but a young woman, the daughter of the sixth Lord, grabbed his cup and downed it first, succumbing to the poison and dying painfully in front of him.

Even though everyone had chosen random cups, Slash had managed to poison Graham's somehow. If the girl hadn't sacrificed herself... I felt a moment of pity for such a selfless person, upset that I couldn't remember her name from the book. Graham in the story had been sad, of course... but he quickly recovered from her death, and she was forgotten.

Will Luke face the same test? I patted the antidote tube in my pocket, trying to reassure myself. We could face Slash's test. It was Eric and his betrayal that was the most concerning.

The book had been frustratingly vague on Eric's attack and wounding of Lucien. Just that he had nearly been successful at taking his life, and Lucien had never suspected him until it was too late.

I needed to find him now.

Even as a panicked feeling welled up in my heart, though, I saw a large group of people in the distance. Sighing with relief, I drew closer, pulling up my horse far enough away that I wouldn't be mistaken for an attacker. The Scorpion Camp was much less organized than the Serpent Camp, with tents instead of constructed buildings. The Scorpion Camp tended to roam more, ready to move at a moments notice. All the tents were aligned in an incomplete ring, with a large table standing in the middle. It was tall, too tall to sit at, but at the right height for multiple people to stand around.

The table for the challenge.

Distracted by the sight where the poisoned challenge would occur, I almost didn't see Luke at first.

"What are you doing here?" His excited voice broke me from my reverie, and I ran towards him, grabbing his arms and looking him over from head to toe.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"..." Luke stared at me for a few moments, an amused smile on his face. "Did you race here just because you were worried about me?"

I nodded, looking around to find Eric. Before I could locate him, however, I was pulled into a tight hug, a happy sigh tickling my ear.

"Thank you." I felt warm, reaching out and hugging him back. My heart was beating violently within my chest, a sense of relief so strong overpowering me.

He was still alive.

"Ahem."

I was unsure how long we stood there, holding each other, before a voice awkwardly spoke out, interrupting us. I stepped away from Luke, feeling slightly embarrassed, only to see a large muscular man with a scarred face watching us impatiently.

"Is Prince Lucien going to attempt the challenge for the Tarif or not?"

"We'll be right with you." I answered, pulling Luke away from the group so we wouldn't be overheard.