War (The True Reign Series) (12 page)

People started running as a
low
bong
sound rang throughout the city. Doors slammed shut, and people covered exposed windows with wooden boards.

Nathenek started
sprinting, dragging Rema behind him. “Hurry!” he shouted.

“What
’s going on?” Rema asked, trying to keep up with his long strides.

“
A sandstorm is coming.”

R
ema had no idea what that was, but it didn’t sound good. Darkness descended over the city, and the streets became eerily devoid of people.

“
Where are we going?” Rema yelled. The wind kicked up, tossing her cape violently around her body. Little pieces of sand flew in the air.

“
Use your scarf!” Nathenek shouted. A loud, rumbling noise resonated through the streets, filling Rema with panic. She tried covering her face, but the wind was so strong that she couldn’t wrap the fabric around her mouth and nose. She ended up holding it against her face with her free hand.

“
Almost there!” Nathenek cried, hauling her alongside him.

Rema was thankful for all
of the running Savenek had forced her to do around the fortress. Sand bounced against the walls of the nearby buildings, stinging her body, even slicing through her clothing, as it whipped by. She didn’t think they could last much longer. They rounded another corner, running down the street at full speed.

Nathenek threw
himself against a door on the left, pounding hard. It opened a couple of inches, and he shoved Rema inside, slamming it closed behind him. Rema blinked, taking in her surroundings. She stood in a long, empty hallway, a young child before her.

“
Thank you,” Nathenek said. “No one else is about. You can go to your room now.” The boy nodded and left without saying a word.

“
Where are we?” Rema whispered. After the howling wind outside, it was utterly quiet in there.

Nathenek
’s eyes sliced over to her, and he scowled. She forgot she wasn’t supposed to talk. She didn’t know why he was upset; she didn’t speak loud, she’d whispered, and no one was about to hear her.

She mouthed the word
“sorry,” and followed him into the dark corridor. Halfway down, he stopped before a door, pulled out a key from his pocket, and unlocked it. Rema stepped inside the pitch-black room, unable to see a single thing. She heard the door close and lock. There was a shuffling noise, and light appeared before her. Nathenek stood there, holding a small candle.

“
Where are we?” she asked, hoping she could speak now.

“
My home,” he answered, not looking her in the eyes. Nathenek turned and lit several more candles throughout the small room.

The space reminded her of the
berth aboard the ship. “You live here?” she asked in disbelief. There was a cot, dresser, and a desk. No fireplace, no kitchen, and no privy.

“
Yes,” he answered, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I’m not often home.” Nathenek removed his boots. “I’m either at the palace working, or on assignment. The only time I’m here is for a few hours of sleep.”

There were
n’t even any windows. She didn’t know how he could stand to live in a place that felt like a cage. Rema swayed. Now that she stood still, she felt herself moving up and down, causing her stomach to roll in discomfort. “Why does it seem as if I’m still on the ship?” she asked, sitting on the stone ground. She ripped off her cap and clutched her head in her hands, wishing the sensation would pass.

“
I’m surprised you lasted this long,” Nathenek gently said. “You’ll adjust. It’ll take some time, though.”

“
Funny coming from you—considering I have little time left.” The brown stone floor was cold, and she started shaking uncontrollably.

She felt her body being lifted, the rocking motion increased, and then she was placed on the
soft bed. Nathenek knelt beside her, his eyebrows bent in worry. “Would you care for some water?” He covered her with a blanket.

“
No,” she whispered, afraid if she ate or drank, she would vomit. She closed her eyes, wanting the sickening feeling to pass.

“
I hadn’t planned to come here,” he mumbled. “Since we did, go ahead and sleep for a bit while I come up with a revised plan.” He pushed the hair off her forehead.

“I don
’t understand,” she said.

“We can
’t go outside until the storm has passed. We’re stuck here for at least a couple of hours.” His hand rested on her head.

“No.” She opened her eyes, staring at him. “I mean, why are you being so kind?”

He snatched his hand away from her. “I…uh…I’m not. I simply need you strong enough to walk the three miles to the palace.”

“So you
’re not going to poison me if I take a nap?” she mumbled, her eyelids feeling heavy.

“No, I
’m not going to hurt you. There is nothing to fear.”

S
he drifted off to sleep.

****

When Rema woke, her body still felt as if it were on a boat, rocking up and down; but the sensation was tolerable now. Glancing around the candlelit room, Rema saw Nathenek sitting on a wooden chair, hunched over, staring at something in the palm of his hand. She lay there, watching him. He sighed and leaned back, a gold chain slipping through his fingers.

“
Is that my necklace?” she asked, sitting up on the bed.

His eyes
darted over to her. “You’re awake.” His fingers curled over the key as he stood and slipped the necklace into his pocket. “We should leave.”

Nathenek
blew out the candles, the smoky smell engulfing the room. Rema stood, unable to see a single thing.

A
hand encircled her upper arm. “We have to talk,” Nathenek whispered in her ear. “I need you to trust me. From here on out, do exactly as I say.”

“You want
me
to trust
you
?” Was he playing her for a fool? Trying to get her to have faith in him in order to make his job easier? She didn’t understand Nathenek. One minute, he was kind and helping her; the next, he was cold and harsh. Who was the real Nathenek? The only thing she knew for certain was that he was an assassin—and she didn’t want to die.

Nathenek exhaled, his breath blowing the stray hairs by her ear.
“Never mind,” he said. “Let’s go.”

He jerked her hands forward, wrapping something rough around her wrists.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, unable to see in the dark room.

“
I have to bind you. I would never deliver a prisoner to the emperor any other way.” He gently pulled her forward, guiding her through the low doorway, down the hall, and out into the dead of night.

The streets
were empty. A half-moon was the only light out. Nathenek kept hold of her arm as they made their way to the main street. Walking at a brisk pace, Rema’s chest tightened. How was she going to beg anyone to help her when no one was around? Her only other option was to break free from Nathenek and make a run for it.

Something moved up ahead
. Two figures stepped away from one of the buildings. Nathenek’s hand squeezed her arm as he roughly dragged her along.

“
It’s after curfew,” a deep voice said. “State your business.” The moonlight shone on the people, revealing two soldiers, swords drawn.

“
I am following orders of His Royal Majesty, Emperor Hamen. I’m transporting a prisoner of the utmost importance.”

“
Your name?”

“
Nathenek, of the Elimination Squad, First Division.”

“
We’ll escort you the rest of the way, so you won’t be stopped again.” The soldiers abruptly turned and walked down the middle of the street, Nathenek pulling her along behind the men.

How in the world would she escape now? She couldn
’t possibly outrun three armed men. Yet, her only other option was to be taken to her death. She had to try. When they turned a corner, Rema reached up and shoved Nathenek toward the side of the building. He released her and she spun around, running as fast as she could.

Something long and hard hit her legs, tripping her. Raising her bound wrists, she prevented her face from smashing into the ground. A hand grabbed the back of her cape, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. Nathenek held her suspended in air
, the two soldiers right next to him. One bent down and retrieved Nathenek’s longsword, handing it to him. Nathenek dropped her to her feet and sheathed his sword. He looked furious. “You do that again and I’ll throw a dagger in your back, and then let you rot in the street. The vultures can pick away at your body for all I care.”

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Rema said, seething with rage. “I’m going to die anyway. Might as well at least try and get away instead of being taken meekly to the emperor.”

The two soldiers turned around and resumed walking. Nathenek grabbed her arm, tugging her forward. “Let’s go.”

As they traveled
toward the palace, Rema never saw a single person along the way. Yet, she felt eyes on her, especially when Nathenek became extra rough by pushing or shoving her. He even made her fall a couple of times. Rema had no doubt someone was watching.

After
traveling a good hour, the buildings abruptly ended, leaving nothing but open land before them.

“
Where are we?” Rema asked, wondering if the palace was near.

One of th
e soldiers glanced back at her. “You’re not from around here, are you?” he asked, noticing her accent.

“That is none of your concern,” Nathenek answered.

Rema didn’t see anything but smooth, brown, rolling hills. They walked for another fifteen minutes in silence before Rema realized there was an enormous wall up ahead. They arrived at massive iron doors, easily five times her height and width.

“
This is as far as we go,” one of the soldiers said.

Nathenek nodded.
“Thank you for the escort. I will deliver the prisoner from here.”

After the soldiers left, Nathenek
knocked on a small, wooden door off to the side that Rema hadn’t noticed before. He mumbled a few words to someone and the door opened, granting them entrance.

Rem
a stepped through the doorway, and a burlap sack was immediately shoved over her head. She reached up and tried pulling it away, but someone smacked her hands. Another person roughly felt around her body.

“
She’s clean,” Nathenek said, a hard edge to his voice.

“
Standard protocol.”

“
Let’s go,” Nathenek growled, yanking her along.

“
Get this off my head,” Rema demanded. Not being able to see caused her heart to beat erratically, and she started shaking.

Nathenek
chuckled. “All prisoners are hooded.” His voice was cold and malicious, sending chills down her spine. He grabbed her wrists much rougher than before, yanking them up. He did something with her bindings, and then he let go. She fumbled around until her fingers came across a rope attached to her bound wrists, like a lead rope used on horses.

The assassin
’s hands went to the burlap bag covering her head. He cinched the fabric around her neck and started wrapping something around it to keep it closed.

“
What are you doing?” Rema panicked. She tried to raise her hands to feel what was going on, but she couldn’t lift her arms. Nathenek had to be standing on the rope attached to her.

He
tied off the rope, or whatever it was he’d used around her neck. It was difficult to breathe. Rema had a rope around her neck—again. She was going to die.

She thrashed her arms about, wanting to tear the bag off. Someone laughed and the rope she was attached to jerked, making her stumble to the ground.

“Get up,” Nathenek growled.

Tear
s slid down her cheeks, soaking into the bag. She didn’t want to cry or show weakness—not that anyone could see her face. She needed to be strong and fight her way out of this.

She stood, willing herself to calm down and focus. She couldn
’t afford to lose it now. They walked in silence for several minutes.

“
Captain Nathenek,” a voice said. “Good to see you.”

“
I assume Emperor Hamen is asleep?” Nathenek said, coming to a stop.

“
He is, although I have specific instructions to wake him upon your return.”

Rema was yanked forward
, and she fell to her knees. Fingers dug into her right shoulder, pinching her skin, making her cry out in pain. “Then summon the emperor. Let him know his package has arrived.”