The Iron Butterfly (Iron Butterfly #1)(68)

“Then it’s settled.” She released Cooper’s arm and latched onto mine. I tried to pull away from her, but her grip was like stone. Joss released me and slowed down to walk with Cooper, while Syrani led the way through the town toward a particular store.

I cast Syrani a side glance wondering what she was up to. I knew she hated me, but I couldn’t figure out what brought on her sudden need for friendship. Her grip lessened the closer we got to the shop and once I saw the dressmakers sign on the door, I froze.

“It will be fine, come on.” Syrani pulled me into the shop.

Joss and Cooper shifted uncomfortably on the doorstep. “If you don’t mind, we will wait for you girls out here,” Cooper called out.

Joss looked at me and sheepishly nodded his head at me. I was stuck. No one was going to save me from this embarrassing and confusing mess that I had gotten myself in.

Syrani bustled around the shop pointing at dresses and skirts, while the owner of the store took her selections and put them aside. Never once did she make any effort to make small talk, or explain what she was doing.

“Now, take these and try them on.” She hurled the clothes on me and pointed to the back room impatiently. I passed by the shop owner who seemed flustered by Syrani’s orders, she moved out of the way and pointed toward a small side door.

Grumpily I entered the small room, threw the dresses on the floor and stomped in anger. How dare she command me to try on clothes that I don’t even want? I thought we were stopping here so she could buy dresses, not me.

I heard the door creak open behind me and I turned to snarl at Syrani to get out, when hands grabbed me roughly from behind. I tried to scream but someone punched me hard in the face. I felt dizzy, sick, and instantly wanted to vomit.

Another door opened and I was dragged out the back of the dress shop and into the alley. My head started to clear and I opened my mouth to yell, when my eyes landed on Scar Lip. My body froze, fear overtook me and I was incapacitated as my worst fear had come back to haunt me.

A cold knife touched my throat and Scar Lip threatened me, “Scream and they die, use any of those powers on me and they die, fight us and they die.” I looked past Scar Lip to see two hooded figures holding Pim and Jury hostage. The kids were bruised, tied up and gagged. “Do you understand?”

I swallowed and felt my adam’s apple brush against the blade of his knife. There was much shuffling as the kidnappers pulled Jury and Pim toward themselves and arranged their long blue robes to hide the children. Hidden from plain sight, they looked like any ordinary traveler visiting for the celebration. Scar Lip bound my wrists and grabbed a third robe to cover me. It wasn’t until he led me into the street that I saw the reasons behind the blue robes.

There was a dancing troupe that was late coming to the city and their caravan filled the streets. The entire troupe wore same blue robes. Scar Lip and the henchmen pulled us in line with the caravan. No one paid us any attention as we walked down the street. I was able to glance out the side of my eye to see Joss and Cooper still lounging outside of the dress shop, oblivious to what was going on around them.

Why hadn’t Syrani told them I was missing? She must have heard the commotion that was going on in the backroom. Or was she in on the kidnapping? Thoughts flew through my head as I tried to put together what was happening. Nothing made sense.

I tried to mindspeak Faraway but the distance was too great, I couldn’t reach him. What I needed was a distraction and a plan. The caravan stopped as another parade made their way down the street. It was the Queen and her guard, heading toward the castle.

The guards moved through the streets ordering everyone to move aside and let the Queen pass. I could almost see Captain Meryl at the head and the red hair of Queen Lilyana behind him.

Scar Lip looked at the Queen and whispered under his breath, “So close, we are so close. Next time Queen Lilyana, it will be different.”

All heads were turning to watch the Queen pass, this was my distraction. My muscles tensed with anticipation, knowing that this may be my only chance for help. Scar Lip felt me tense and pressed the knife deeper into my back. “Don’t even try it!” He growled into my ear and slammed my head against the stone building to prove his point. I cried out from the pain and no one noticed, or almost no one noticed. An old woman couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of Scar Lip.

“Get moving!” He hissed to his companions. “We are supposed to meet Raven’s carriage around the next bend.”

The Raven! He was here, in the city!

“What about the other one? Weren’t we supposed to bring both of them?”spoke the Septori who had Jury under his cloak.

“I’m not waiting around for that one.” Scar Lip hissed. “Besides it was this one that Raven specifically wanted back, the one that worked. He doesn’t care about cast-offs or failed experiments. He wants this one so he can duplicate her results. Now get moving before I tear you to pieces and leave you for what’s left of Raven’s demon dogs.”

The Septori looked scared, closed his mouth and shuffled faster toward the road. Scar Lip mentioned Raven’s demon dogs, or what was left of them. It was obvious then, who controlled the beasts.

The crowd started to dissipate as the Queen and her guard turned down the first street. I looked after them longingly, knowing that I would have to find another way to get Pim, Jury and myself out of this mess.