Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms 1)

She tried to chew through the ropes binding her wrists, but that didn’t work. Even if she succeeded, the chain around her ankle was another serious problem. Also, the shack was locked from the outside and guarded. She couldn’t let herself think of her sister, or her father, or Theon. She was a mouse caught in a trap with no escape, waiting for the cat to return.

Waiting.

And waiting.

After what felt like an eternity, but that she later figured out was barely more than three days, she heard something. Shouts. Grunts. Slams.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Fear rendered her very quiet and still. There was another bang, louder this time. Then voices, muffled. She held her breath and tried to be brave enough to face whatever dark demon might burst through.

Then it occurred to her that whoever was outside wasn’t trying to knock, they were trying to break down the door. Finally it swung inward. Cleo shielded her eyes as painfully bright sunlight streamed into the darkness.

When Theon entered the room, her mouth fell open with shock at the same time that her heart leapt in her chest.

“See?” Nic said with triumph. “I knew she was in here.”

“Is anyone else here?” Theon demanded. It took her a moment before she realized he was speaking to her.

She tried to stop gaping at the two of them. “I...what? Here? No, nobody’s here right now. Just me. But there are guards outside.”

“I took care of them already.”

Nic rushed to her side and grabbed her arms. “Cleo, are you all right? Did that savage touch you?”

The concern she saw on his face made tears fill her eyes. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.”

Nic let out an audible sigh of relief and hugged her tightly against him. “I was so worried.”

Theon didn’t say anything, but he came toward her when Nic finally released her. His jaw was tight. She almost cringed away from him since he looked completely livid.

“Theon—”

He raised a hand. “I don’t want to hear anything beyond you being fine right now.”

“But—”

“Princess, please.”

“You have a right to be angry with me.”

“How I feel doesn’t matter. I need to get you home. Now be still so I can free you before the guards I knocked out wake up.”

She closed her mouth as he began to work on her bindings. He was more efficient than gentle with the ropes, and her wrists were more abraded by the time he finished than they’d been to begin with, but she didn’t utter one word of complaint. Then Theon unsheathed his sword and hacked through the chain. He eyed the shackle still circling her ankle. “The rest of it will have to wait until we get to a blacksmith.”

Theon clamped his hand on her wrist and pulled her out of the shack and into the sunshine. Nothing had ever felt so good to her as the bright sun did on her face. Nic fished into her bag, which she’d dropped when Jonas took her, and pulled out her cloak, putting it over her shoulders so she could stay warm. She looked at him with gratitude.

Immediately, they began walking away from her prison and back to the road beyond. There was a village only a mile from here—the same village where Nic and Cleo had met Eirene and stayed with her for the night.

“We can get a ship back,” Nic said. “There’s one leaving tomorrow at sunset if we can make it there in time. You’ll be back in Auranos before you know it, Cleo, and all will be well.”

Her stomach twisted. “All is not well. I never found the Watcher.”

Theon nodded at Nic. “I need to speak with the princess alone for a minute. Would you give us some time?”

Nic looked at her. “Depends. Cleo?”

She nodded. “It’s all right. I should let Theon have his say now. Then when I get home, I’ll only have to be reprimanded by my father.”