Chapter 10
Annika opened her eyes and began to stretch, when her arms met resistance. Slow to alarm, she tested the resistance. Rolling, her arms and legs stopped just short of rising. Tugging against her bonds, she determined her limits. That she’d been captured she knew, but what was this? Nothing had made sense since the man had walked through the mist. She’d called to Gerold, but he’d not heard, then when she saw Peder, she hoped he would see her and help. But instead, despite her best efforts, she’d been bound and had a cloth thrown over her head. Everything until now was blank.
There were no lights, no sound. Silencing her need to curse aloud, Annika clamped down on the terror that she may have been buried alive. Forcing herself to think logically, she thought through the possibilities of her current situation. She needed more information, as a soft waft of air calmed her. She was not buried in the normal sense.
To take her mind off her situation, Annika thought back to her first trip when she met Gerold. Her family had been on a trading foray into unfamiliar territory. As they came into port, Annika’s eyes had been wide, trying to see all the sights and take in the sounds around her.
“What think you?” her father, Gunvar, had asked.
“When can we go ashore?”
How her father had laughed. “Of all my children, you are the one who speaks their mind best.”
“There is so much to see,” she had responded. Her father’s words of praise brought smiles to her eyes and lips.
“Well, let us see what this part of the world holds for us.” Gunvar said, grinning as the two of them had started off.
The memory calmed Annika and she drifted off, then jerked awake as she heard, “Waking up, are you?” came a man’s voice. “I wondered if an Amazon like yourself—”
“By the fires of—” Annika snarled, her curse cut off at the sound of the voice again.
“Now, now,” the voice cut in, but the menace behind the sound sent shivers down Annika’s arms.
“If you will relax, I’ll let up on the rope,” the voice continued. “And give you some light to see.”
“I won’t promise, for the light to see you would…” Annika paused then asked, “Just where am I?” She forced herself to relax against her bonds.
“Ah, a feisty one, I see,” the man commented. “You’re in a forgotten portion of my home.” As he spoke, her captor moved closer, light held aloft. “It seemed the safest place.”
“I will open the window shutter.” As her captor tightened her bonds, “A precaution. I didn’t bring you here just to lose you.”
In the shaft of light, Annika’s eyes collided with those of her captor. At the sight of him, she felt a towering rage forming.
“I can see you recognize me,” the man grinned as he continued, “and I always get what I want.” He paused, meeting the angry challenge in Annika’s eyes.
Grabbing the tendrils of anger, Annika returned his stare, cold resolve stiffening her muscles. To escape whatever he was planning would take thought, patience, and planning. Forcing a smile, Annika responded, “Time will tell, will it not, and if we are going to be in proximity to each other, perhaps you will share your name?” The more she could learn of this man, the man who’d said those damning words back in the clearing, the better she could strategize a plan. She hoped her years of combat would serve her well.
Annika watched the light playing on the pale features. He was about the same height as herself. Anika barely stifled a gasp when she saw he was the same man who’d attacked Gerold.
Silence built as the man paced. Instinct told her now was not the time or place to try to escape. The more she watched, the greater her desire to ruin this man. Now, however, she needed to appear to acquiesce to his being in control.
“You may call me Stephen,” he said, breaking the silence.
“Thank you, Stephen,” Annika replied, and without pause, anger getting the better of her, Annika reached up and, stretching as far she could, wrapped strong fingers around Stephen’s throat, shutting off the air from his offending voice.
Stephen grabbed at her wrist and, breaking their grip on his throat, he cuffed her on the chin, throwing her head forcefully onto the mat.
Shaking with anger, Annika made a move toward Stephen, hands outstretched to finish what she had started.
“You are just making it harder on yourself,” Stephen croaked as he tightened the bonds holding Annika.
“You intend to keep me here, to what purpose?” Annika asked, still smoldering from her inability to escape.
“Let me explain to it to you,” Stephen started. “Gerold has been far too lucky. He should have died a long time ago.” Stephen’s eyes took on a faraway look. “Who would have believed that soft, caring, young boy would have become such a fierce warrior?” Leaning in, eyes burning with anger, Stephen spat, “If you had not interfered, you and he would no longer be a problem.”
Annika felt the anger she experienced during the battle start to overtake her. It was one thing to kill an enemy on the field of battle, but this–this thing Stephen had done... Then, one of Stephen’s remarks gave her pause. Was Gerold still alive? Closing her lips together, breath slowing, Annika regained control of herself.
“So, you chose to cast a long shadow across the world?” Annika asked.
“Of course,” Stephen replied, smiling as he stood taller, shoulders thrown back.
“What does killing Gerold have to do with that?”
“He stands in the way,” Stephen sneered.
“The way of what?” Annika interrupted.
Stephen paused, eyes blazing, then he laughed, a laugh that started in his throat, moving downward into his stomach until the laugh filled the room. Holding his side, he scoffed, “Oh, no, you don’t!” With that, he turned and left the room. The closing door echoing through her prison.
Growling her frustration, Annika tugged at the bonds holding her.