The Golden Chalice

✰✦✰ Chapter 9 ✰✦✰

✰✦✰ Chapter 9 ✰✦✰
" Ready For It? "

THE WALK BACK home was uncomfortable, at least for me. Little Mr Kidnapper was probably having the time of his life, knowing with my hands still tied he could just turn around and drag me to Crimson Isle if he changed his mind, and even if he didn't, the bastard would get money from me if we succeeded. Either way, he won. I didn't know whether or not my kidnapper—who still hadn't revealed his name to me—was going to kill me on the way and that thought plagued my mind for the entirety of the two-hour long walk. And my wrists hurt from the ropes.

I kept my pace up, not wanting to arrive late so that we could begin our expedition as soon as possible.

"Would you mind walking a little faster?" I spat at my kidnapper. We were only around half an hour away from home and I knew I'd only have a little while to get myself ready. Luckily for Kidnapper, I had already packed my things the night before. "Or is it just in your nature to annoy the crap out of people?"

"You know, you remind me of a child with how much you whine."

"And you're rude."

"Careful with your words, Princess," he said to me, dry and flat. "You might just maim me with them."

"Don't call me that."

"Why wouldn't I when it brings such a smile to your face?" he retorted with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes.

I was sure I was going to rip my own ears off soon. Only two conversations with him and I hated him so much it almost hurt.

A little while later we arrived back home, only to see that Sarinne, Luna, Miles and Jacks were already outside, all hauling their bags with them. Luna was fanning herself despite the chilly weather while Miles spotted a pair of sunglasses, surveying a struggling Sarinne as she kicked her bag and swore at it. Meanwhile, Jacks grinned at her as though her insults brought him more joy than anything.

But soon enough Luna spotted me and beamed. In a long, loose floral skirt and a blue jumper, she pointed at me and called out, "Look!"

Everyone's heads turned and the only people smiling were the girls. Miles tugged his sunglasses down a little farther and Jacks's shoulders slumped.

"Is that—"

But my kidnapper's sentence was cut off when Sarinne abandoned her bags and darted towards me without warning. She flung her arms around me tightly and breathed heavily. "You idiot," she whispered. "I thought you'd died. We were on our way to come find you."

"I take it Gyatar wasn't too excited about that?"

Miles flipped me off from where he stood.

I grinned as Rinne pulled away. "It'll take more than a pathetic criminal like this to get rid of me."

Her smile faded instantly and she drank in the young man beside me instead. She blinked profusely.

"Darius?" she said.

My heart sank. Umm—

My kidnapper swallowed next to me and breathed out, "Sarinne Astor." And a smile suddenly erupted on his face.

My jaw dropped, eyes widening in disbelief, as if a sudden jolt of electricity had coursed through my veins leaving me momentarily stunned.

"You two know each other?" I looked between the two of them suspiciously. They nodded.