Blood Rider [Alonia's Queenslayer #1]

19

Eli shared a panicked look with Ril before silently dashing towards the cell after his. Its door was swung open, so Eli slipped inside, closed the door, and crouched in the furthest corner, hoping that whoever was coming down there wouldn't notice her, or at least recognise her.

She could already see the light of a torch and hushed voices.

"... Really think she let him go?" Someone said.

"We will see. She wasn't there when you came to kill her, so I wouldn't be surprised."

Eli's heart raced as she tried to get a look at the speakers. It sounded a lot like the Queen's right hand, Nicholas. They were talking about her, she was sure of it.

The light came even closer - they were in front of Ril's cell.

"Pft. Seems like the prisoner remains imprisoned," Nicholas said condescendingly.

"Did you expect me to shrink and slip through the bars?" Ril replied coldly.

"I expected her to betray us. But it appears that she was one step ahead of us. You will tell me something now, Rileigh."

"What?" Ril replied without any emotion in his voice.

"Have you seen her?" Nicholas asked.

"Seen who? Do you think I have an idea who 'her' is? The queen? A peasant woman from the village? My mother? Your mother? I have seen your mother, several times, intimately, and she-"

Nicholas tsked. "It doesn't matter, I suppose. Let's go, Fion."

Eli waited a few minutes after the footsteps were gone, just to make sure that the pair really was gone. Then, she silently emerged from her cell and walked over to Ril's. He was sitting down now, and only then did Eli notice what a poor state he was in. Dirt clung to his hair and erased any traces of it ever having been white, it covered most of his face and hands, making sure that nobody would recognise him as a high-ranking royalty he really was. Before, he seemed like a fearless warrior, like an apex predator - but now he looked trapped, defeated, and Eli hated to see it. It was her fault that he was there.

"I'll get you out of there, I promise. And then you'll make the queen live through hell."

Ril looked up at Eli and smiled weakly before getting to his feet with only a hint of trouble. Eli was barely suppressing the urge to reach through the bars and help him up.

"I have no doubts about that. You should hurry on out now, though, and watch your back." He approached Eli again. She noticed how his posture seemed weaker. He was probably hungry, too. "They're after your head. Stick with the queen as much as you can, make yourself as useful to her as possible so that your death can't benefit Nicholas any longer."

Eli grinned. "Thank you, oh mighty prince. Had it not been for your wise insight, I would've decided to slit my own throat."

Ril shook his head with a light smile on his face. "You're unbelievable. I might reconsider rotting in this cell rather than leaving with you."

"Luckily, you'll be leaving alone. As soon as I gain as much knowledge as possible, I'll make all the necessary preparations for you so you can just get on a horse and ride to the Mage Council."

His smile faltered and he wrinkled his brow. Was it concern? Whatever it was, it made Eli's gut twist in ways it hasn't twisted before.

"Are you sure? Do you think it's safe to stay here after I mysteriously disappear? You'll be their primary suspect."

Eli gave him a reassuring smile. She wasn't the type to smile in reassurance - she was the type to frown, yell, or pull out her sword. But she had done that to prove that she was tough. But right now? She felt like she could allow herself to take it down a notch.