The next morning I was well rested and back on the road, searching. Being in a place where everything was strange to me I had no clue where to begin. My ears led me to the hustle and bustle of a main road with street vendors lined up and down the whole length, scattering varied amounts of colours with their wares.
Shouts rang through the air as people bargained for the best prices and the vendors advertised their items. I stuck to the shadows, trying to be seen as little as possible.
By noon my stomach was rumbling vigorously making me stop at a stall teeming with apples, pears, and oranges. I made a quick bargain for two apples and an orange then found a place to sit and eat not too far away from that stall. I watched the buyers and window shoppers pass by as I bit into my first juicy, ripe fruit. The people around here gave me no second glance as they hurried along with their own business filling with courage. I got off my makeshift stool and strolled down the middle of the street, smiling.
A hard object connected with the back of my head and I stopped. Turning around slowly, I spotted the guy from last night juggling an apple in his palm smirking at me.
I stormed up the street, against the flow of the pedestrians, and confronted him. "What was that for?"
"You're an easy target." He grinned, taking a big bite out of his apple then wiping his chin on his sleeve as the juice trickled down.
A sigh of frustration trickled from between my lips as I whirled around and walked away, leaving the main road through an alley.
The boy's hand wrapped around my forearm. "I wouldn't go down alleys by yourself."
"I can handle myself. Thank you very much." I shook my arm out of his grasp.
"I'm sure you can." His eyes took on a pleading look. "Just don't."
The look in his eyes shook me to my core. Was something going on in Castin? Something I had not heard about while traipsing through my forest?
"What's so dangerous in Castin that could harm an innocent girl?"
The boy stood tall and laughed. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"
I glared at him, taking a defensive pose. "No." I snapped. "I'm not. So what?"
He held up his hands in front of his chest. "I was just stating another fact."
"Well you can give me some more facts. Starting with who you are."
"Demanding, aren't you?" He teased, smirking, then dropped his smirk when he saw my serious expression. "Fine. My name is Jacob, but people tend to call me Jake."
"Hi, Jake." I hesitantly extended my hand for him to shake. "I'm Dee." Inwardly I was rolling my eyes at myself for the name change.
Jake's strong hand grasped mine and shook it. "It's nice to meet you." He thought deliberately for a second. "If you don't mind me asking... Where do you come from?"
"Yalin." I gestured behind me. "Past the Forest of Kitsbane."
"It's that way," Jake pointed to his right. "and I've been there before. Very rustic place." A mischievous smile brightened his face.
"It is." I smiled and nodded. Agreeing with him was my only tactic right now. "I need to get going. My cousin is waiting for me."
"Right. I'll take you to her." A courteous smile replaced his mischievous one. "Where are we going?"
I frowned and saw no other resort. Magic was my only way of getting away from Jake now. A quick wave of my hand and a subtle command of 'Confuse' and I was on my way, pushing my way through the crowd. I was far away from Jake before I felt my spell shatter and release Jake, leaving him undoubtedly confused.
I looked behind me every few feet that I walked, keeping a look out for Jake just in case.
A few minutes later I was ducking into a different alleyway. A dank smell hit my nostrils causing me to plug my nose. My eyes found nothing along the dark path as I felt my way along the wall. There was no way I was turning back now. Not if there was a chance of running into Jake...
I took one last look behind, catching a glimpse of the receding lights in the streets before clambering along the wall again. Turning around I collided with a strong, warm mass. Fingers wrapped around my wrists holding them tightly.
"What have we got here, Frank?" A wheezy voice grunted, tugging my body toward him.
A lamp was raised to my face, momentarily blinding my adjusting eyes. Two grisly men entered my vision, inspecting my face, as soon as the blear had vanished.
"A young, perty 'un, Reg!" This one had a dirty wrinkled face shrouded by red gritty hair. "Should we sell 'er in the black markets?"
"Black markets!" I squeaked and wrenched my arms out of their reach, backing into the wall. My fists were clenched as I yelled, "Stay away from me!"
"Fiesty." The first one said grabbing hold of my right arm. He chuckled, making the excess rolls of fat lumber around his midriff as he wiped dusty blonde hair from his brow.
My voice coursed with venom as I hissed "Let me go."
"Or what, precious?" The ginger sneered, bending over a bit to look me in the eyes. "Are you going to spit words in our face until we croak?"
I aimed a kick at him and connected with his shin. He howled and jumped up and down, cursing immensely. His buddy grabbed my hair and yanked me backwards.
"Don't you dare try and hurt either of us, you hear?"
I let out a furious yowling as he pulled on my hair again forcing my face to look at his. "No guarantees." I smiled sweetly then spat in his face.
"You little wh-!" Reg bellowed raising his hand to strike my face, but he was stopped from behind. A surprised look ran over his face and he let me go, dropping me to the dirty metal surface that served as ground.
Jake grinned triumphantly at me as he spun Reg around to face him, forcing Reg into a kneeling position. "Hurting young ladies, are we?"
Terror or realization overtook Reg's features as he looked upon Jake's face. "N-no, sir!"
"Don't lie to me..." Jake growled.
"We didn't mean to hurt her!" Cried Frank who was still clutching her shin. "But she started the violence, sir."
"You grabbed at me." I muttered from my vantage point near the wall.
Jake ignored me. "Gentleman don't hurt women. Would you men like to visit the cells for a while?"
"Please, sir! We didn't mean to!" Reg pleaded, his voice close to whimpers.
"I'll let you go..."
"What?!" I gaped at Jake. "After what they were planning to do?"
"With a warning." Jake continued on ignoring me.
I watched the two filthy men scamper away, taking joy in seeing Frank limp as he did so.
"You..." Jake was holding out a hand to help me up which I plaintively ignored and got up without his help, dusting off the dirt. He snickered. "You are in trouble."
"Why am I in trouble?" I glared at Jake. "I'm not the one who was trying to sell a girl in the black market!"
"You know why, Dee..." He looped his arm around my own and dragged me out into the streets. "I told you not to go into the alleyways."
Inside my head, I was mocking him incessantly as the child inside me took over. "Don't care."
Jake shook his head. "You should."
A few minutes of silence was accompanied by winding roads as Jake led me through Castin. It took me a while to clue into the fact that I was going somewhere I didn't know with someone that I don't know.
I planted my feet firmly on the ground bringing us both to a halt. "Where are we going?"
"The castle."
"Why the castle? Are you a servant or something?"
Jake laughed. "A servant? No. We're going to the castle because I live there."
My jaw hit the ground. Going so near to my father's enemies could only mean danger... And I was headed right into the midst of it all with a boy who might be part of the family that feuds with my own.