“Fucking hells.” Terena’s pulse ratcheted, and she looked at Rydon with alarm. “If she can do that, what’s to stop Solon from doing the same? Find Soros and?—”
“Lady Terena?”
Terena frowned at the voice coming from outside her tent. “Aye?”
The man stepped inside, his gaze shifting from her to the cypher and back again. “Captain wants to see you.”
Before she could respond, he turned and ducked out of the tent.
Terena looked back at Rydon, who scratched his chin.
“Want me to come?”
She sighed, slapping her hands on her thighs before rising. “No, I’m good. See if you can get anything else out of him.”
Terena made it to the captain’s tent, where one of his men pulled back the flap to allow her entry. She saw Soros sitting behind his field desk, feet propped up on a bucket he’d overturned. He looked at her knowingly, spinning a dagger on his desk. A small smile danced on his handsome face beneath his unkempt beard.
“Well?”
Soros looked down at the dagger he was playing with, the smile turning coy. “I have a gift for you.”
Terena arched an eyebrow. “A gift? What?”
The captain looked up at her, a gleam in his eye. She sighed again, turning to leave. He dropped his feet to the ground, swiping up the dagger as he leaned forward in his seat and called out to the soldier outside.
“Bring him in, Torinos.”
A few seconds later, Torinos, along with another man she knew only as Scar, came into the tent, holding up a man with a black hood over his head. The man’s hands were bound at hisback and his clothes were filthy. Dried blood caked the neck of his tunic, which was torn in several places.
Soros waved his men away and the prisoner fell to one knee as Torinos and Scar let him go and quit the tent.
Terena looked from the prisoner to Soros who was now as giddy as a child on his nameday.
At Terena’s look, Soros rose, tucking the dagger into the sheath at his waist and went over to the grimy man, yanking him back to his feet.
Eyes locked on Terena’s, Soros lifted the hood from the prisoner.
The blood drained from Terena’s face.
For a fleeting moment, she thought the world rocked beneath her.
“Isher,” she breathed.
Isher, gagged and bound, stared at her wide eyed. Then he took a step toward her. Soros kicked the back of Isher’s knee and the prince crashed to the ground.
“What the fuck?” Terena whispered, her horrified gaze flying to Soros. “Where?—”
“One of my scouts found him. Never thought a routine scouting would yield the Captain of the Imperial Guard’s campsite, let alone a prize such as this.”
Terena stared at the prince. He must’ve been the surprise Xoran had mentioned in his message to them. A flash of anger choked her. She was disappointed it wasn’t Sonah. Isher wasn’t the surprise she’d wanted.
Soros kicked Isher in the back, and the prince fell onto his face. He squirmed, maneuvering to regain his position on his knees as he turned hateful eyes to the captain.
Terena couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.
“He’d wandered away from Xoran’s camp,” Soros continued, crossing his arms over his chest as he moved to stand at Terena’s side. “What shall we do with him?”
“Leave,” Terena whispered.
