She wondered if he was also becoming wary of the plan.
The closer the camp became, the more Nyssa's entire body started to shut down with the reality of what she was doing.
Volunteering herself into slavery.
Because at this point, it was voluntary.
Her ears began to ring, and for a long while, she couldn't stop it.
At one point, her legs stopped moving. But the woman, Antha, had given her a stern look, and Nyssa forced herself forward.
Her eagle flying above her was the only comfort Nyssa had and the only comfort she knew she could hang on to.
"You'll be on your own," Gail said after a while. "I will not pretend to know what they will do to you."
"Whatever it is is nothing worse than what my imagination can come up with,” she replied.
The camp's outline entered her vision ahead, and this time, Nyssa wasn’t the only one that stopped.
This was much larger than she'd expected.
There were fences and shacks built from the Preymoor’s rolling grasses all the way to the dunes. A few tents were scattered around the beach as well, some connected to others. She could see small herds of livestock moving around in the fences. Sentries lined the gates.
"There was once a small wood there around that watering hole," Antha muttered. "They've taken all of it."
“Looks like they’re bringing in rocks from the cliffs on the west as well," Gail added. "How many ships do you count?"
"Seven. And that’s just here,” Antha replied. "This is a lot more than we bargained for, Gail," she said, tone hesitant. "This is not the small camp I was expecting."
"We'll be fine," he affirmed. "We have something they want."
"Something they don't know they want," Antha mumbled.
Antha gave Nyssa enough of a glare that Nyssa questioned whether Gail’s people agreed with what they were doing.
They had worked out the plan the night before. Gail had laid out everything he needed them to do. After he'd given her a tonic and she passed out, he'd sent their fourth companion back to the Forest to report on where they were. He was sure they would be asked to leave their weapons at the Noble's entrance if they weren't stopped by guards first.
Gail gave the others nods, and then he pulled something from his bag. A long black cloak. Nyssa didn't move as he placed the oversized garment over her shoulders and pulled the hood up. It went so far over her head that she almost couldn't see.
"If you see something wrong, signal North," he muttered as he tied the cloak.
"Using me to your advantage, Venari?"
"I'm betting on you watching these people as closely as you've been watching me. And I'm also betting you won't want to be alone in their hands if they kill us." He paused as he finished, and she watched a small smirk rise on his lips. "Keep that glare on your face, Princess," he mocked her. "You'll have every man in there turned on with those puckered lips."
As the rage curled inside her, she reminded herself that this was only the first day of what she was sure would be many more taunts just like it. She didn't know how Man treated their women, but judging by the memory of what the one had said at Magnice, she didn't expect it to be very well.
Wait—Princess?
Her eyes narrowed as he turned. Something really wasn't right. Gail had only called her Princess the day he captured her. The rest of the time, he'd called her Queen, little Sun, or Nyssari.
Not Princess.
Nyssa continued to watch Gail as they walked in silence, thoughts pouring through her head at the uneasy feeling in her bones.
She wondered if perhaps she was simply paranoid.
Nyssa couldn't see Antha and North beside her, but she felt Antha's hand on her back every now and then. They were a mile out when her eagle screeched overhead. The wind whipped past them, and she knew it was Duarb's wind telling them of the company of Men riding towards them.
