“A creature she keeps with her for companionship.It is a harmless animal.”
“She will not require a pet when she is with me.”
“How do we release you from your chamber?”
“Dig at the statue base.The one in the middle with the pointy hat.”
“But the pointy hat—”
“Enough.You will release me on the next whitelight, or you will pay.”
Arrogance.Ransom stilled at the rhythmic sucking on his mind that revealed the prince was feeding.His mind grew fuzzy, and he blacked out.
“Ransom.Ransom!”
The familiar voice drew him to the surface, to full wakefulness.His temples throbbed, and he stroked them, his mind full of fog.Unwillingly, he opened his eyes and winced at the bright light searing his eyeballs.His first vision was a slice of heaven—Scarlett’s cleavage.The clothing item she called a bra cupped her breasts and lifted them.The red, sheer fabric set off her golden skin and pushed his mind to happier things.
“Frying fungus, Ransom.You’ve been asleep for ages.I feared the prince had sucked your mind dry.”
“I feel as weak as a baby dragon,” he muttered, psyching himself to stand.
“Did you learn where the entrance is to his chamber?”
Ransom frowned, searching through his foggy memories for the answers.“He told me the entrance was under the statues.The one with the pointy hat.From what he indicated, the statues are in a line.”
“And they’re not in a straight row now.”
He recalled a bird’s head with a cruel beak.He hadn’t seen a pointy hat anywhere, but at least four other heads had been strewn around the area.Perhaps more.“No.”
“Anything else?”
“He was angry because we backtracked, and he expects us to release him this whitelight without fail.His patience is at an end.And he demanded info about the third being with us.I told him Talon was your pet.”
“And?”
“He advised you wouldn’t require a pet once he got his hands on you.”
“Eew!I bet sex with him is some freaky mind thing, and his dick is the size of this pebble.”
“Haw-haw-haw!”
Ransom stared at Talon and his display of razor-sharp teeth.The Trolleris’s brown eyes shone with amusement.“You’re lucky the prince hasn’t entered your brain.”
“Talon and I have food.Since you were taking a while to wake, Talon hunted.The rabbity-thing is ready to eat.”
Ransom fingered her damp hair.“You had another swim.”
“I did.Take some of your potion.”
When she turned away to rummage through his pack for a potion vial, he spotted her arm.The lumps had increased, and her skin had stretched upward so it bulged outward—two purple-tinted growths.As he stared, they twitched.
“Is your arm sore?”
“It’s uncomfortable rather than painful,” Scarlett said.
Talon growled as she went to touch the nearest bump, and she jerked her hand away.
“Anyone would think this arm belonged to you,” Scarlett snapped.“I’m not touching it, okay?I’m putting on my tunic.”
