She pulled her black tunic over her upper body, hiding her arm along with her bountiful curves.
“Drink your potion while I carve the rabbity.”
Ransom swallowed down the potion and struggled to his feet.He had no idea how long the prince had fed, and that pushed a sliver of worry through him.He’d never faded to black before either.In his mind, he’d always known of the prince’s presence.
Hopefully, they’d find the entrance.With most of his focus on the journey here and discovering the prince’s whereabouts, he still had no clue how to defeat the prince.
He joined Scarlett and Talon by the fire, grateful for the heat from the flames.The temperature had dropped over blacklight.
“Are you cold?”Scarlett asked.
“Yes.The clouds fell to the mountaintops during the blacklight.”
“We call that snow where I come from,” Scarlett said.“Pretty at first but most inconvenient.”
A shiver slipped through Ransom.He hated the cold.
Scarlett snapped her fingers in front of his face.“Plan?”
“I don’t have one for once we get inside the chamber.”
“We need a plan.I know.We’ll lop off his head.You barricade your mind the best you can, and I’ll do the same.We’ll break open whatever life support system he’s inside and decapitate him before he stands.I’ll bet he won’t be at full strength until he feeds, and since we’re it, we should have a window.”
“He has guards,” Ransom said.
“Won’t they be asleep too?”
“What if they wake when we break open the chamber?That would be the obvious way to protect the royal.”
“Bah!”Scarlett slashed her hand through the air.“Stop poking holes in my idea.”
“I’m just saying—”
“You’re making excellent points,” Scarlett said.“But we need a strategy.We can’t leave him in his life support because what happens if he’s lying, and he still feeds on your people?”
Ransom nibbled a piece of meat, groaned at the juicy, savory flavor, and shoved another piece into his mouth.He swallowed and licked his fingers.“We could toss him in the lava flow.”
“Depends on what material his life support pod consists of.”
Ransom nodded.“And there’s that problem with the guards again.”
“We’re gonna make up things as we go along.That way lies disaster.”
Ransom grinned at Scarlett’s disapproval, the tension at the pit of his stomach lifting a fraction.
“I like to have a plan,” Scarlet grumbled.“Goals and charts and a business diagram.I measure the results.Crunch numbers.That is the way to get things done.It stops impulsiveness and unwise decisions.”She wriggled, and Talon, who was sitting beside her, snarled.“All right.All right,” she muttered, giving the Trolleris a side-eye.“I’m not touching the weird pulsing things in my arm.”
“I’ll try my com-circle again,” Ransom said.“We need help.”He pulled the comm from his inside tunic pocket and pushed several buttons before the com-circle crackled and whistled.
“Nothing,” Scarlett said.“Who are you calling?”
“My brother.”
She frowned.“There are mountains between here and your village.Can I try calling one of my brothers?”
Ransom tossed her the com-circle and ate more meat while she made her call.
“Saber?”
