So, let me be perfectly clear. The same can happen to you or you can choose to cooperate. It is your decision.
"The Circle obviously sent you here to protect this book," He takes out the large volume Sebastian had been holding earlier, "Until they could retrieve it themselves. Why didn't you just come and get it yourself? You must have known of its value. The Circle wouldn't have sent you on a blind mission at a guardsman's post."
I shrug. "Those weren't my orders."
"Orders!" Stefan says patronizingly, laughing coldly. "You're not even a legitimate member and you speak of orders. You are their errand boy." He paces then, in thought. "Which is what's so baffling. Why send YOU to guard the Book? It makes no sense."
He turns to me again. "Why did they send you? You have no real powers, no hope of fending off any real intruder." He stops as though a thought occurs to him, "Is this a trap? Are you the bait?! Answer me girl!" He spits.
"You're insane." I mutter.
With sudden force, he slaps me across my bleeding cheek, the inertia forcing me to the ground. "We're leaving. Grab her and put her in my carriage. Ondreb will loosen her tongue." The way he says it makes shivers roll down my spine but I continue to feign unconsciousness. I feel strong hands lift me and am overwhelmed by the smell of sea air and lye. Sebastian.
"We're passing a window soon." He mutters so low I'm not even sure he's spoken. With that I open my eyes a sliver, searching for the Book. I can't find it anywhere and we're starting to close in on the window, my only chance of escape, and I'm beginning to panic. Slap, slap, slap. Closer, closer, closer. Slap, slap, sla-
Wait a moment. Discreetly, I look down at Sebastian's shoulder bag. It looks heavy, and much too large to be empty. I slip out my pocket knife.
As we arrive at the pillar that perpendicularly bisects the stained glass window, I cut the strap. "I'm sorry Sebastian." I whisper, and without a second's hesitation I slip out of his grasp.
Racing as if a horse set on fire I make my way to the pillar in seconds. Sebastian's screaming for me to give the Book back, Stefan's screaming for the Corbati to get me back, the Corbati are screaming for their toy back, and I'm screaming because, well, everyone else is.
I scurry up the pillar, the bag's cut strap clamped between my teeth. The Corbati are nearly on me. I can feel their sharp nails scratching at my legs every so often.
"The Circle obviously sent you here to protect this book," He takes out the large volume Sebastian had been holding earlier, "Until they could retrieve it themselves. Why didn't you just come and get it yourself? You must have known of its value. The Circle wouldn't have sent you on a blind mission at a guardsman's post."
I shrug. "Those weren't my orders."
"Orders!" Stefan says patronizingly, laughing coldly. "You're not even a legitimate member and you speak of orders. You are their errand boy." He paces then, in thought. "Which is what's so baffling. Why send YOU to guard the Book? It makes no sense."
He turns to me again. "Why did they send you? You have no real powers, no hope of fending off any real intruder." He stops as though a thought occurs to him, "Is this a trap? Are you the bait?! Answer me girl!" He spits.
"You're insane." I mutter.
With sudden force, he slaps me across my bleeding cheek, the inertia forcing me to the ground. "We're leaving. Grab her and put her in my carriage. Ondreb will loosen her tongue." The way he says it makes shivers roll down my spine but I continue to feign unconsciousness. I feel strong hands lift me and am overwhelmed by the smell of sea air and lye. Sebastian.
"We're passing a window soon." He mutters so low I'm not even sure he's spoken. With that I open my eyes a sliver, searching for the Book. I can't find it anywhere and we're starting to close in on the window, my only chance of escape, and I'm beginning to panic. Slap, slap, slap. Closer, closer, closer. Slap, slap, sla-
Wait a moment. Discreetly, I look down at Sebastian's shoulder bag. It looks heavy, and much too large to be empty. I slip out my pocket knife.
As we arrive at the pillar that perpendicularly bisects the stained glass window, I cut the strap. "I'm sorry Sebastian." I whisper, and without a second's hesitation I slip out of his grasp.
Racing as if a horse set on fire I make my way to the pillar in seconds. Sebastian's screaming for me to give the Book back, Stefan's screaming for the Corbati to get me back, the Corbati are screaming for their toy back, and I'm screaming because, well, everyone else is.
I scurry up the pillar, the bag's cut strap clamped between my teeth. The Corbati are nearly on me. I can feel their sharp nails scratching at my legs every so often.
