My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced around, to be certain there was no one following us, even though it wasn’t necessary to check with my mates to keep us safe. I had to be certain no one who slip in behind us. We walked down the eerie silent corridor until we got to a wall. At first, I thought we had missed the road because it was a dead end until my mates placed their right palms on the wall.
We watched in shock as the wall opened to reveal a room, one which we had hidden within it. I was mesmerised by the beauty unfolding in front of me, but I didn’t have enough time to admire it before they bundled me into the room and the wall closed behind us.
“Place her on the bed,” Fred instructed, rushing over to the cupboard beside the bed as Blue did as he demanded. Fred rummaged through the cupboard until he found what he was looking for. He tossed it to Blue, who went to work on Scarlett. He placed the Ruby stone on her stomach, and stood back, watching, just like the rest of us as the rock glowed.
“Wow.”
If I thought the room hidden in the wall was worth a gasp, the Ruby stone took the shine. I watched, mesmerized, as the stone gleamed brighter before it diminished. It repeated this five times before it stopped.
“It’s done.” Blue collected the stone back from her body and tossed it to Fred, who placed it back in the cupboard.
“She will wake in a few hours,” Fred responded, seeing the question on my face. “That’s a healing stone. We haven’t used it on anyone before, so we can’t state the time she would wake up, but she will,” he assured, smiling as he walked over to me. “Come on, you need to rest.” He took my hand and led me to the only chair in the room.
“Where’s this place? Your secret hideout?” It was supposed to be a teasing question, but the look he gave me made me wonder if I hit a nerve by asking the question.
“You can say that,” Blue rushed to say, walking over to my side as Chris strode to the bed. Sighing, she sat on the floor, looking up at me like a puppy waiting for her master to call her to him.
“This was the place we stayed when they poisoned us,” Fred completed, smiling at me. “Don’t worry. We don’t have any unpleasant memories. Else we wouldn’t have brought you here.”
“I see.” Nodding, I tried not to think of what they had been through, and how they survived the betrayal. I didn’t ask them about it, though. This was a sensitive topic for them.
“What do we do now?” I looked towards Fred since he was the closest to me, changing the topic. “Do we stay here waiting for another group to attack?”
“Not at all.” He placed his right palm on my left shoulder and pressed, saying, “We will seek them out.” His expression was grave and his tone serious, letting me know he had thought of this before I did.
“Then I have a request to make,” I expressed, still looking at him. “I need a favour from you.”
“As long as it’s not to follow us into battle, we will do anything you wish,” Blue assured, reaching out to pat my hair. “We will do whatever you ask from us as long as it’s not something dangerous.”
“I wish to meet your people,” I stated, holding Fred’s gaze.
“Ou… Our… Our people?” He frowned at that, looking at me as if I had lost it. “Why do you want to meet them? Didn’t you say you only want to aid them in battle?”
“I wish to help you regain your throne.” I didn’t bat an eye at that as I held his gaze. “Meeting them is the way I planned to do just that.”
For a long minute, neither of them said a word as they watched me. Chris acted like she wasn’t in the same room with us. Though she was looking at me, I could tell she didn’t want to be involved in the conversation.
“Bella, we don’t -”
“I’m only asking to meet them, not to join you in battle,” I asserted, in case they didn’t hear my words. “If I can’t meet with the men now, the women will do.”
I know I had to thread carefully with this. Knowing how hell-bent they were on keeping me as far away from their kingdom as they could.
“Bun -”
“You promised to fulfil my requests as long as it’s not to follow you to battle,” I phrased their words exactly how they said it. I’m not asking you to take me with you. I just want to meet the women in your kingdom.”
Once more, silence reigned in the room, almost to the point of it being deafening. Frowning, I impatiently tapped my index finger on my reading desk, my gaze stubborn and unyielding. They wanted to play the game, and I was more than ready to play it with them.
“Okay, we will do it,” Blue sighed, looking defeated. “You won.”
“Good!” I fist-pumped the air, smirking. “So, when is the meeting?”
“Give us a day. We will certainly fulfil our promises to you,” Fred assured, sitting on the desk. “Right now, what we need to do is make sure everyone is safe. We need to check on the burnt houses and the victims of the fire. We will hold the meeting after everything is stabilized.”
I nodded, realizing they had a point in what they were saying.
“Can I leave with you then?” I pleaded, giving him a pleading look, with my hands joined. “I’m not asking to go anywhere with you. I will go with Chris while you seek the men out.” I was begging, perceiving they would be stubborn about taking me with them.