42 Chapter Fourty-Two

"Is kidnapping a large problem?" I ask tilting my head and Oscar nods vigorously.

"It's really, really getting bad! We told the guards but since it's only orphans and vagrants who barely pay, they write it off!" My eyes widened and Lance's arm went over my shoulder protectively.

"Don't worry Rose, we'll protect you!" Lance says and I knew the knife was on his opposite arm. He's preparing to be attacked, does he think something's going to happen? Unfortunately we've been followed since we met Oscar. We played in the street and as people left the eyes I sensed didn't disappear.

"Well, it's already starting dark, do you want us to walk you home?" I ask cheerfully and he grins. We follow him as he went down the street, and eventually he walked into the house at the end after waving goodbye. Afterwards the three of us linked hands and ran as quickly as we could back to the castle. We all had felt the eyes and we're trying to get away from them. I can only hope that the birds simply found us and kept watching to hide our identities but I didn't think so. If it were them they would have swopped down by now to lecture us. So we ran as fast as we could down the roads and back to the crowded streets and hurried towards the castle, although going at it backwards. Unfortunately we didn't make it even close. Men surrounded us and blocked all exits, and the boys let go of my hands to draw the daggers they had hidden, and I saw the prince hit an alarm on his wrist, it would alert the King he was under attack, and the corresponding alarm would guide them to us.

I was grabbed from behind and a cloth was stuck against my face, I tried not to breathe it knowing it was drugged, but I couldn't not breathe and gasped for air. I vaguely remember seeing the boys fighting with swords in their disguise. Chestnut brown hair, furious and desperate pale gray eyes flashing. I tried to cling to the image of the two boys trying to stop them desperately and I lost to the darkness and it consumed me. I felt so heavy, like I was sinking so deep, too deep and too fast for even dreams to catch me. The last thing I heard was one of the men speaking.

"Leave the boys, they resist too much, not worth the risk."