time.
Marden eyed him, his lips tight.
"Come on," Bastian implored. He had to get free and find his way back to Connor.
Not Elinor.
Maybe everything Elinor had done was all a set up to steal the throne. Once she found the dragon and figured out he and Bastian knew each other, she could have created the plan to take power. For all he knew she was sitting on the throne now, planning to be the new queen.
If he’d stop thinking with his cock, maybe he wouldn’t be fooled again.
"Silence!" Marden signaled to another man. "Barden, if he talks again, shut him up."
Barden nodded, his braided beard bobbing up and down. "Yes, brother."
These men were brutes. Grunts. They didn't have a full brain between them. "I can get you the throne." Bastian said, taking the chance Barden wouldn't hurt him after a statement like that.
Holding a gloved hand in the air, Marden stopped his brother from hitting Bastian. "I'm listening."
"I don't want the throne. If we can win it back, you can have it," Bastian said.
"Go on." Marden turned a chair around, straddling it. The seat bowed under his immense weight.
"The dragon does as I say. If you help me break into the castle and secure it, the dragon will serve you. It will be grateful." At least Bastian hoped Connor would agree. If the healers had Fotia, he was sure his friend would agree to almost anything. Bastian knew he would if their places were reversed. Even now he was fighting to set Connor free so they could look for the people of Hutton's Bridge, one of whom was Bastian's own daughter, Farah.
"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Marden asked.
"Yeah," said Barden. "What if it's a trap?"
If Bastian's hand was free, he would have smacked his forehead. He knew people in his village looked at him as if he were lacking in brains, but these two were beyond stupid. Their muscles told him exactly how they'd won a place in the Black Guard. Maybe the next queen should have her men run through a gauntlet of intelligence tests as well.
"It's not a trap," Bastian said, holding back a sigh.
"If it's not a trap," Barden said, "we might be able to get whores for free again." His eyes lit up as he licked his lips.
"All the whores you want," Bastian said. His promise was empty and he felt bad for the women who had to suffer through a night with either of them, but he'd say anything to get free and on his way back to the castle, sword in hand.
Barden nudged Marden. "Did you hear that? Whores!"
"Quiet," Marden ordered his brother. His eyes narrowed. "If I gather my men together, you will fight with us to take back the throne?"
"Yes."
"And you won't betray us?" Marden asked. He tapped his chin with a beefy finger.
"I won't." Bastian tried not to fidget in the chair. Anything could be seen as a betrayal by these buffoons.
"All right, then. I will gather the rest of the guard and we will storm the castle before the sun sets." Marden stood and headed for the door.
"Wait," Bastian called out. "Untie me."
"Not yet," Marden said.
"But I promised to help you." Bastian struggled against the rope. A burning sensation rippled across his skin.
"These ropes hold you to your promise until the time comes to take back what is ours." Marden stalked out of the room, leaving Bastian alone with Barden.
Bastian bit his tongue. These men had walked away from Bastian when he claimed the throne. They hadn't cared enough to fight for it then. Why now?
"So Barden – "
"Don't talk to me." Barden clamped his hands over his ears and hummed a discordant tune. "I don't trust you," he shouted.
Bastian cleared his throat and coughed. Then he sniffled. Barden eyed him, his hands still over his ears.
"I'm thirsty," Bastian said.
"Can't hear you," Barden shouted. "You have to talk louder."
"If you would take your hands off your ears," Bastian mumbled, "you'd hear me just fine, you idiot."
"What?" Barden yelled again, coming closer.
"Thirsty!" Bastian screamed at him.
"Well, why didn't you say so?" Barden dropped his hands and poured Bastian a cup of water. "Here." He extended his arm, holding the cup out to Bastian.
"I can't pick it up unless you untie me." Bastian reminded him.
Barden screwed up his face, his eyes squinted and his lips curled. "That's true."
"Marden didn't say I had to remain tied up." And he hadn't. Not in those exact words.
"No, he didn't." Barden set the cup