Read Online The Underground Witch (Incenaga Trilogy) by Debbie Dee - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Debbie Dee
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forward.”
“I will do no such thi ng!” Emmeline spun around and tore open her desk drawer. The time had come. She had to find the dagger. If she couldn’t use it to stop him, then she’d have to use it to stop herself. Never mind that the room was different than the one in her dream. She wouldn’t be used for murder.
A sharp pain shot through her shoulder as Tiergan yanked her from the desk.
“ This is preposterous!” she cried. “Guar-!”
Tiergan slapped a sunburned hand over her mouth, cutting her off. “I would not be so hasty to call your precious guards. As we speak, the life of your betrothed hangs in my control.”
Emmeline whirled around, breaking free from his filthy hands. She pressed her hands against the window to search the gardens. Her stomach clenched into a tight knot until she spotted Erick still talking to her father. They were sitting now, relaxed in easy conversation under the shade of a magnificent tree.
“He’s safe,” Emmeline breathed. She glanced around him and noticed several guards at the ready. She turned back to Tiergan and jutted her chin out in defiance.
“You can ’t hurt him here,” she said. “He is protected.”
Tiergan’s smile widened until a golden tooth shone at the corner of his mouth . “I see he means much more to you than a mere betrothal agreement. I believe that bit of information will allow us to finish this without further delay.”
“What are you implying?”
Tiergan stepped closer to the window, but remained in the shadow of the curtain. “I want you to turn your pretty face to the window again. Look into those trees. What do you see?”
“I don’ t see anything.”
“Of course not. They are well-trained.”
“Who?”
Tiergan placed a hand on the small of her back and she flinched. Evil oozed off his entire being, scratching at her for entrance. Her skin crawled to get away from him.
“My mo st skilled archers,” he whispered into her ear.
Emmeline trembled as she searched the trees. She saw no one. Was he lying? A sliver of hope broke through her nausea.
“Now, my dear Incenaga,” he continued with a sickening calm. “I can call you Incenaga, I presume, or do you prefer Crown Princess?” His mocking laughter pierced her ears.
She did not answer.
He moved his hand from the small of her back and pulled her closer. His hot breath assaulted her cheek as he bent his face close to hers. “Look at that woman over there on the terrace. She is so happy to be preparing for your special day. Now watch, Incenaga.” He held his hands near the window and his fingers made a series of movements.
Emmeline knew the woman. She helped in the kitchen. Her name was Darce and she made the best chocolate sauce Emmeline had ever tasted. She looked so peaceful sitting on the bench, twirling a flower between two fingers. The flower spun in one direction, and then the other direction, and then it stopped.
Emmeline gasped. Darce had an arrow protruding from the side of her neck. She collapsed onto the bench and the flower dropped to the ground. A second later, a strange man darted into the courtyard and dragged her body away. All without anyone noticing.
Tiergan placed his hand over Emmeline’s mouth again and pulled her away from the window. “You aren’t going to scream, are you? Because I can see a small boy playing in the garden.”
Emmeline shook her head .
Tiergan dropped his hand, grabbed her shoulders and whipped her around to face him.
“She was innocent,” Emmeline whispered.
“And many, many more innocents will be used to demonstrate the skill of my men, if you do not cooperate.”
“I can’t help you.” Emmeline whispered.
“You can’t or you won’t? There is quite a distinction between the two, although, I will settle for neither. Like I said, your obvious feelings for the prince will be useful to me. I couldn’t have hoped for a more enticing alternative to my original plan.”
“And what plan was that?”
“Let
“I will do no such thi ng!” Emmeline spun around and tore open her desk drawer. The time had come. She had to find the dagger. If she couldn’t use it to stop him, then she’d have to use it to stop herself. Never mind that the room was different than the one in her dream. She wouldn’t be used for murder.
A sharp pain shot through her shoulder as Tiergan yanked her from the desk.
“ This is preposterous!” she cried. “Guar-!”
Tiergan slapped a sunburned hand over her mouth, cutting her off. “I would not be so hasty to call your precious guards. As we speak, the life of your betrothed hangs in my control.”
Emmeline whirled around, breaking free from his filthy hands. She pressed her hands against the window to search the gardens. Her stomach clenched into a tight knot until she spotted Erick still talking to her father. They were sitting now, relaxed in easy conversation under the shade of a magnificent tree.
“He’s safe,” Emmeline breathed. She glanced around him and noticed several guards at the ready. She turned back to Tiergan and jutted her chin out in defiance.
“You can ’t hurt him here,” she said. “He is protected.”
Tiergan’s smile widened until a golden tooth shone at the corner of his mouth . “I see he means much more to you than a mere betrothal agreement. I believe that bit of information will allow us to finish this without further delay.”
“What are you implying?”
Tiergan stepped closer to the window, but remained in the shadow of the curtain. “I want you to turn your pretty face to the window again. Look into those trees. What do you see?”
“I don’ t see anything.”
“Of course not. They are well-trained.”
“Who?”
Tiergan placed a hand on the small of her back and she flinched. Evil oozed off his entire being, scratching at her for entrance. Her skin crawled to get away from him.
“My mo st skilled archers,” he whispered into her ear.
Emmeline trembled as she searched the trees. She saw no one. Was he lying? A sliver of hope broke through her nausea.
“Now, my dear Incenaga,” he continued with a sickening calm. “I can call you Incenaga, I presume, or do you prefer Crown Princess?” His mocking laughter pierced her ears.
She did not answer.
He moved his hand from the small of her back and pulled her closer. His hot breath assaulted her cheek as he bent his face close to hers. “Look at that woman over there on the terrace. She is so happy to be preparing for your special day. Now watch, Incenaga.” He held his hands near the window and his fingers made a series of movements.
Emmeline knew the woman. She helped in the kitchen. Her name was Darce and she made the best chocolate sauce Emmeline had ever tasted. She looked so peaceful sitting on the bench, twirling a flower between two fingers. The flower spun in one direction, and then the other direction, and then it stopped.
Emmeline gasped. Darce had an arrow protruding from the side of her neck. She collapsed onto the bench and the flower dropped to the ground. A second later, a strange man darted into the courtyard and dragged her body away. All without anyone noticing.
Tiergan placed his hand over Emmeline’s mouth again and pulled her away from the window. “You aren’t going to scream, are you? Because I can see a small boy playing in the garden.”
Emmeline shook her head .
Tiergan dropped his hand, grabbed her shoulders and whipped her around to face him.
“She was innocent,” Emmeline whispered.
“And many, many more innocents will be used to demonstrate the skill of my men, if you do not cooperate.”
“I can’t help you.” Emmeline whispered.
“You can’t or you won’t? There is quite a distinction between the two, although, I will settle for neither. Like I said, your obvious feelings for the prince will be useful to me. I couldn’t have hoped for a more enticing alternative to my original plan.”
“And what plan was that?”
“Let
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