For the Rebellion

Chapter 24 - Speak Your Piece

Theo's vision blurred in and out of focus. He thought he saw a woman, a beautiful woman with lush brown hair and piercing eyes, dressed as a golden goddess. She was speaking to him. What was she saying? Something about drinking?

Was that what had happened? Had he had too much to drink? Yes, that must have been it.

His mouth was forced open. He felt the trickle of cool liquid. Maybe she was trying to get him to drink?

He grumbled, choking on the taste of it. This wasn't like his fine wines. It wasn't even like the harsher liquor he sometimes consumed. No, this burned as it went down and tasted gods awful.

He sputtered, coughing as he rolled over onto his side to brace against the wracking of his lungs. "Gods," he moaned. "What the hell happened to me?"

It was more of a rhetorical question.

Still, she answered. "You were poisoned, Theo. Quite badly. Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't kill you."

He blinked, sitting up. Already, he felt less groggy, more alert. Must have been whatever she'd made him drink. The realization sank in. "Poisoned?"

"Yes. My father laced your wine with copious amounts of dragon's bane. Although, it's your fault for drinking in the first place. If you hadn't consumed so much, well, now isn't the time to scold you. I'll save that for later."

He huffed. "I think the way I feel at the moment is punishment enough."

"True." She crouched, brushing her hands over his face, his hair. He hummed. Everywhere her fingers touched, static leapt between them.

"Feels...good," he mumbled.

"We don't have much time. Can you contact your companions?"

He stared at her, taking in her gown. Gold. Like the color of his scales. "So...pretty," he breathed.

Gold, like the color humans wore for their weddings—

He shot to his feet. The cell began to spin and he staggered before catching his balance. "Sophie! Tell me...tell me you didn't?!" His lungs expanded and contracted, but he couldn't seem to get enough air in. She'd done it, hadn't she? She'd married Hawthorne. She'd—

Her hands shot out, reaching for his face, cupping it. Her skin was so warm, the perfect balm. "Deep breath's Theo. We don't have time for this. I disappeared on the eve of my wedding, but any moment, my father will see that I'm missing. He...he said he'd drag me to my wedding, against my will, if he must."

White, hot rage shot through his body, searing his skin. Whatever remained of the dragon;s bane effects burned away. "I will kill him for this."

"No!"

"You would protect him?"

"I wouldn't dare protect him. But...you cannot just march up there and kill him, Theo. You are the prince. People expect you to be rational." Her words made him grumble, but she was right. "We do this by the law. Besides, he admitted to me that he drugged you, that he intended to kill you. My word might not be worth much proof as a lord's daughter, but..." She bit her lip. He couldn't help but fix his gaze on her mouth, watching the motion. "As Dragonwall's future princess, I think they'd take me seriously, don't you?"

"Sophie," he breathed. He dragged her against him, crushing his mouth against hers, kissing her hard. She gave in for just a moment, a brief instant of bliss, before pushing him away.

"No. There's no time, Theo! We must go, now. I don't want my father coming to search for me."

"Right."