Chapter Eleven

"You're cursed?" I watched the surprise form on their faces.

I nodded, frustrated with myself. I couldn't tell them everything, simply because I didn't know everything. Mother and Father didn't seem to know everything either.

"Why?" Wade demands.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"You're cursed and you don't know why?" Scorn filled Rey's voice. "Do you know who cursed you?"

"My mother's sister," my voice hardened. "I've never met her."

Wade winced. He looked ready to ask a question when Rey turned away.

"That's enough for tonight." Rey's blue eyes go to me. "Off to bed?"

I sighed and moved to the front door. I was not prepared when everyone jumped into action. My hands were behind my back before I could blink.

"What are you doing?" I demanded sharply, giving Rey a glare.

"What are you doing?" Rey retorted.

"Going to the shed."

The three of them winced simultaneously. "You don't have to stay in the shed." Flynn said. There was the strangest hint of guilt in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes. "It beats being walked in on every five minutes when I try to sleep." I wrenched my arms free from Darius. "I'd rather wake up to hay then ropes tying me down."

They all winced again. Feeling somewhat pleased, I walked to the front door. I pulled the door open and slammed it on my way out.

The air was cool, chilled with a cold breeze. I could barely see the shed. I turned to the east and felt cold, cold with fear. I turned to the west and felt a bit warmer. I turned to the north and smiled when my friend's faces appeared in my mind.

Was Hugh going to propose to Lena while I was gone? Was Jack worrying himself to death? What was Fawn doing? And Lena? Were they sitting in a puddle of tears right now? Was Hugh with them?

I missed home. I missed Mason and his tight, revealing gowns. I missed Matilda, the woman who had been there for me more than my own mother. I missed Maximus, the horse who never got tired of racing me places.

To think that I had been stupid enough to go to a pub. To think that I got drunk and let myself get kidnapped-

Flynn's voice broke the silence. "Rapunzel-"

I didn't turn. "It's Princess to you!"

"Princess," Flynn called, "Please come back!"

I turned this time. My hands were clenched into fists. "You know I'm not going anywhere!"

Flynn's face was hard to see in the gloom. "I know, but please-"

"Please what? Please come in the house with us, your kidnappers?" I shouted, dodging Flynn's hand that dove for my mouth. "Once you get your money, you'll be hanged for this!"

Flynn had always seemed to be calm and collected, but my words were wearing on him. "It's safer inside."

"Do you think I'm dense enough to believe that?" I turned back around. "It's safer in the shed away from three men who, even though they promise not to touch me, they are men."

"You think all men can't control themselves?" Flynn grunted.

"You certainly couldn't. You kidnapped the first princess you found."

Flynn snapped for a second. His hand went to my shoulder and whipped me around so fast I fell down.

He crouched down to my level. Our eyes met. He looked madder than me, I saw it in his eyes, but I glared at him defiantly.

"We're doing it for a good reason."

My emerald eyes narrowed. "So you say."

Flynn's jaw clenched and he held out a hand to me. I ignored his hand and pulled myself up. We were at the shed now.

"Goodnight, Flynn." I huffed as I pulled the door open.

I heard him take a deep breath. "Princess, you don't have to sleep in the shed."

"You just don't want me to, and you know what? I'm going to do it because you don't want me to."

Flynn cursed under his breath. "Come back to the house."

"Why?"

Flynn's hot light brown eyes glared at me. "It's safer inside."

I dropped the door and stood right in front of him. I got on my tip-toes and leaned forward so we had eye-contact.

"I'd. Rather. Not."

Flynn crossed his arms. "You're sleeping in the house if I have to carry you in there."

I leaned away, scowling. "If you lay a hand on me, I will scream bloody murder."

Flynn smirked, cocky. "You know why we chose this house? No one's around. No one will hear you scream."

"I'll be loud."

"I know you'll try."

"Not try." I glared. "I will be."

Flynn smiled despite himself. "Come in the house. Last time."

"You're not my father so you can't order me around."

"I kidnapped you, remember?"

I looked at Flynn and smiled grimly. I don't know why this man made me so aggressive, but of the three of them, he irked me the most.

"Goodnight, Flynn." I turned to walk inside the shed. I was completely floored when Flynn snatched me to him by the waist and threw him over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I shrieked.

Flynn was smiling. "That's not loud enough."

"Flynn, so help me, I will kill you in your sleep!" I flailed in his arms.

"Ooh. You've threatened me." Flynn said. "Now I've got to tie you down."

I went still. "Please don't."

Flynn laughed. "Are you afraid of rope?"

I stiffened. "No."

"Then I'll tie you down."

"You wouldn't do it if I was afraid?"

Flynn sounded earnest, arrogance all gone, when he said, "Of course not. I'm not a sadist."

"Okay. Then I'm afraid."

Flynn laughed again, darker. "You just said you weren't."

"Well, now I am."

"My, my. You must be the first lying princess I've met before."

We were almost to the house now. Flynn's grip tightened on me.

"Everyone lies."

"I guess so."

I thought about my parents. "No, they do. Everyone."

"What a disappointment."

"Tell me about it." I mumbled.

I was surprised when Flynn set me down. He looked me in the eyes.

"Tell me the truth." My stomach clenched. "Are you afraid of rope?"

I looked at Flynn's pretty light brown eyes and repeated his question. His voice was gentle now, unlike before.

"No."

I was walking through the palace.

At first, I had been amazed to be back home. The knights had been quick to come to my rescue, and I made sure to thank every knight I saw in the castle.

Then my chest had gotten tight. What had they done to my captors?

I walked through the palace, my chest tightening with each step. Before long, I was gasping for breath. My eyes watered.

I finally made it to my room, intent on lying down, when I stopped at the door.

I touched the doorknob, unable to comprehend the dread that churned in my stomach.

I swallowed hard and opened the door. The door slid open to the wall and I looked at my bed in horror.

I was tied to it, struggling to escape the ropes that held me prisoner.

At the door, I collapsed to the floor, screaming.

"Princess!" Someone shook me.

It was just like being in the corset again. I sat up and panicked when I only sat up a few inches. My neck rubbed against something raw and my wrists burned from constant friction.

"Untie her!"

The pressure holding me to the bed began to loosen. I closed my eyes tight and tried to suck air, dizzy beyond belief.

Hands pulled me up and to a chest.

"Is she all right?" Rey asked.

"I don't know," Flynn said above me. He shook me a little. "Princess?"

I put my hands to my face and forced my way out of Flynn's grip.

The tears were already falling. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" Wade demanded. "You aren't scared of ropes, are you?"

"I'm not!" I snapped. "It's just that . . ."

"Just that what?" Rey crossed his arms.

I looked at the three of them, unable to say. I pushed past Flynn and ran out of the bedroom before they could follow me.

I was about to make it to the door when Rey popped out of nowhere. My fist flew to his head and he staggered back from the blow. I hastily unlocked the door and yanked it open. A hand caught the door and another hand pulled me to a body.

Flynn was breathing hard. "Stop running away."

"Do you ever think I'll stop?" I gasped, squirming in his grip. "If my father never gives you the money, there's a slim chance he will, you'll keep me for the rest of our lives."

"Slim chance, huh?" Rey wandered over, brown eyes narrowed. "What makes you say that?"

I turned to face Flynn and glared at him. "I wouldn't stop, if that was the case. I'll always keep trying to get away from you."

I was about to raise a fist to Flynn's face when Wade grabbed my hand. He looked at Rey and Flynn, at their dark faces and glares.

"Let her go."

Rey protested. "She was running away."

"She is a girl surrounded by men in an unfamiliar house. She woke up from a nightmare tied to her bed." Wade huffed. "Let her go."

Flynn released me abruptly. I flew from the house and raced to the shed, face wet with tears.

Eugene's Point of View

"You two are being too rough on her." Darius chastised. "She's just a girl."

"She was running away." Price snapped. "Do you really think we'd let our way back to Chal run off?"

"She's proven that we could trust her."

"Devin did that for us in Chal." Eugene huffed. "Look where that got my parents. Look where that got me."

Darius glared at Eugene. "Let her be."

"So you want to watch her now?" Price asked. His eyes narrowed. "Do you like her?"

Darius shook his head. "I want to make sure nothing happens to her."

"She said there's a slim chance of us never getting the money." Eugene muttered.

"A slim chance." Darius pointed out.

"A chance!" Price snapped. "God, Darius! Can't you see that she needs to be rough-handled until we know for sure?"

"Rough-handling her will make her run faster if we're never kind to her!" Darius barked. He looked at Eugene and Price. "Look, I want to get back to Chal too. Say the princess is our only chance? We need to be kind."

"We have been kind." Eugene muttered, feeling guilty. He hadn't been so kind to her. In fact, he had let her stinging words get to him. For the first time in the conversation, Eugene felt the weight of Darius's words. That's why you're the leader, Eugene thought.

"We'll get to Chal," Darius said. "Just let her be for now." Darius's blue eyes went to the shed. "She'll come to eat when she's hungry."

Price followed Darius's gaze. "Want me to watch her?"

"No," Eugene stood up, cringing at himself. "I'll do it."

I might be able to apologize.

Rapunzel's Point of View

I was in the middle of praying when someone knocked on the shed door.

"Go away!"

Flynn poked his head in. "Hey."

"Go away."

Flynn nodded a little, somehow at ease. "Just checkin' on you."

"You did that an hour ago."

"I know," Flynn admitted, looking down. His eyes flickered to me. "Hungry yet?"

"No."

Flynn stepped further into the shed. I scooted away in response. Flynn smiled for a second.

"What got you so riled this morning?"

"You and your arrogance from last night."

Flynn looked insulted. Good. I didn't like him or Rey. Wade won a coin or too because he told Flynn to let me go.

"I'm not arrogant."

"Fine." I muttered. "You're worse than arrogant. You're-"

"Look, Princess." Flynn crouched down in front of me. I turned my gaze away childishly. "You're going to go home."

I gave Flynn a sideways glance. "Oh, really?"

"Yes. We sent the letter this morning after everything calmed down."

I scoffed. "It's nice to hear that you're making my kidnapping official."

Flynn looked remorseful for a moment.

"What now?"

Flynn's jaw clenched and a hard resolve set into his eyes. He stood up and wordlessly closed the shed door.

The guilt that shot through me made no sense. I stomped the feeling in the ground and closed my eyes.

Dear God, make me a bird so I can fly away from here. Make me a bird so I can fly home.

Eugene's Point of View

They didn't tie her down to the bed this time. Eugene took watch again.

He didn't know why he felt so keen on being near her.

His eyes got heavier every hour. His body relaxed more and more every ten minutes.

Around midnight, his head sagged back against the door and he fell asleep.

He awoke to an open door.

Eugene lurched upright and raced into the bedroom. She was gone.

He held his breath for a moment, his thoughts running in a thousand directions. He turned to the hallway and ran to the front door.

He closed the door quietly, allowing himself a chance to find Rapunzel himself before he'd wake up Price and Darius.

I'm an idiot. Eugene rebuked himself. His eyes went to the dark field and he squinted. He couldn't see the shed.

"Princess?" Eugene shouted.

No reply.

"Princess?"

Someone screamed a high-pitched scream.

Eugene raced toward the sound, his blood tingling with fear. Was she hurt?

He ran to the edge of the field and marched through the undergrowth. Thistles pinched the legs of his pants.

"Princess?"

Eugene turned, panicking.

"Rapunzel?"

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then someone said, "It's Rapunzel!"

Eugene turned to glimpse a clearing a few feet away. He hurried toward it, walking past a clump of something he couldn't see.

Eugene was overwhelmed with relief when he saw Rapunzel standing in a stream. She looked over at him, her dark hair spilling onto her bare shoulders, hiding her-

Then he realized what he was looking at.

"My apologies!" Eugene turned around immediately.

Rapunzel laughed at him scornfully, almost making Eugene wish he hadn't turned. She had such a way of getting on his nerves-

"You may look now."

"Liar."

"Ouch, Flynn."

Eugene closed his eyes as delicate fingers squeezed his arm. Rapunzel turned her to him. Eugene averted his eyes when he saw that she was still stark naked.

"Oh, come on," Rapunzel said. "Look at me."

"No."

"Why not?" She whined.

Eugene gritted his teeth. "You're a lady."

"I'm your captive." Rapunzel purred. "I'll do whatever you say."

Eugene shook his head.

"Don't believe me?"

Eugene nodded.

Rapunzel sighed. "What can I do to convince you?"

"Nothing you do," Eugene gulped when Rapunzel reached for his chin, turning his eyes to her, "will convince me."

"Liar."

Eugene narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think I'm lying?"

Rapunzel smiled, gold running down her dark brown hair, straight to the tips.

"Everyone lies."

Eugene sat up, lurching to his feet. It was still dark outside.

Eugene peeked into Rapunzel's room, hot with discomfort and something else. Something warm, something that made him squirm.

She was still there, fast asleep.

Eugene ran a sweaty hand across his dewy face and went to wake up Price for the next shift.