Chapter 30
Riley looked to Mara before saying, "That ride was odd. I'd like a different driver going home." Mara replied, "I will look into the driver and see if he can be replaced. Let's get you to the reading corner." It didn't take them long to reach the reading corner. Riley smiled as the children came into view. She waved saying, "Please take a seat. Tell me what we should read today?" She was handed a book by the librarian Riley said, "Thank you." She looked back at the children saying, "It looks like we are reading little red riding hood."
Riley sat in the chair at the front of the reading circle. She opened the book and started reading.
Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived in a village near the forest. Whenever she went out, the little girl wore a red riding cloak, so everyone in the village called her little red riding Hood. One morning, little red riding Hood asked her mother if she could go to visit her grandmother as it had been a while since they'd seen each other. Her mother thought that was a good idea. So they packed a nice basket for little red riding Hood to take to her grandmother. When the basket was ready, the little girl put on her red cloak and kissed her mother goodbye. Her mother reminded her not to talk to strangers and to go straight to grandma's house since the woods were dangerous.
But when little red riding Hood noticed some lovely flowers in the woods. She forgot her promise to her mother. She picked a few, watched the butterflies flit about for a while, listened to the frogs croaking and then picked a few more. little red riding Hood was enjoying the warm summer day so much, that she didn't notice a dark shadow approaching out of the forest behind her. Suddenly, the wolf appeared beside her. He asked what she was doing in a friendly voice. Little red riding hood told the stranger about her trip to grandma's house. Then she realized how late she was and quickly excused herself, rushing down the path to her Grandma's house.
The wolf, in the meantime, took a shortcut. The wolf, a little out of breath from running, arrived at Grandma's and knocked lightly at the door. Grandma thought it was little red riding hood asked her to come in. The wolf let himself in. Poor Granny did not have time to say another word before the wolf gobbled her up! The wolf let out a satisfied burp and then poked through Granny's wardrobe to find a nightgown that he liked. He added a frilly sleeping cap, and for good measure, dabbed some of Granny's perfume behind his pointy ears. A few minutes later, red riding Hood knocked on the door.
The wolf jumped into bed and pulled the covers over his nose. The wolf asked who was at the door. Red riding hood said, "It's me, grandma." The wolf invited her into the home. When little red riding Hood entered the little cottage, she could scarcely recognize her Grandmother. little red riding hood knew something was off and asked her grandmother if there was something wrong. The wolf lied stating he had a cold. "Grandmother! What big ears you have," said little red riding Hood as she edged closer to the bed. "The better to hear you with, my dear," replied the wolf.
"Grandmother! What big eyes you have," said little red riding Hood. "The better to see you with, my dear," replied the wolf. "Grandmother! What big teeth you have," said little red riding Hood her voice quivering slightly."The better to eat you with, my dear," roared the wolf and he leaped out of the bed and began to chase the little girl. Almost too late, little red riding Hood realized that the person in the bed was not her Grandmother, but a hungry wolf.
She ran across the room and through the door, shouting, "Help! Wolf!" as loudly as she could. A woodsman who was chopping logs nearby heard her cry and ran towards the cottage as fast as he could. He grabbed the wolf and made him spit out the poor Grandmother who was a bit frazzled by the whole experience, but still in one piece."Oh, Grandma, I was so scared!" sobbed little red riding Hood, "I'll never speak to strangers or dawdle in the forest again." "There, there, child. You've learned an important lesson. Thank goodness you shouted loud enough for this kind woodsman to hear you!" The woodsman knocked out the wolf and carried him deep into the forest where he wouldn't bother people any longer. Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandmother had a nice lunch and a long chat.
Riley closed the book and the children clapped. Riley smiled at the children saying, "The book you received is yours to keep. So you can read the book as many times as you'd like." Riley made her way to the bathroom Mara helping to disperse the crowd. As Riley exited the stall she noticed someone dressed in gear that looked like her security. She pushed on her ladybug pin that was a tracking device she didn't recognize the man in the bathroom. She glared at him asking, "What are you doing here? You're supposed to stay outside posted at the door." He replied, "I'm not your security. I'm here to kidnap you."
Riley rolled her eyes before saying, "That is the worst idea ever. But if you're so set on dying and think you can keep me go ahead." She knew she couldn't fight the man she'd just have to outsmart them. Hopefully, she'd be rescued before she plotted a safe way to escape. The man shook his head saying, "Sorry but I follow Anton's orders. You will have to come with me." Riley shook her head saying, "I see I can't change your mind."
She glared at him standing still she wouldn't make it easy on him. He had to approach her she moved back into a stall locking the door. Riley turned sideways on the toilet knowing he'd eventually bust the door in. Liam would be angry with her if she allowed herself to be hurt. She hoped she'd foil their kidnapping attempt. She could hear the man cursing in the bathroom. He grabbed the door and shook it hard trying to get it open. He kicked the door it took three kicks before the door gave in. "You are being difficult", he growled. Riley shrugged replying, "I may not be able to fight you but I won't go willingly."
The man gripped her arm pulling her roughly out of the stall. He firmly gripped her arm as he yanked her towards the door leading out of the bathroom. Riley felt a gun at her back as they exited into the library. She saw Mara outside of the door gun drawn. She sighed saying, "Mara stand down. He has a gun at my back. Go, alert Liam, and follow his orders." Mara nodded before stepping back to contact Bastien.
Mara followed the queen and her abductor at a distance keeping them insight. She watched as the queen was forced into the limo they had arrived in. Mara texted the plate number to Bastien. Mara slumped in defeat as the limo slowly left. She hopped into one of the SUVs that had followed the limo saying, "Follow them but keep them from seeing us without losing them. Unfortunately, they had lost the limo at some point forcing them to have to return to the king.
Liam was beyond pissed at the loss of the queen. He quickly began pacing in the security room. Bastien patted his shoulder and pointed to the map on his computer screen. Bastien said, "She turned on her tracker. I sent a team with her tracker signal to follow. We will have her back soon. You will have to stay here though sir. You have to respond should they call with demands for her safe return." Liam was outraged but knew Bastien was right he'd just have to wait. He hated the idea of waiting but they had to put an end to the threat. Liam was torn he wanted to find where Anton and his men were hiding but, he also wanted his wife back home.