- What do you mean by that? - she asked.
- Ah! Didn't the young prince tell you? - he said by bringing his face closer to hers. - He's a mercenary, honey. It was already under your command.
Before Bree's shocked gaze, Oliver stood up laughing. Looking around, he opened his arms and started screaming.
- Come on, get out of wherever you are and fight like a man! You coward!
- What's he talking about? - asked Keilan in a confused voice. - Have you ever been a mercenary?
I stared at Keilan with a cold, dark look. I hated remembering that part of my life and Oliver was making the worst of me. I couldn't hide it anymore and after everything Aila told me about having been in Ravenna's hands, I realized it was time to reveal some secrets too.
- No, Keilan! I wasn't a mercenary. - I answered in a dark voice. - I'm a mercenary.
Chapter 13
Bree
I frowned, hardly believing Oliver's words. If he understood correctly, Alec was a mercenary. This was impossible, as he hated the mercenaries and tried at all costs to find out how the groups were being formed.
- You're lying! - he said between his teeth. - Alec would never be able to join that bunch of greedy traitors.
Oliver let out a laugh and turned to me.
- You don't, do you? How can you know that's not true? - he asked with disdain. - You've been hiding for a long time, worried about staying alive. You don't know anything about who's been going on outside your world.
Oliver approached me again and grabbed my chin.
- She's just a coward who uses her sisters as an excuse to live behind a mask.
I grunted away and tried to stand up, but my feet were tied together, preventing me from moving.
- You bastard! Liar! - ...I wriggled around contorting.
I was trying at all costs to let go of my hands. How could I have been taken prisoner like this? I was wondering while you were pushing. Oliver laughed and stood up again.
- I guarantee she's not a liar! - Alec's voice sounded cold and dark. - Let her go and fight me.
He came out from behind a bush and stopped a few feet from where Oliver was. Alec was leaning on his sword with both hands. The bow was pierced through his chest by a saddlebag with arrows. His dark eyes and disheveled hair made him look like a savage, very angry. It's the first time I've been really scared since I left Inverness.
- Why would I fight? - Oliver asked. - Don't you realize he's surrounded?
- Yeah, but I'm not worth much if I'm dead. - Alec said coldly. - Remember, there's a fat reward for my capture.
Oliver snorted and grunted right away. He closed his fists and made mention of jumping on Alec, but he smiled before whistling. Arrows flew from strategic points in the middle of the forest and hit the men around us. They immediately fell to the ground.
- We can negotiate. - Alec spoke with a smile.
- Negotiate? - Oliver repeated. - I do not wish to negotiate with you. I wouldn't do that if it cost me my life.
- Good, because I'm really willing to take it off.
- Then do it!
- No, not yet.
The coldness with which Alec conducted that conversation made me apprehensive. He was transformed and no longer looked at all like that seductive man who had challenged me days ago. He came up to me and got down in front of me.
- All right? - he asked in a soft voice, but kept his face serious. - Are you hurt?
- Despite the pain in my head, I think I'm fine - I answered by swallowing dry. - What's this about being a mercenary?
Alec took a deep breath.
- I promise I'll explain as soon as I'm done having fun.
- Fun?
Alec nodded and then stood up.
- Here's the deal... - He started. - I know that many other men are on their way, so I will give you the opportunity to take the prize and survive. If you can take me down in five minutes, you can take us as a prize.
- What are you doing? What are you doing? - I said, "I'm stunned. - You've gone crazy! MacGregor will kill me if he knows I'm alive.
- Or negotiate with King Phillipe, asking for an army in exchange for his life. - Alec completed little caring about my observation. - Imagine how much we're worth alive.
Oliver smiled.
- What if I lose?
- Tell me where Morvan hid, and if I like the answer, maybe I'll let him live. - Oliver laughed shaking his head from side to side. - You have my word as a prince.
Oliver was staring at Alec for a while.
- I see no reason to fight, because I'd beat him! - Oliver said in an arrogant tone.
- Prove it! - Alec challenged him with a whisper.
- All right! All right! - Oliver nodded. - I accept your challenge!
Alec hemmed his sword and I frowned. What was that idiot doing?
- You can come whenever you want. - he challenged Oliver with a voice full of arrogance.
- Alec, he's gonna kill you, you idiot! - I screamed trying to stand up.
I slipped again from the lack of balance. Alec was deviating from Oliver's sword blows without using a single weapon or counteracting the attacks.
