Abducted [W&W Book 3]

Chapter 22

Over the next few days Ildri felt like she was going to explode with everything that was seething inside her. She went over and over the events that had led her to the castle. There were so many things that she should have done differently, so many actions that would have changed how things had turned out.

Ildri could have stayed at Maxine's. She could have kept walking back to Wildwood or Waldwick or anywhere the first time that she had left him. She could have kept her mouth shut when they were hiding and they never would have been chased so intently. Her reasons still brought a flush of shame to her face and it only heightened the horrible revelation.

It was all Ildri's fault.

The only reason that Ty was in trouble was because of the way that Ildri was. She had always known that she was weak and dependent and slow and useless. She was a burden on everyone that she came near. Her aunts and uncles had known it and Lord Wildwood had been more than understanding about it. And she had led Ty to his doom.

Ildri was feeling so low that it was almost not a surprise when the news came.

* * * * *

There was a knock on the guest chamber door. Ildri got up and opened it even though it was already unlocked. A man who she now knew to be Charles was on the other side of the door. He functioned as a messenger for the king's councillors—Ildri could not remember what his official title was but he was nice enough that Ildri was not displeased to see him.

"Miss Ildri? Sir Geoffrey has asked me to bring you to him," Charles said.

Ildri summoned a faint smile. "Yes, of course Charles," she said. "I'm ready right now."

Ildri followed Charles through the castle although she already knew the way. She had been to Sir Geoffrey's offices a number of times while he ran her through a million seemingly endless questions until her head spun. He was not particularly nasty or cruel but she still felt an unpleasant lump form in her belly at the thought of another session with him.

He had already had Ildri describe everything from the appearance of the soldier's weapons to the sort of cloth that had been used in the tents. While Ildri's curious mind was had a fairly good grasp of remembering general details she was quite sure that he had already extracted every last bit of information from her. She could not imagine what questions he had thought of this time.

She wondered if Anya had been subjected to the same sort of treatment. Probably worse, after all, Ildri was not a criminal like her false friend had been.

They arrived at Sir Geoffrey's door and Charles knocked smartly.

"Come in," Sir Geoffrey called.

Charles swung the door open and went to leave.

"You can stay, Charles. I'm only going to keep her for a short time. Take a seat, please," he said in a lazy voice.

Ildri and Charles both sat down. Sir Geoffrey started directly. "Lord Wildwood asked that I keep you informed on what has been happening, Ildri of Wildwood."

Ildri nodded and watched as Sir Geoffrey folded his hands in front of him on the desk. "We believe that we have discovered what may have happened to your companion."

"What?" Ildri asked, suddenly impatient.

Sir Geoffrey allowed a deep sigh to escape his lips. "There is no doubt that he has been captured by the enemy. There is evidence of a force consisting of many horses met him after he parted ways with you. There was a good deal of blood."

"Blood?" Ildri repeated in horror.

"Although we cannot be sure to whom it belonged, there is a high probability that someone sustained life threatening injuries. If it was not Ty, then there is a good chance that he was merely captured and has been imprisoned somewhere."