- R. A. Salvatore

Rhea couldn’t take any more shock after this. She had officially reached her maximum potential of dealing with crazy people, including Ashwin, Utteridge, and now this new person. Rhea couldn’t believe this many people hated her husband. Sure, he could be surly and rude and gruff sometimes but that’s nothing to kidnap members of the peer over . . . was it?

Rhea was completely versed in villainous matters or what exactly justified a villainous act.

Rhea stared as the woman revealed herself in the low lamplight. Rhea was, as she had been the last time, stunned by her beauty. Lady Carolotta hadn’t changed at all since the last time Rhea saw her. The woman was still vain and pretentious, seeing as she was with Utteridge and Ashwin. How in the Lord’s name did this group even form anyway?

Rhea was sure the Devil had some hand in the trio meeting one another. Completely sure.

“Well, if it isn’t wee Rhea, straight from the cradle,” she smirked, glancing at Utteridge, “into the lion’s den.”

Rhea stared at her, astounded at how vicious the woman ended up being. “Lady Carolotta, it is intriguing to see you . . . so far from the country.”

Lady Carolotta smiled maliciously, making her way over to where Lord Utteridge stood by the makeshift table, “Oh, darling, I’ve never been much for the country.”

“I see you two have met?” Utteridge smiled, his hand circling around the spiteful woman. Lady Carolotta nodded. “That is good then, you two will surely like each other’s company.”

“You know the company I most prefer, though, darling,” Lady Carolotta shifted her head to look up at him, but Utteridge was too focused on Rhea to meet her gaze. Lady Carolotta scowled at the subject of his attention.

“Did you deliver the message?” Utteridge inquired.

“I did. I had my favorite messenger promise to hand-deliver the letter to His Grace personally.”

“Good, good,” Utteridge nodded, “then the clock is ticking now, isn’t it? Won’t be long, my dear,” Utteridge glanced back at Rhea. “Your husband shall be here shortly.”

Hadrian, please, Rhea pleaded, hoping Hadrian wouldn’t arrive alone, be careful.

“Your Grace! Your Grace! A message . . . has arrived,” Clarke panted, he had practically ran about the manor looking for his master, and finding him upstairs in his room, clutching a wrap of Rhea’s.

After hearing Clarke’s yell, he had stood up and gazed at the doorway to his and Rhea’s bedroom. Clarke strode swiftly to his bedside, handing his lordship the message that arrived.

Hadrian ripped open the seal and glanced at the contents, there was small strap of blonde hair in the middle of the letter, bound by a tie. Hadrian didn’t have to figure out if it was Rhea’s. He knew, in his gut, that it was hers.

“We’ll be waiting by the docks, near the old, abandoned warehouses. Come alone or she dies.”

Hadrian’s hand shook with rage. He knew this had to be Beckham’s doing. He would destroy the man, until there was nothing left of him.

“Clarke, I am departing for the abandoned warehouses near the docks, you know the one. Send the Runner’s, Devin, and Dalting there after 15 minutes. Not a minute more or less. Understood?”

“Yes, sire.” Clarke nodded hurriedly.

“Good man. I’ll be leaving now,” Hadrian said, retrieving his cloak and disappearing down the stairs and out the manor entrance. He appeared, rushed, into the stables and retrieved one of the younger, stronger horses and went off, praying that his wife was at least safe, for the moment.

He had eyes everywhere. No one could do a thing on the streets and in their houses without him knowing; if he even wanted to know about it. Usually, Dalting had no use for some of the information passed through him, other times, it was as if he’d stumbled upon a gold mine.

At the moment, he was making his way to where the orphaned boy had said he’d seen two men and two young ladies enter into – an old abandoned yard filled with warehouses; they’d been used to temporarily store merchandise or produce from the ships that would come to port.

Dalting glanced to his left and then to his right and nodded. Whenever he needed to do a serious job, especially an extraction, he always had his men, his warriors with him. There was no need for an army when he had his eight. They were a force to be reckoned with by their own reputation; dressed in camouflage clothing, specially designed for their group, that helped them blend into the night and how they managed to ensure a successful mission every time.

He’d formed three groups to check out each warehouse. Even though the port and docks still operated, the warehouses were no longer in use, their faulty structure ensured that.

Dalting and two of his eight followed him to the farther warehouse from the docks. The first floor showed no signs of life, but Dalting could easily see the shoes scuffmarks that seemed too recent for chance. He glanced at one of his eight, Rogers, and motioned him to wait outside.

Dalting and the other member, Abbott, proceeded farther into the warehouse to the second story. A thud sounded softly in the distance.

Dalting held his hand up, pausing their stride. He listened closely and heard the thump again, a little louder this time. Dalting gestures for Abbott to make his way around to the other side in the dimly lit second floor.

He could see a lamplight, a desk, but nothing more. Dalting inched forward as the sound became louder and louder. He came upon a closed door and could only guess that it was most likely a closet. Dalting noticed Abbott draw closer and shake his head in a quick negative strike. He nodded.

Dalting walked closer to the closet, and cautiously opened the door. He peered down and his eyes widened. “Lady Edmond?”

Leia glanced up in surprise. Abbott moved forward to help the lady, but Dalting pushed passed him and lifted Leia up in his arms, he circled around to her bound hands and untied them, she reached quickly for the gag stuffed in her mouth.

“Leia, are you alright?” Dalting demanded, forcing her to look at him. She trembled in his arms and he clenched her tighter against me. “Look at me dammit!”

Leia slowly gazed at him, staring right into his eyes. He brusquely ran his hands along her body to ensure there were no injuries, when he was completely confident that she was fine, just going through shock, he relaxed slightly.

Leia inhaled and exhaled three times before she was able to speak. “T-they took her . . . Lord Utteridge, Ashwin, and some other lady I don’t know.”

“Where did they take her?” Dalting questioned.

Leia shook her head and bit her lip. Dalting glanced at her mouth and then forced himself to look back at her face. “I don’t know, not completely. I believe they said something about the meeting at the docks? I don’t know. Oh, God, Dalting, they’ll hurt her!”

Dalting glanced at Abbott who was already making his way, swiftly out of the warehouse, alerting the others and heading toward the docks. Satisfied that they would reach the docks, Dalting gazed at Leia once more.

“Are you sure you are alright?” He inquired softly. Leia gazed at him for several moments, and then, as if she just realized the position they were in, jerked herself out of his arms and scowled at him.

“I’m perfectly fine. Matter of fact, I was nearly rid of my bonds,” Leia argued adamantly.

“Indeed,” Dalting murmured.

“Yes, indeed, I don’t need a man’s help to rescue me. I am quite capable on my own. I merely needed a moment to gather myself as I haven’t eaten all day, and when I haven’t eaten I get quite weak, if I must say so. In fact, did you know-?”

“Leia.” Dalting interrupted gently. Leia glanced quickly at him. “It’s alright.”

Leia exhaled shakily and nodded. She started past him and he looked at her, bemused. She continued heading toward where she’d seen the other man go. Realizing she was by herself she glanced back at Dalting and he saw her beckoning him to her.

“Come on, we must help Rhea and stop those bloody criminals!” Leia explained. Dalting nodded and motioned for her to slow down. “What?” she asked.

“When we arrive at the docks you are to stay with one of my men. You are not to engage any ‘criminals’-”

Leia opened her mouth to argue but he held up his hand.

“This is under no way to be discussed. I am commanding you to obey me in this. Do you understand?” he demanded.

Leia nodded reluctantly, “Bloody men,” she muttered. Dalting shot her a whisper of a smile and then they were off, headed to rescue Rhea, and hoping she wasn’t already gone.