A fresh candle, two cups, a coffee pot and a basket of bread stood on a barrel. I guessed that meant it was morning. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, my recollections of the previous night returned and with them my fear. It was hard to know exactly what to think or feel. This wasn’t about me, as J-F had told me, but still I was the victim. I was a foot soldier caught up in the battle between two empires – forces beyond my control were in charge of my destiny. I didn’t like it one little bit. Pacing the cellar, I tried to imagine what my friends were feeling – that’s if J-F had chosen to enlighten them to my plight, and I wouldn’t put it past him to remain silent if it suited him. Frank would demand to be exchanged for me – and he would be right as his fate was only prison with a good chance he might be freed when the truth about the king’s flight came out. But the reward skewed everything. Relying on thieves for your safety was not a good idea, I decided. If I got a second chance, I wouldn’t do so again.
