Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 204(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 204(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
“What is this?” he asked the guards. “It’s not one of mine.”
“It must be,” another guard assured him.
“It’s too clean,” he said, grabbing my jaw. “Open.”
When I did, he checked my teeth, then huffed out a frustrated breath. “This belongs at the manor. Take it there and see that they pay you for its return.”
“And if it doesn’t belong there?”
“Then bring it back and we’ll put it to work. But if it belongs in the manor, then taking it back will give us silver coin, not bronze.”
I was putting a picture together as I sat now in an empty wagon making the trip to the manor. A king ruled this land, and under him were dukes and viscounts and all manner of royalty. The closest noble house to the mine was a baron’s, and that was where they were sure I’d run from.
What was interesting was that it was only me, the driver, and one guard, and when I asked for water, the driver passed me his canteen through the opening in the wooden bars.
“Why give him water?” the guard asked.
“Why not? What does it matter?”
Apparently it didn’t, and neither man saw me have another energy bar. I had six originally, so I really hoped there would be some kind of food once the last three were gone.
The manor was more like a Gothic castle where Dracula would have felt at home than something out of Pride and Prejudice. We went around the side and stopped at a small back gate under an archway that led down a paved pathway to, I was guessing, the servants’ entrance.
A tall, thin man was there to meet us.
“It’s quite late,” were the first words out of his mouth.
“We found this,” the guard said, grabbing my shoulder and shoving me to my knees in front of the man. “The warden wanted to know if it was yours, and if it isn’t, did you want it or not? If not, we’ll take it back and put it to work.”
The tall man sneered at me, but when he got closer, holding a lantern in his hand so he could see me, his face changed. He appeared stunned.
“Open your mouth,” he ordered me.
When I complied, he caught his breath. Bending closer, he turned my head from side to side and then had me stand.
“Strip out of whatever it is you’re wearing,” he ordered, and I peeled off my hoodie and the shirt underneath. He ran his cold, clammy hand down my back, and I couldn’t help but pull away. “And the rest,” he insisted, but the guard put up his hand.
“You’ve seen enough of him. I get that he isn’t yours, you don’t recognize him, but do you want him or not?”
“Yes,” he breathed out. “I want him very much.”
“How much is very much?”
They were given gold for me. The tall man had the guards take my shackles off, then escorted me to the back door of the house. As soon as I stepped inside, another man put cuffs on my wrists.
“I am Farren,” the tall man said, and then indicated his friend, “and this is Jaro. You will call us only sir, and speak only when spoken to.”
I nodded.
“You lucky shit,” Jaro told Farren. “You found a replacement before his lordship returns.”
Farren smiled evilly.
“And he’s even prettier than the one you fucked and tortured.”
“I didn’t torture him. I merely cut him as I raped him,” he said matter-of-factly. “Did you check the pigpen? Is there anything left?”
Jaro shook his head. “No, you’re clear. Just don’t do it again.”
“His lordship returns tomorrow. Why would I take another before then?” Farren said, like that was ridiculous. “I’m not a monster.”
Jaro scoffed, then grabbed the chain between the cuffs and yanked me forward.
“Be careful with him. You know his lordship likes a pristine canvas when he begins. Right now he’s got a few bruises on him, but that can’t be helped. We need to feed him and get him into the bath with Vaya.”
“Yes,” Jaro agreed. He let go of the cuffs, and instead took hold of my bicep and led me into the house.
They took off the cuffs and fed me. The food looked and smelled amazing, but I ate lightly, not wanting to overindulge. After that, I was locked in a small room with a bed, a lantern on a nightstand, and a wash basin and a bucket in case I had to go to the bathroom. The windows had bars on them, and when I checked under the bed, I found a crudely drawn rune of protection. I was guessing it had been drawn by the last occupant of the room. It had done him no good, and it made me sad to think of him being scared and hoping for deliverance. If it was the last thing I did, I would avenge him.