Chapter 4

“Make sure she’s attached properly to the chain post, Harrier. Oh, and keep those shackles tight; we don’t want her doing something we don’t want.” Shrike bellowed at his partner.

I figured Harrier had been the other man who had come with Shrike to pay me a brief visit. They had kept me sedated, so I was fuzzy about the timeframe. Had it been the day before or the one before that? I couldn’t tell.

“Strip her down to her undergarments and let her hang there for a while. I’ll need to inform his majesty that we will begin shortly.”

Shrike left, and Harrier slipped a knife in the back of my dress, breaking the delicate cloth and jerking away the corset. He didn’t remove all my clothing, he just opened the back, and everything fell loosely, hanging slightly from my arms. I pressed my chest on the chain post. My shoulders curved upward since my hands were bound by chains near the top of the column.

They had not given me whatever had been in the vial before bringing me here. I assumed my jailors wanted to force me to do magic for them, for their pleasure, or to study me. That I didn’t know. I only knew that I had regained control of my limbs.

I purposefully pressed deeper into the wooden post. Bracing myself for whatever was to come. The door opened, and Shrike returned to my side and frowned.

“I told you to strip her.”

Harrier came beside him, and his face reddened.

“I didn’t think it wise. The girl is still a lady… a Princess at that. You’ll still be able to whip her and have your fun.”

Whippings were good. I could deal with those. I had had them several times in the past. One more time wouldn’t hurt me. I can take it, I thought.

I pressed my forehead on the wood and exhaled loudly. If they were torturing me, I needed to concentrate on emptying my mind. I couldn’t afford any distractions, or I would feel the pain. I needed there to be nothing, so I could feel nothing. At least, that was what I thought I would try to do.

Harrier stuck his arm out, showing me a bundle of thick leather strings. I returned my focus to the chain post and continued exhaling deep breaths.

“Now, pet, if you look carefully, you will notice that this is not a normal whip. You see, each string has itty bitty tiny hooks that will sink into your skin and rip it once I pull back.” He pulled on the collar of my chemise and scowled when he peeked. “We might need to get a couple in before you notice something since you have thick scars on your back. Naughty girl. These last ten years haven’t been nice to you. It doesn’t matter, really. It will save you some time before you experience real pain but don’t worry, I’ll make sure to get some in on the sides, too; that skin is much more delicate.” Shrike winked and moved away from my field of vision.

I hissed. “Seems to me you are more a man of words than a man of action, Sir. You keep promising me pain, and yet, nothing has happened.” I taunted him. “I still don’t see why all this show is necessary….”

The whip cracked in the air. I felt the leather strings touch my lower back, and as Shrike pulled, I could feel my skin lift and tear. Once the hooks were out, I was flung back near the post. I stopped breathing and tried to control the pain. I had not expected that.

“The show is for my personal amusement and to instill fear in your mind. Fear in the body is no fun, but fear in the mind is entertaining. Regarding why I am doing this… let’s just say it’s simply to pass the time until the King arrives, and then we get down to the nitty-gritty.”

I felt the leather touch the inside of my ribs. Again, the skin pulled as the hooks receded. Shrike inflicted four more hits, but those had been higher on my back, where my skin was thicker. It pained me less than the previous ones, but I still had to muffle a cry.

I started sweating from the pain and noticed my feet and knees were slipping in the small pool of blood that was accumulating under me. At this rate, it wasn’t my mind they would break, but my body. I had had enough.

The chain that bound me was tight, but I had enough wiggle room to allow myself to try something. I placed both my shackled hands on the flat surface of the wooden post and sent a discharge of energy through it. I hid my face to the side and waited for the spell to work. The wood beneath my hands glowed blue, then cracked and exploded, allowing the chain which had been secured tightly to fall free on the ground.

I swirled around, my knees still on the floor, and had just enough time to see Shrike and Harrier covering their faces with their arms to prevent wood splinters from hitting them. I sent a blast their way. Their bodies made a loud noise on the wall. One of them cursed, and I smiled internally at the fact I had caught them by surprise.

My heart hammered ferociously, and my mind flooded with possibilities of escaping and getting caught. The probability of leaving this place was slim, but I had to try at least. The more I thought about it, the more I knew my snarkiness would get me killed, especially with Shrike. His sadistic pleasures were most likely only the tip of his capabilities, and I had no doubts that he would be capable of making my life a living nightmare.

My primary focus was getting out of here and getting my bearings on where I was. I was restricted in what I could do, since I was still bound at the wrists and didn’t have enough slack to allow me to do a lot of spells. I needed more movement.

Once I spotted the door, I got up and pounced on it. Shrike had locked it. I placed my hand on the knob and repeated what I had done to the post. The door gave way, and I exited the room, running through a long corridor. It felt familiar somehow, but nothing confirmed if I was going in the right direction.

I heard someone tumble outside the room, and the sound of running feet getting closer alarmed me. I moved near the sidewall and slid my fingers the length of it while doubling my pace. Crackling blue sparks flew out of my fingertips, then I heard the paintings and wall decorations fly, hitting whoever was in my pursuit. I turned the corner and noticed a staircase. I grabbed the railing and flung my legs up the stairs, pulling my body upward with the metal rail. I took them two, almost three at a time. Once I was up, I pushed the door that led to another corridor. This time, vivid memories of my childhood flooded my head. I was in the castle. My castle. I was home.

Guided by my memories, I ran faster, trying to reach the library. Otis had shown me a secret passage that I could use to escape. I was confident no one knew it existed since I hadn’t known about it before the uprising, and I thought I had known every possible secret passage this castle contained. I just needed to get closer to the central staircase. The library lay just beyond it.

My mind was hazy, so I followed my feet to where I needed to go. I passed several maids who pushed themselves out of my way while they gasped at my dreadful appearance. The sound of clinking armour made me halt. It was coming closer from the direction in front of me.

I needed to change paths, so I doubled back, hitting a footman coming out of a room. I pushed him none too gently, and he fell backward, landing on his behind. His eyes went wide in surprise, but soon after, he yelled to let the guards know I was there.

As I retraced my steps, I saw I had been leaving a trail of blood. I removed the top of my dress and corset, which were still hanging on me, and used it to swipe at the long drips of hot red liquid on my back and side, then tossed the slashed clothes and pressed on. If I couldn’t go to the library, I would need to go to my father’s study. There was a passage behind one painting I could use. It reminded me of the servant’s stairs back at High Hill Estate. A labyrinth of narrow passageways followed the inside walls, allowing someone to move from room to room undetected. There weren’t many in this castle, so I had to pinpoint the closest room I knew contained one.

I took a sharp left and lifted the hem of my ripped dress to allow more running room. My father’s study had been on the same floor as the library but on the opposite side. My breaths had become ragged, and my lungs were burning from the effort. Echoes of running feet and armour metal hitting themselves together sent me into a frenzy. I hadn’t been able to shake off my pursuers. Faiths only knew what was in store for me if they caught up and dragged me back to Shrike and Harrier.

I saw the beautiful ornate door that I had been looking for. My body connected with the entrance with force. My shaking hands went straight for the handle and pulled it down. Relief washed over me when it opened, and I quickly went inside, closing it behind me.

I took a few seconds to collect myself and calm my thundering heart. The stress and adrenaline I felt were so intense that I thought I would pass out. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths through my nose. Once the feeling had passed, I turned around and almost screamed. Someone else was in the room.

The man sat behind my father’s desk and gazed at me, looking me up and down. His gaze sent shivers down my spine and pinned me in place. I didn’t dare move. The imposing man put down the quill in his hand and dropped the paper he was writing on top of a pile of letters. Then he slid the chair back, allowing him to get up. Once he went around the desk, he strolled towards me, only stopping a few feet away. I thought I had seen concern on his face, but I highly doubted it.

“Cressida. It’s been a long time.” His wicked voice resonated in the small room. He almost sounded happy to see me.

“It has… Lord Osprey.”