Are they bringing me something to eat? But if they are, where is the light, their lanterns, or torches?
Something feels really, really wrong.
I push myself back against a wall.
Why can’t I see any light?
“Aww. The poor little witch is cowering. She has all the power in the world, but she still can’t see in the dark.”
Frensen.
He lowers his voice to almost a whisper, the sound somehow even more sinister for it.
“That’s one of the bonuses of being a dragon shifter, witch. Night vision. Comes in handy when you want to break your prisoners down.”
My heart is pounding so loudly in my ears it’s hard to hear anything else, but if I strain I can hear Frensen’s footsteps, one, then another, heading in my direction.
I swallow, wishing I could see. It’s so dark I can’t even see his energy in here, and I realise with a start that’s adding to this horrid sense of being blind.
“Don’t worry, little witch. You’re safe here. No one is going to find you.”
He’s right in front of me now. I can feel the warmth of his body. He brushes a hand against my cheek, laughing as I jerk away from his touch, and inadvertently smack the back of my head against the wall.
Stars dance before my eyes, and I squeeze them closed, wishing I could magic away the pain in the back of my head.
I’m too scared to lift my hand to check the injury, but after a moment, there’s a warm wetness sliding down the back of my head, and I’m certain I must be bleeding.
“Ah, you’re a beauty,” he says. “And that streak of confidence, what I wouldn’t give to be the one to beat it out of you.”
I take a deep breath, and steal myself. He can only take what I’m willing to give, and I’m not going to give up my strength. “Fuck you, Frensen.”
He smirks. I can sense it. I can hear it in his voice when he speaks. “Ah see, how much I’d love to let you do that, little witch. Trouble is, I’m not convinced you don’t have some sort of latent power there that you can use to cause me trouble. I’ve seen the long list of master’s you’ve had over the last few years, quite a quick turn over with most of them. Seems to me you must’ve done something to make them sell you on so fast. You’ll probably shrivel my dick or something.”
I’m about to retort that they were never willing to pay the price of the magic they wanted me to perform, but I bite my tongue.
Why not let him believe I still have some power. It’s got to help me in the long run, surely.
“Aren’t you going to hand me over, let them burn me at the stake?”
He laughs again, he’s finger stroking my cheek. It’s unnerving, the way he can just touch me, and I have no idea it’s even coming.
“And lose my very own source of power. I don’t think so.”
“But you’ve made use of me. You’ve taken Sidney’s fertility. You don’t need me anymore. Unless—” I pause. “Unless you want me to grant your fertility. Then you could have as many children as you ever wanted.”
“You think I’m a fool?” There’s a snarl to Frensen’s voice now. “You think I don’t know how your magic works? That I have to pay with the thing I love the most. I’d rather steal Sidney’s child, or any others he may have managed to conceive. Claim them for my own. Solves the problem quite easily, I think.”
There’s silence for a moment. I don’t know if Frensen is waiting for me to speak, but I clench my jaw. I’m not giving in to that trick.
“I have other plans,” Frensen says, finally. “I’ll be back, little witch. Once I’ve decided on the next course of action.”
The door slams shut again, and I sink to the ground.
It’s only then that I realise he didn’t bring me anything to eat or drink. My mouth is so dry, and my stomach is twisting in pain, from the hunger. I grasp at my stomach, and lay on the cold rocky ground, curling myself up into the tightest possible ball.
How long is this going to go on for? Is Sidney looking for me yet? Is anyone looking for me?
My heart sinks as I think of that secret door, hidden in the last room.
How will anyone find me, even if they are looking?
Tears form behind my eyelids, and I let them fall, warm streaks sliding over my nose and cheeks to drip onto the ground.
Maybe I should just accept that I’m Frensen’s now, and just forget about everything else.
Time passes. I sleep, or I think I do, waking to a crick in my neck from being cramped up against the wall. I wish I could magic some light. It wouldn’t require much, a minute from the end of my life for every minute I use the glow. And I wouldn’t use it for long, just enough to see how big this room is.
I’m scared the room is massive, and that I’ll lose the door if I wander. Or worse, maybe it’s a corridor, not a room, and I’ll be completely lost, forever.
Would Frensen send someone after me, if they found me missing? Or would he just leave me to die?
I stand, and stretch my arms and legs and back.
I think I hear movement again, and my heart pounds, but there’s nothing.
I fantasise about having my power back, about what I could do – summon a glass of water, a meal. What would that cost?
Months of the end of my life for the water, a year for the food, if I wanted something filling and meaty, which is exactly what I’m craving right now.
I follow the wall around towards where I believe the door is. It’s only a few steps along one wall to a corner, and then another wall to the door itself. The hinges feel like massive cast iron things, the bars so thick I can only just wrap my hands around them.
When I see light coming down the corridor, I’m almost convinced I’m hallucinating.
Frensen.
But then, Frensen can see in the dark. Why would he bring light?
Whoever it is is carrying it out behind them, so all I see is one lonely silhouette, and as they get closer the light is too bright, and I have to shield my eyes.
There’s a clunking in the door, and a small hatch below the bars opens inwards, like a shelf. “Frensen’s got another spell he wants.” It’s the guard from before. “So he’s sent you down some sustenance. Better eat up, you’ve got some heavy work to do soon.”
I want to refuse the food, but I’m so hungry, and now it’s through the door the scent is wafting up to my nostrils, making my stomach growl in anticipation.
The guard turns, the light dimming as he disappears back along the corridor, and I have to grab the food before I’m left in the dark again, and I can’t see it.
It’s exactly the stew I wanted, thick gravy with chunks of meat and vegetables, and a flask of water.
For a brief, ridiculous, moment I wonder if something has happened to the contract, if Sidney has confronted Frensen and destroyed, giving me my power back.
I hold out a hand, and wish for light.
Nothing happens. I wish harder, trying to stir the energies I usually feel when I cast a spell. Still nothing.
This meal is coincidence, then.
Though I really shouldn’t complain about that.
My stomach grumbles, and I stop wasting time and start eating.
It’s not hot, not that I expected it to be after the walk he must’ve done from the kitchens, but it is warm, and it tastes so good. I eat all of it, savouring every mouthful, even licking the bowl clean.
I can’t waste this. Who knows when I’ll get more.
I try not to think about what Frensen wants next. Whenever I do, I get an icy chill down my spine in warning, not that I needed that to warn me it won’t be anything good.
When Frensen returns, he comes in the dark.
I’m not scared this time, well, not as scared. I’m expecting him, and I’ve eaten, so I’m feeling stronger again.
I hear the door open in the darkness, and I stand up, straightening my shoulders. I won’t let him see my fear.
“The food perked you up I see.”
H
is breath is warm on my cheek, and I can’t help but jump.
How did he get so close.
He laughs.
“I have some brilliant news,” he says. “Kress was killed in an accident this morning. I’m guessing that was the cost of my last spell?”
I nod. Why speak when I know he can see me?
“Excellent.”
He begins to pace, I can’t see him, of course, but I can hear his footsteps again, crossing back and forwards across the room.
“So one brother down, two to go.” There’s a scrape on the floor as he spins on one foot to face me.
“I want Mitchell gone, next. I’ll leave Sidney to last, let him suffer a bit, for trying to steal my place. And then when he’s gone, I’ll take his breeder, and claim that child as my own.”
I know he’s trying to stir me up, too, but I’m not going to let him. Obviously Sidney is still safe, and Stacey too.
Instead I focus on what he wants to do to Mitchell.
“Gone? That’s a bit vague.” I keep my voice steady, though I’m not really sure how I’m managing it, because inside my heart is pounding, and I feel like I’m going to bring up all that delicious food.
“Are you sending him on a holiday, or is this a permanent relocation?”
“You are sassy,” Frensen says, and all of a sudden he’s slapped my bottom. “I’d love to fuck that out of you.” He’s right up close to my face again, his voice a low growl. “But unless we can strip you of your magic, that’s never going to happen. Unless.”
There’s a silence, and my heart sinks.
“Can we wish away your magic? Once you’ve done everything I need you to do, of course?” He’s pulled away now, pacing again.
I swallow.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? I doubt that.”
I shrug. “It takes time to work out the cost of spells. I’ve never been asked to consider that before.”
“Perhaps it’s something you can consider, while you sit here in the dark. Imagine a life where you have no power, at all. No magic, no place in this world except as whore to a king.”
He’s quiet for a moment, and then when he speaks his mouth is right on my ear, his breath hot.
“Perhaps my second last spell can be to keep you young and sexy, forever, so I never have to pass you on to anyone else.”
A shudder tears through my body, though I fight it with everything I have.
It makes me sick to know he can see it.
“Not so strong now, little witch. Not so brave. It’s amazing what being locked in the dark does to people. Of course, most women have already broken by this stage, but then they’ve also been raped by something they can’t see, completely unaware of the presense until they’re stomach is scraping on the dirt, a cock deep inside them.” He chuckles, and I wish I could close my ears against his words.
“For now, I want to know the cost of ending my youngest brother.”
I swallow again.
“I need time—”
Thwack! His hand connects with my face so suddenly my head is ripped sideways.
“Don’t lie to me, witch. You might be able to fool my brother, but I’ve worked with witches before, and I know how all this works. You can figure it out now.”
I close my eyes, not that I need to in the dark, but it’s habit, and take a slow deep breath.
Mitchell. He wasn’t exactly very pleasant, either, but I don’t think any of them deserved to die. Expect perhaps Frensen. Then again, if the other brothers are the same, maybe they do.
I dismiss the thought, clearing my mind.
A woman appears, and my heart sinks even further in my chest. Why is it women who are so often forced to pay for men’s actions?
A moment later her identity comes to me.
I open my eyes in surprise.
“You have a wife?”
Frensen grins. “Don’t sound so shocked, little witch. You speak as though you think I couldn’t possibly be married.”
I’d like to tell him that’s exactly what I think, but I keep my mouth shut.
“You see, as oldest brother, it was assumed that my life would follow the normal course of events, where I get married, and have copious amounts of children. And so I got married, and we tried, and tried, and tried, and tried some more. When it became apparent she wasn’t going to give me any children, I moved on to finding breeders, instead. My brothers were lucky enough to never be tied down. Father determined they didn’t have to marry until they’d found a woman who could give them children.”
There’s resentment to his tone.
“But you stayed married?”
“Yes, well, I could hardly divorce her could I? That would look bad. And besides, it doesn’t matter who the female is, as long as I’m the father.”
I want to ask about the rumours of him letting his servants rape his breeders, in the hope they’ll fall pregnant, but I’m too scared. Besides, if that were true, surely some of his women would have fallen pregnant by now if that were the case. Asking such things might put ideas into his head.
“Your wife,” I say, choking the words out. “If you want Mitchell to die, then your wife will have to die, too.”
“My wife? Anne will have to die?” Frensen seems surprised, and I hear in his voice a flash of something… nostalgia, perhaps, of a love once held, and for a moment I feel a dash of hope that this cost will be too much.
But of course nothing is too much for Frensen.
“Fine. I was getting sick of her anyway. And I’m having so much fun silencing that little bitch I got from Sidney.”
I think of Nancy, and instantly feel sorry for her. She was mean, but she never deserved whatever Frensen is doing, especially if it’s anything like this.
“Right. Best get on with it then. I want Mitchell dead.”
I feel the power surging around me, but this time instead of letting it flow through me, I focus on squashing it back down where it came from.
“Well? Get on with it.”
“I can’t.” The words are gasped from fighting to stop it. I didn’t even know I could do this, and I’m not sure how long I can resist. “It must be too soon, after the last spell.”
“It’s been a day. As if you witches can’t tap into an infinite supply of power. Don’t treat me as though I’m stupid, witch. It won’t end well for you.”
The battle inside me rages on, and I sink to my knees. I no longer have the strength to stand.
“I need more time.”
“Bullshit!” Before I know what’s happening Frensen’s hand is around my neck and he’s lifted me off the floor and slammed me against the wall. I can scarcely breathe, his grip around my neck is so tight, and I feel whatever hold I have on the swirling magic slipping away.
“You’re blocking it, aren’t you? You can’t you know. You can’t go against your Master’s wishes. And for now, I am your Master.”
All of a sudden the fight goes out of me, the energy built up for the spell fizzling away to nothing.
Somehow Frensen can feel the change.
“What happened?”
I gasp a few words, and he lets go, dropping me to the floor.
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
He picks me up again, slamming me against the wall. “What? Happened?”
My confident exterior is smashed to pieces, so quickly, and tears roll down my face.
“I don’t know. I don’t know.” And I don’t. I’ve never experienced that before, in my entire life. Have I lost my power? Was his earlier suggestion enough to take it away, for good?
“I know.” The voice echoes out from the darkness, rebounding off the walls so as to make it seem like it was coming from everywhere, all at once.
“A bit of light please, Lauren.”
Power surges through me again, and with a flick of my fingers an orb of light hangs from the ceiling, starting out dim, and then growing in brightness, slowly, so my eyes can adjust. Soon
everything is back in focus.
Before me is a huge dragon, the light glinting off scales so it’s hard to see the true colour and size.
“Sidney.” Frensen drops me and grabs at his waist. Whatever he wants isn’t there.
He turns back to glare at his brother.
“How did you get it?”
“You were too caught up in your greed, brother. Too obsessed with killing us off, one after another. Too cocky that your secret little space could be kept hidden from those who want to know its location.”
Frensen’s eyes narrow. He stamps his feet. I can see he wants to take dragon form, but there’s not enough space here. There’s only the space for one dragon in this room, and Sidney is it.
“You servants aren’t so loyal, Frensen. They don’t much care about you, or what happens to you. When given the choice, they happily joined my workers, and gave up all your dirty little secrets.”
Frensen’s face is red, his neck straining.
“Lauren,” Sidney looks at me with one enormous eye.
“Yes.”
“Run.”
There is nowhere to run except between the dragon’s great legs, and that’s where I aim, diving to roll and bump across the ground beneath him, as he lets go of a huge belch of flame.
Frensen screams.
I cover my ears, pulling myself further and further back, until I’m behind Sidney, pressed against the furthest wall of the room.
Still I can hear the screams, the pain and agony inflicted.
The smell of charred flesh fills the air, and I have to cover my mouth and nose to stop from gagging.
But then there’s the usual flap, and the dragon isn’t there anymore, and it’s just Sidney, and he grabs my arm and pulls me out the door, racing me along the corridor and out into a bright moonlit sky.
Once outside, I collapse.
Sidney kneels beside me as I cough and cough and cough. He calls to servants to bring me water, and a blanket, and when the coughing finally stops he lifts me up, holding me carefully in his arm as he takes dragon form and we fly back to his home.
Inside, he lays me on his bed, where he has more servants tend to me. I’m given a warm, calming drink of herbs, and then I’m bundled in blankets, servants coming and going with salves and bandages.
Sold To The Master Page 13