by Raven Dark
Adeline waved his words off. He looked over her swollen ankles and feet one at a time as he spoke to Diamond.
“I suppose you wouldn’t know this, but Violets have much different cycles. They carry children for shorter periods than non-Violets. Over seven months is unusual for someone having triplets. But it’s not unhealthy,” Doc added to Adeline, squeezing her ankle.
I thought I saw him pause for a moment, looking closely at the side of her ankle, but then he stood up. “You’re doing great, Adeline.”
“Okay, everyone, let’s give Adeline some rest.” Serena patted her shoulder, then turned to me. “Setora, Diamond, Emmy, if those babies decide to come before the Legion leaves, we’ll be sure to invite you down here after the births if you’d like.”
“I would love that.” I said, squeezing Adeline’s hand in happiness for her. Diamond and Emmy echoed my sentiment.
“Lord Falnar gave me permission to do a blood test.” Doc patted his medical kit, speaking to Adeline and Serena. “I’d like to do the test before we leave.”
Both of the women nodded, and he knelt, taking a quick sample. He put the glass vial in one of those protective metal cylinders he’d used to hold my blood samples in the Grotto. When he was done, we left Adeline, and Serena and the sisters returned with us to the bathing area. Doc told the women he’d be taking blood tests from all of them, and they groaned when he took out his needle, but obliged him.
Watching him keep the girls relaxed with teasing and jokes, I felt an upsurge of affection for him. For all that he was a pirate, he showed them the same compassion he’d shown me.
Afterward, I said goodbye to the women, and Serena saw Doc and me back to the doors to the slave quarters, Doc carrying his kit filled with the precious vials of blood. Diamond and Emmy decided to stay with Lord Falnar’s slaves in the bathing pool. I hugged them, feeling better about leaving them behind knowing they were having such a good time with their new friends.
The guards at the main part of the castle opened the doors for us, but Serena stopped me before we could follow Doc through.
“Adeline enjoyed your company, Setora. She’d love to have you and Diamond and Emmy back tomorrow, if you’re so inclined.”
“I’ll bring them back tomorrow when I check up on her again,” Doc said when I agreed. I had a feeling Diamond and Emmy would agree, too.
“Setora,” she added, taking my hands. “I’d like to talk with you over lunch. Join me, will you?”
“I’d love to. Just let me have a word with Doc first?”
“Of course.”
When we were out of earshot of Lord Falnar’s Violets, Doc leaned into me, his voice pitched low.
“Meet me in my quarters tomorrow morning. I want to share these results with you.” He tapped his kit.
A mix of fear and excitement hit me. Would the blood in those vials turn blue like mine?
“And I have something else to share with you, too,” he added just as quietly.
“Sir?”
“It’s about Adeline.” He squeezed my elbow. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Serena’s waiting for you, and then Pretty Boy wants to see you back at the castle before one.”
Walking back to the slave quarters where Serena waited, butterflies filled my belly. Tomorrow, I’d finally have some answers about what was going on with me.
I hoped.
* * *
Serena wanted lunch in her personal quarters instead of in one of Lord Falnar’s dining halls, and I was glad to have a chance to see inside one of the slave’s rooms, so I followed her down a series of long halls toward her rooms.
Two more guards stood like statues outside the huge double doors to her rooms, a grand entrance that looked like something that belonged to a king instead of a slave. Serena’s quarters were set apart from the others, marking her much higher status, even above other Violets.
The castle seemed to have guards stationed everywhere. A twinge of panic set in seeing them; they reminded me too much of Damien’s J’nai, standing like silent statues at every door, even though they seemed less threatening than any of Damien’s men.
The guards shut the doors behind us when we entered Serena’s quarters, and I gaped at the room.
With its cavernous size and opulence, the room might have reminded me of something in Damien’s stately mansion, but the atmosphere was a lot more welcoming. The floors were tiled in soft peach marble, the walls an eggshell white with stained wood accents and peach paneling. Large open windows covered one wall, with thick white curtains pulled back and tied with braided ropes. A small table for two sat by the window, laden with the midday meal. The room looked like the rest of the estate in its open concept, but Serena had dozens of blown glass and crystal figurines standing on small tables and in nooks. And where Falnar had oil and gas lamps everywhere, sometimes giving off a perfumed scent, this room was lit only with candles.
Rows of them covered every wall, enough to put Hawk’s cave in the Grotto to shame.
“This place is wonderful, Mistress Serena.” I admired the elaborate candelabra that hung from the ceiling, flickering with dozens of small candles.
“Yes, Lord Falnar spoils me.” She smiled and led me over to the table, set with a sumptuous feast of goose and a half a dozen different kinds of exotic fish.
It was good to see that Lord Falnar treated his slaves so well.
I walked over to the figurines, marveling at a particularly elaborate one of a dragon with two heads.
“Do you know that statue, Setora?” She came to stand beside me.
“It’s…familiar. I think I’ve heard the tale, but I don’t remember what it is.”
“Your master Hawk would know it. It’s the two-headed dragon that represents the two sides of a warrior. One, the feeling man, and one, the fighter without a heart.”
“Right. Garganthor, they call him.” I moved over to a tall candelabrum with four tiers, each with a wide peach colored candle standing on it. “You have so many candles. It’s gorgeous. Hawk would love this.”
Serena took off her long gloves and ran her fingers through the flames on the top one.
I blinked. She had three fingers on her right hand. Her index finger was missing from the first knuckle down.
“Yes,” she was saying now. She didn’t seem to notice my staring. “Lord Falnar loves his gas lamps.” She continued running her fingers through the flames, slow and methodical. She cocked her head.
She stilled, her fingers sitting motionless in the flame. If it hurt her, she gave no hint—she was that unaware.
“Serena!” I reached for her hand, yanking it out of the flame.
“Don’t ever live in a land where it’s cold. Always keep where it’s warm. Where there’s fire.”
Ignoring the odd comment, I reached for her. “Serena, let me see your hand.”
She stared at me, head still cocked, and didn’t even seem to care that I was turning her fingers over. They were red, but otherwise unharmed.
“It’s fine, but you should put some ointment on it,” I told her.
She shook herself. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I find myself doing strange things.” She gave a mystified laugh, then blinked at me. “Wait. Did you say something?” She slipped her gloves back on.
Now I realized why I hadn’t noticed earlier that one finger was missing. The finger of her glove had padding built into it to look like a whole finger when the glove was on, so that when she adjusted the glove, one would never know any different.
“Let’s eat and talk some more,” she said, waving me over to the table as if nothing had happened.
I shivered but kept silent, joining her at the table.
“Help yourself. I hope you’re not allergic to shell fish?”
I shook my head, still trying to process what I’d seen her do, what she’d said.
We served ourselves and poured wine. Serena took a dainty sip from her golden goblet, then set the chalice down and held out her gloved hand.
“I
noticed that you saw my missing finger. Would you like to know what happened?
What did I say to that? I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but curiosity nagged at me.
Her eyes looked sad. “Not all Violets are as nice as you, Setora. Some like to hurt women they think are beneath them. It was so long ago, I barely remember it, but it must have hurt. That’s why I’m so grateful for Lord Falnar. Not just because his cock is so big.”
I almost spit out my wine. My face was on fire.
“Oh, come now.” Her eyes sparkled. “You have four of them. Every night!”
I cleared my throat hard and forced my voice to remain as casual as hers. “How long have you lived at Castle Montreve?”
“Fifteen years.” She cut a tiny piece of the fish on her plate and slipped her fork into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “None of Lord Falnar’s slaves would ever think to harm anyone like that.”
I picked at the findle fish in front of me. “The other slaves here. I enjoyed visiting with them today. Lord Falnar is fortunate to have such lovely ladies in his harem.”
“Yes, I love them too. They are wonderful girls. I hope they never leave me.” She brightened. “Speaking of the girls. They should join us. Finish eating, and I’ll call them in.”
I ate my salad slowly while she got up and crossed the room. I followed her movements with my gaze and saw her pull on a thick rope that hung by the doors. A beautiful chiming sound filled the room.
When we’d eaten our fill, Tari and Gita came into the room. I hated how relieved I was when the doors opened to admit them. Serena was wonderful to be around when she was lucid, but when she started going off on those odd tangents…
Watching the woman’s behavior change was like seeing a switch flip inside her. It made me uneasy.
“Setora.” Tari practically skipped over to the table. She and Gita hugged Serena, then took seats on opposite sides of me.
“Setora, there’s a gorgeous man outside waiting for you,” Gita said popping a grape into her mouth.
I glanced at the now closed doors. Must be T-Man.
The women and I talked for a while. We discussed the coming births, talking over the names Adeline had chosen for the babies. The sisters giggled over some of the handsome guards who watched over the castle halls.
After about an hour, one of the guards knocked and poked his head in. “Setora, one of the Dark Legion men said I’m to escort you back to the main doors.”
“May we walk Setora out, Mistress Serena?” Gita asked.
“Of course, of course.” She stood up along with them.
The two of them thanked Serena with a head bow, then nodded for me to go ahead of them. I walked toward the doors but didn’t hear their footsteps on the tiles behind me. I turned.
The blood fled from my face.
The two sisters were standing in the middle of the room, five feet behind me. Both stood still as statues, hands at their sides, faces so expressionless it reminded me of the dolls my father bought for me as a child. Neither blinked. Moreover, at the head of the table, Serena stood in the same posture, her face like slate.
“Ladies?” My voice trembled.
None of them moved or said a word.
My heart sped up. I backtracked into the room and put a shaking hand on Gita’s shoulder.
She stood completely ridged and didn’t twitch one bit when I touched her.
“Gita? Serena? Tari?”
Nothing.
Panic started to claw its way in. I spun around to the door where the guards stood talking, obviously unaware of what was happening in the room.
“Sirs?” I called.
The guards turned and gave us all confused looks. “Are you three coming?”
“Yes, we are, Tober.”
I jumped at the sound Gita’s voice, and spun around.
The women were back to normal.
Tari and Gita headed for the doors, waving for me to come along and saying goodbye to Serena, who did the same to them. Serena was eating a grape.
“It was wonderful to talk with you, Setora. I hope we get the chance to do it again before you leave.”
For a moment, all I could do was stare at them. What in the Maker’s Holy Name had just happened? None of them seemed to be aware of it. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought I’d imagined it.
Except I hadn’t.
Unwilling to show Serena’s effect on me, and not ready to mention what I’d just witnessed, I put on a smile I hoped didn’t look like a wince.
“I enjoyed meeting with you, too, Mistress Serena. It was…illuminating.”
We left with the guards flanking us. As soon as the doors were closed, both Gita and Tari looked pointedly at me.
“So, what do you think of our First Slave?” Tari.
“Yes, please tell us,” Gita said with a hop.
“She…she is one of a kind.”
That was the only way I could think to describe her without sounding rude.
Both women smiled and nodded, then patted me on the shoulder.
“Yep,” Tari said. “She is that.”
My mind hummed with an overpowering urge to ask them about what had happened before, back there in Serena’s quarters. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t but just thinking about it made my skin crawl. Something told me, if I did ask, they wouldn’t have known what I was talking about, and it would have only scared them.
I’d have to tell my men, and I’d definitely have to tell Doc. I just wished I knew how.
* * *
After I left Serena, I was surprised to find Crash waiting at the slave quarter doors for me instead of T-Man. Crash escorted me back toward the main part of the castle, where Pretty Boy and Lord Falnar waited.
“Where’s T-Man, Crash? You shouldn’t have had to come for me with that leg.” I gestured to his cane, which made a soft, steady thump with each step he took.
“I volunteered,” he said. “Doc says I need the walk. It doesn’t hurt much today, and I like the exercise.”
I caught a glimpse of that thin chain around his neck, the ring he’d given Cherry gleaming on the end of it. She’d given that ring back to him before we’d left the Grotto, a memento to remember her while he was away.
He noticed me looking.
“Do you miss her, sir?” I asked him softly.
He enveloped the ring in his palm. “Like fucking crazy.” His voice was low and sad. And older, somehow, than it had been when we’d left the Grotto.
I looked sidelong at him. “Me too.”
“She’d have hated this trip. She’d get a kick out of seeing how you could have ended up living, but she’d have hated everything else.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I think there’s a lot of things on this trip that she would have found amusing. Steel’s griping. Hawk and Pretty Boy fighting and then making up. Not to mention, kicking my backside.”
Crash let out a belly laugh.
I could easily have imagined Cherry, in her tough-love voice, telling me that if she could have gotten away with it, she would have grabbed a switch like Sheriff and walloped me.
“You’re right. You’re right. And she’d have griped at me for playing hero.”
At the doors to the main part of the castle, I laughed and turned to him. “Yeah, probably. But we’ll be home soon. And then we’ll get to see her.”
He patted me on the shoulder, then nodded for me to go in. “As much as I like this castle, I wouldn’t be sad if we went home tomorrow. Now get gone, before Pretty Boy sends out a search party.”
I nodded, but watched him limp away, feeling a twinge of sisterly love for him. He’d changed so much. This trip had to have been hard on him. Maturing him more than a man should ever do in such a short time. He’d have that limp for the rest of his life, I was willing to bet.
When I entered the large study where Pretty Boy and Lord Falnar waited, they were deep in discussion about one of the many books that lined the lord’s shelves. Lord Falnar stood up from behind
a desk when I walked in, and Pretty Boy turned to me.
“Come here, Princess. Give Master a kiss.” Pretty Boy pulled me into him and claimed my mouth without a care for the other man in the room watching us.
Lord Falnar chuckled, a jovial boom. “It’s good to see a man enjoy the fruits of his position,” he said, thumbs inside his wide belt.
Pretty Boy’s teeth flashed. “You have no idea.”
“Come.” He waved Pretty Boy toward the doors. “I’ll take you on the tour now. And after you see the winery, you must see my private collection.” He leaned into him and spoke in a conspiratorial voice, but I noticed it was still louder than necessary. “I have the biggest in this part of the world, you know.”
Looking upward, Pretty Boy led me out into the hall and winked at me when Lord Falnar wasn’t looking. I suppressed a giggle.
To say the tour of Lord Falnar’s massive winery was boring was an understatement. The winery was a huge series of buildings that spread across a separate area of his property from the castle. A horse-drawn carriage took us down a winding path, a ride that lasted about ten minutes and gave the lord plenty of time to talk endlessly about his family’s booming wine business.
The entire expansive structure was impressive, with a network of wood and stone buildings complete with a distribution factory, administrative offices for exporting product to dozens of zones, and a massive press and storage room where an army of workers made the wine and stored it.
I’d been trained to always show interest in a man’s endeavors. Nodding in the right places, asking thoughtful questions when he expected me to, even when I was almost falling asleep with boredom, regardless of the subject. Lord Falnar could have been talking about the properties of cow flop, and I knew how to behave as if he were telling the best fairytale. And yet by the time we reached the tasting room, even I was having trouble keeping my focus on the conversation.
Of course, that could have been because I had more interesting things to think about. Doc’s test results teased my thoughts, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the strange incident with Serena and the sisters, the way they’d stopped dead in the room and stared like dolls at nothing. The way they’d then continued talking as if nothing had happened. I’d never seen anything like that before. Even thinking of it made me shiver. Not to mention, we might get to see the birth of triplets, something that rarely happened.