Page 13 of Velvet Folds (Velvet)

Chapter 13

In which our heroine is mistaken for an assassin

Days later, I find myself in Adrik’s castle again in the daylight, gently tending the soil of his roses. Tonight, I will ask him if I can plant more and move others from places they have to fight to survive. If I can do what I need to make them flourish instead of simply making sure they don’t die.

The sun is warm on my back, leaving the halls on the other side of the windows in complete darkness.

I’ve begun to crave darkness.

It is a beautiful day… but I find myself longing for the night more and more. I have other things I should do today, but I am already here and I know Adrik won’t turn me away. I imagine the way he salivates at the offer of my velvet folds.

No, he won’t turn me away.

Taking off my apron and hanging it on its hook, I place my sheers inside my basket. But I don’t get the chance to pick it up. Someone clears their throat and I flinch.

“Who are you?” The man standing in the doorway is old enough to be my father. His hair is shorn down to his scalp, showing scars that extend from the ones marring his face.

“Just a gardener,” I tell him. “A gardener who is done and was leaving.”

Mrs. Pegg won’t thank me for lingering.

Gathering up my things, I go to leave, but when I push past him, he catches my arm. I wrench it away out of surprise and my basket tumbles from my hand. The sound of wood bouncing on stone stabs at my ears and I lunge for the stake I had all but forgotten about.

Too late.

It rolls to a stop in clear view of the man.

A man who holds a long silver blade at my throat.

There is a ‘T’ etched into that blade near the handle. Tybald .

From my knees, I look up at him and swallow. “I swear I mean him no harm.”

“And yet, you bring a weapon to kill him with?” He picks uses his foot to kick the stake up into the air, snatching it so quickly it makes me flinch. He sneers at the ugly thing. “Tell me, garden girl. What use does this have in your cultivation?”

“None.” I won’t lie to him, but I can’t tell him the truth either.

“I’m afraid that was not the correct answer.” He turns the blade, pushing my chin up with the flat side.

“I didn’t think it was.”

Eyes narrowed, he taps my chin with the cold steel. “Stand.”

“Lord Adrik protects us,” he says as I get to my feet.

“I know.”

He scowls, but the expression is misshapen by his scars. “Then you know why I can’t believe you.

He hauls me through the corridors and I don’t fight him. If he plans to take me to Adrik, I can explain myself.

But he doesn’t take me to Adrik.

The hall he leads me down is dark, but by the time I realize it doesn’t lead to Adrik’s chambers, it’s too late.

The row of cells looks like it’s rarely seen use.

I do try to fight him now, but he’s stronger than he looks and I gave him too much time to get a good grip on me.

“Please, you have to trust me.”

“Trust is the easiest way to die. I can’t give that to you.” He pushes me into the cell, not a hard shove, just enough to get me across the threshold and inside.

The door clatters shut and I take hold of the bars. “Please, just let me talk to him, I promise this is not what it seems. I—” he turns and leaves before I can explain anything.

The cells to either side of me are empty.

And there is no light in here but the dim rays slanting through a grate near the floor.

The sun will set soon enough.

There is a small bench carved from the same stone as the wall at the back of the cell and I go to it… waiting. Wondering.