Page 10 of Vengeance and Vipers

The child cowers away.

‘Why his lordship bought such a useless creature, I’ll never know,’ a new, commanding voice enters the room.

‘Sir,’ the human woman mutters, lowering her eyes, ‘Apologies, I didn’t know you were here already.’

But the lower fae male has already forgotten the human woman in favor of staring at the small girl.

‘She looks like she could do with a firmer hand,’ he remarks, and the human woman cringes.

He grabs the child and hauls her in front of him. ‘Did you just look me in the eye, child?’ he booms.

‘No, sir,’ the girl cries. ‘I’d never!’

‘I can see a spark of defiance in you,’ he murmurs, ‘and that won’t do at all, not when his lordship let you into his home and feeds you the food from his table.’

I snort at that because it’s clear that the girl is half-starved.

He pushes her into the waiting arms of a guard. ‘Take her to the cellars.’

Then he rolls his eyes. ‘And I shouldn’t have to say this, but as it’s you, don’t despoil her. Mustn’t touch what isn’t yours.’

The fae guard murmurs his assent and takes the girl’s arm, pulling her out of the kitchen and down some gloomy stairs while she whimpers and pleads.

Victoria follows the memories slowly, her face blank.

And I realize why we’re here.

The girl child is her.

I tail her. If she looks behind, she’ll see me, but she doesn’t. She’s too focused on this dark road before her.

I descend the stairs, but when I get to the bottom, there’s no cellar. Instead, it’s the kitchens again, but the girl is now older, maybe fifteen.

She’s dressed in a shapeless shift, washing dishes and cowering whenever anyone, human or otherwise, comes near her. She’s covered in bruises, old and new. I watch as a fae approaches her. He’s dressed well, not some lower fae overseer of staff. This one is a High Lord. When he sees her, his mouth twists into a sneer, and his movements turn stealthy as he creeps up on her.

When he gets to her, he doesn’t do anything. He just stands there. The servants in the room are pointedly ignoring him, but I see a few watching inconspicuously from behind their workbenches, relishing what’s happening to their fellow human.

I look back, and he’s still in the same spot. At first, I thought she hadn’t realized he was there, but when I edge around to see her face, I can tell she knows exactly where he is. When his arm comes out and takes the back of her neck in a sure grip, she jumps, but the move is practiced, and it’s clear to me it’s an act.

But why?

He whispers something in her ear, and she blanches as he walks her out of the kitchens. Some of the humans snigger.

We follow again, but this time, it’s up into the main house. It’s opulent and huge, with magickal lights and ceilings of moving skies and sunlight.

Soooo fae.

The fae lord brings her to a room, and, for the first time, I see true fear as he opens the door and pushes her through.

The door slams closed, and Victoria stands frozen at it, making no attempt to enter. I hear noises from within. Low voices and the clanking of chains. A sudden scream has me starting forward before I remember that this isn’t real. At least not presently.

I begin to hear the sound of a beating, thudding blows, and the sounds of a whip whistling through the air, punctuated with cries of pain.

Victoria still doesn’t move. She’s like a statue; her eyes cast to the floor as she listens to what I assume is herself being brutalized.

My own heart is thudding hard in my chest, my suddenly clear mind berating me for doing this to her even though she is an enemy.

It’s a few minutes before the door opens, and another High Fae lord exits the room. He’s looking annoyed as if something isn’t going his way.