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Niles
Warrose and Skylenna fall asleep almost immediately after I assist with picking the lock of her shackles through careful instruction. And Ruth follows shortly after, never letting go of Skylenna’s hand.
I try not to wake anyone up as I cry into my hands.
That was excruciating to watch. Hearing her scream, seeing her naked body sprint through the dim halls, watching the blood drip and gush over her skin. I can’t rid the images from my mind.
And the way they beat her. My shoulders shudder violently. Heaven have mercy…I’m surprised she survived.
Ruth and I held hands the entire time. Praying. Hoping. Screaming for those bags of rotten meat to let her go, leave her alone, stop hurting our sister. I held my cries in for Ruth. How could I break apart when she is always so strong?
But now that everyone is sleeping peacefully, I can let it all go. The tears stream down my neck and onto my bare chest. I’ve learned a thing or two about crying silently. When I was a small lad, I used to cry after lessons at the child brothel. I used to sob so loudly that they’d have to beat me for it.
An older girl named Edna taught me how to cry without making a sound. She taught me how to hold myself together until I was alone. She showed me the ropes, made me strong, helped me cope with my fate. That same year, Edna ran away, only to be found and drowned in a river by her uncle.
“Niles?”
I sniffle before I turn to face Marilynn.
She’s scowling, like she doesn’t want to care to ask, but does. “Are you in pain?”
I shake my head, quickly wiping my wet face.
“Worried about Skylenna?” she asks again.
“Yeah.” Damn, I need a tissue. “That was just…a lot to see.”
She waits a few moments with that nearly permanent grimace, watching me clean myself up. “You really love her, don’t you?”
I sigh. “So fucking much.”
“Have you told her how you feel about her?” she asks hesitantly.
“I mean, she knows—wait.” I choke on a laugh. “I’m not in love with her. She’s my family. Like my little sister.”
Marilynn blinks in surprise. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to assume. They are both such beautiful women, Ruth and Skylenna.”
“And they’d be the ones falling for me. Not the other way around.” Sure, they’re pretty and all. But look at me.
She smirks. “I see.” But something clouds over her eyes.
What an odd woman. How can someone frown and smirk at the same time? She always has her arms crossed, standing away from us in an off-putting stance. Like she doesn’t want to stand near our family. Doesn’t exactly want to be associated.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Well,—” she pulls her long, red hair to one side“—I’m so hungry. My stomach is eating itself.”
I know the feeling. It’s been two days without a meal. How long will this last?
“I haven’t followed the lady-doll regimen in years. I’ve always hated this kind of fasting.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Look at me. I love good food, and it shows.” She wafts her hands over her curves. And fuck me, because my eyes linger way too long on her heavy breasts and soft thighs.
“You look goo—nice.” I dart my eyes away. “Very good and nice.”
“Thanks.” She almost laughs. The sound is strained and weird, and some might say it was a cough. But it was definitely, almost, probably, kind of a laugh!
