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“Sleep,” he said, pointing back at her in command before starting away down the dark hallway. It made Magda smile.
She went to a cupboard and checked inside. She was thankful to find some pieces of salted, dried fish in a jar where she thought she remembered seeing them. She was so sleepy that she could hardly stand, but she was also starving and feared that if she didn’t have a bite to quell her grumbling stomach she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. She tore a piece of fish off with her teeth and chewed as she went to a sideboard that held a pitcher and a washbasin.
Shadow followed her, looking up, tail high in the air, meowing the entire way. Magda sucked the salt off a chunk of the fish for a moment and then bent and gave it to the cat. Shadow looked as ravenous as Magda felt. While the cat crouched over her meal, Magda poured a glass of water and washed down the salted fish. She drained the entire glass. It felt good to have some food in her stomach, even if it wasn’t much.
When she looked up at herself in the mirror, she was mildly horrified by what she saw. Her face was dirty and her hair, even though it was short now and easier to manage, was still a mess. She hadn’t realized that Merritt had seen her looking so disheveled and dirty. He must have thought she looked like an urchin. But he had said she was beautiful. Such a compliment felt good coming from a man as handsome as Merritt. Still . . .
Magda dunked a washcloth in the basin and wrung it out. Her face felt grimy from her trip down to the dungeon. She saw that her hands were dirty with rust from the iron railing down there. She reminded herself of Naja’s condition and then felt rather foolish for worrying about the way she looked.
As she washed her hands and face, Shadow jumped up on the sideboard, hoping for another handout. Magda smiled and after sucking the salt off, gave the hungry cat another piece of the fish.
Sitting on the sideboard, Shadow hunched over her second helping. In the middle of chewing the fish, she jerked her head up. She dropped the fish as she stared at the door.
The cat rose up on her tiptoes, back arched, tail puffed up. Fangs showing, Shadow hissed.
Magda stood frozen, eyes wide.
Chapter 80
Someone knocked.
Magda stood frozen at the sideboard. Her heart pounded. The black cat was still hissing.
Magda couldn’t remember if she had thrown the bolt on the door. When the handle turned and the door started opening, that answered her question. She backed up a few steps, wondering where she could run. There was the balcony in the bedroom. It was several stories off the ground, though.
When he strolled into the room, Lothain swept out an arm, lighting a few more of the lamps, all the better to see his bull neck, short wiry hair, and his black eyes as they fixed on her.
Fists at her side, Magda stormed toward where he stood at the door. “How dare you enter without permission?”
“I knocked,” he said casually, dismissing her objection.
Out the doorway, in the hall, Magda could see a large contingent of his personal guard in their green tunics. She was puzzled to also see about a dozen women in their midst. Magda realized that they were some of the staff.
“This is a poor time to come to claim your apartment,” she said. “I told you, I would move as soon as I could.”
With his eyes still fixed on her, he smiled. “I haven’t come to claim my apartment, I have come to claim my wife.”
“Your wife?” Magda’s jaw clenched as she felt her rage build. “Get out!”
When Lothain gestured, two of the big guards stepped into the room and seized her by the arms, one man on each side. Magda struggled only momentarily, quickly realizing that it was only liable to entertain them all to watch her struggling, helpless to do anything about it.
“In here,” Lothain said to the women out in the hall. “Bring your things in here.”
Magda was surprised, when the women filed in, to see all the women carrying things: sewing baskets, small chests, rolls of lace, and dozens of bolts of cloth of every color.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Magda asked Lothain.
He followed Magda’s gaze to the women. “Seamstresses. They’re here to make your wedding dress for tomorrow’s ceremony. I’m to be named First Wizard, so I thought that would be the appropriate moment for us to be wed. It will settle matters, reassure people, and bring everyone together in support of me.”
“You’re crazy if you think—”
“That’s enough,” Lothain said in a dangerous tone. “It’s time you learned your place.” He gestured with a tilt of his head to the two men who were holding her as he turned and went out into the hall. When he was sure that they had her well in hand, he marched off down the hallway without further word.
Magda had to walk swiftly to keep from being dragged by the men who had her arms in a firm grip. At least another dozen soldiers followed behind them, while even more waited back at her apartment.
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded to his broad back.
Lothain glanced back over his shoulder. “I’m taking you to a place where we can discuss my marriage proposal. I need you to see something before you say no to my offer of marriage. I think it will put you in mind to be agreeable. Our marriage will be for the good of the Keep and the good of our cause. I’m going to show you one of the great benefits of your agreeing that it is best for all if you agree to marry me.”
Magda decided not to waste her energy telling him that there was nothing that could make her agree to marry him. She tried not to fight the men dragging her along. Several times she stumbled but it didn’t slow them.
She didn’t fight them. She needed to conserve what strength she had. If she could ever get to her knife, she was going to need her strength.
Lothain took several turns as he led them down a series of halls to a service area. A utility room where supplies and provisions were kept in the back also had a space for staff to gather for instructions before going about their duties. Without pause, Lothain opened a door and went inside, going through an outer gathering room where more of his guards in their green tunics waited. He went through an open door in the back into a darker inner room.
There, tied in a chair, sagged a weeping Tilly. She was a bloody mess. Guards towered all around her.
“Tilly!”
Magda broke from the guards and rushed to the woman, falling to her knees before her. Tilly’s terrified gaze met Magda’s.
“Tilly, what’s going on? What have they done to you?”
Before Magda could say another word, or Tilly could answer, the men snatched Magda’s arms again and hauled her back up and away from the woman in the chair.
Tilly’s hair was matted with blood. It looked like some of her teeth had been knocked out when her face had been pounded. Her nose looked crooked and her eyes were blackened. Blood dripped in thick strings from her chin, soaking the front of her dress.
Filled with rage, Magda turned her eyes to Lothain. “What is the meaning of this outrage?”
A humorless smile widened his mouth. “The meaning of it is to help you make up your mind to do the right thing.”
“The right thing? You do this and talk to me of the right thing?”
; The last piece of the puzzle had just fit into place for her. She now knew.
“Yes, the right thing. You see, whether this friend of yours lives or dies is up to you, Lady Searus. If you make the right choice, then she lives. If not . . . well, I believe you get the point.”
Lothain turned and gestured to one of the guards. Without hesitation, he pulled Tilly’s arm out straight. She screamed “No! No! No!” over and over, but to no avail.
With one powerful blow, the man broke Tilly’s arm.
Magda jumped in shock at the loud crack when the bone snapped.
Tilly screamed and struggled wildly. “Please! Please! No more! Mistress! Please! Make them stop!”
The guard stuffed a wadded rag in her mouth to silence her.
Magda panted in fury, tears streaming down her face as she struggled in vain against the muscle holding her.
“Now,” Lothain said, “this is the way it’s going to be. If you agree to go through with the marriage tomorrow afternoon before the council and gathered dignitaries as I am installed as First Wizard, and don’t in any way cause a scene, but rather act in a gracious manner that will help bring our people together under the rule of their new First Wizard, then Tilly here will be freed.”
“And if I refuse?” Magda asked, already knowing the answer.
His smile returned. “Well, of course you know that it will go very badly for her until she eventually dies. I will take you to visit her every day as she is tortured. And then . . .”
When she didn’t ask what he meant was next, he leaned a little closer. “And then, there are a number of your other friends who are going to pay the same price. We have a whole list. Your friend who used to be on the council? Sadler?” He arched an eyebrow as he held out a hand and folded a finger down. “Sadler will suffer a similar fate, all because you refuse to do the right thing.
