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I shiver and squeeze his hand tightly, seeking comfort. He seems to recognize this and a small smile forms on his face. He likes that. He likes knowing I’m helpless and that I’m forced to depend on him. I don’t know if there actually are wild animals or if this is just a story he’s telling me to keep me complacent, but the threat is real enough that I’ll honor his wishes.
Fortune and Gauge are nowhere to be seen. Farwol and I step away from the carriage and the driver gets the horses going again. I assume he’s off to put them in the stables.
“Come,” Farwol guides me up a large stone staircase that leads to his home. It’s not a castle. The stories I heard about his home all claimed it was a castle, but it’s not quite big enough for that. It is, however, a large mansion, and the biggest home I’ve ever seen in real life.
As a child, I looked at picture books that showed beautiful homes. The houses were all large and brightly colored and impeccably decorated. They were all beautiful. This one is dark and scary: intimidating. This one looks like I’m going to my death, and in a way, I know I am.
I will never return home again.
I will never go to the village again.
Farwol made that clear when he allowed me to say goodbye to my father. I suppose I should be grateful he even gave me that mercy. Many captors wouldn’t have permitted me that much, I’m sure.
We climb the stairs together and enter the mansion. The heavy doors swing open, but they don’t creak. So Farwol takes care of his property. I suppose that should give me hope and a sense of peace since it means he likely won’t break me and dispose of me.
But we’ve only just arrived.
I try not to gawk at the open entryway. The room we walk into is huge, spacious. It’s beautiful. My entire childhood home would fit in just one corner of this place and it’s only one room.
“Take off your shoes,” Farwol says, and he points to a nearby chair. I hurry to it, moving quickly, and slip off my soft black slippers. Once they’re off my feet, I stand awkwardly. The floor is cold beneath my bare toes. “Set them there,” he motions to a small basket by the front door. I carry my shoes and set them in the correct spot. Then I return to Farwol’s side.
I feel a little like a doll, or perhaps like a child following orders. So far, Farwol hasn’t demanded anything terrible of me. For a brief second, I wonder if my stay here won’t be as terrible as I imagine it could be. This house is much too nice to have a dungeon. I try to focus on that thought.
We move through the main room and walk toward a staircase. Farwol takes my hand as we ascend the stairs and when we reach the top, he doesn’t let go. He guides me down several hallways. Within minutes, I’m completely turned around. I know that if I ever try to leave this place, I’ll get lost before I even reach the front door.
Perhaps that’s his goal, though.
Perhaps that’s what he wants.
Farwol isn’t what I expected, although to be fair, I’m not sure what I imagined. The villagers all claimed he was a monster, a beast. Is he really so terrible, though? Is it really so awful to collect on your debts? Is it really so terrible to demand payment?
I’m not sure.
I should be certain he’s evil. He collected a woman for payment, after all, but somehow, I can’t shake the feeling that he isn’t as terrible as he seems.
We reach a door and he fetches a small key from his pocket. Then he unlocks the door. It’s interesting to me that the room is locked. Perhaps this means he has servants or maybe other people live here. I haven’t seen anyone and I sort of thought the house must be empty.
Farwol motions for me to go in first and then he follows, closing the door tightly behind us.
I look around the room, and I realize that I was wrong.
He is a monster.
Chapter 4
“What are you going to do to me?” I look around the room, taking it all in hastily. My heart is suddenly racing and I realize my excitement was grossly misplaced. How could I have been aroused by this man? How could I have been turned on at the idea of him spiriting me away? Something is wrong with me. Something is very, grossly, deeply wrong.
I am broken.
The room is empty except for shackles along all of the walls. There must be eight sets of shackles and there’s a pile of straw in the corner. Is that supposed to be a bed? Is that where I’m supposed to sleep? Is this my room now? Fear fills my heart as I realize I never truly appreciated the life I had before.
I can’t stay here.
I don’t want to be here.
“So you can speak,” Farwol says, cocking his head to the side. He looks amused.
“Of course I can speak.”
