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“Don’t be naive. You’ve not lived in our shoes, you’ve not walked our path or that of the Brov ancestors,” he says, stepping closer.
I laugh, I can’t help it. “Next you’re going to tell me you’re not all bad, that you don’t kidnap, enslave and coerce. That you don’t threaten women with degradation and rape. That you don’t enjoy forcing women to submit to your whims, then hire them out to people who pay to fuck them.”
“Oh, I wasn’t going to say that at all. I’m merely pointing out the truth about us. There’s no way out of this. You’re no more than entertainment to us. You can fight us all you want. You can cry, and you can scream—God, Ihopeyou do—but don’t expect anything other than what and who we are, Nought.”
“I don’t expect anything but cruelty, I don’t see anything other than ugliness, and I don’t feel anything other than rage.”
“You don’t seem like the type of person who is strong enough to last the fight,” he remarks, almost to himself as he reaches for my tangled and matted hair. “But maybe you’ll be the challenge we all need.”
“Free my wrists and I’ll show you just how strong I am.”
Leon tips his head back and laughs, the sound echoing around the courtyard. “I could end this right now with my bare hands around your pretty little throat,” he says, his fingers trailing over the column of my neck.
“Then why don’t you?”
“Because this is way too much fun.” With that he steps back and clicks his fingers, and from the right hand side of the courtyard, Renard and Nala appear. Neither of them acknowledge me other than a cursory glance. He chucks the key to Renard, who catches it. “Get her back to our quarters. Feed her. Make sure she bathes and dresses in the outfit we’ve left for her. Then take her to our library. Jakub, Konrad and I want to see her dance.”
“Yes, Sir. Of course,” Renard replies.
“Oh, and Renard,” Leon says, addressing his butler but looking at me, “If she escapes in your care there will be consequences. Dire ones.”
My heart drops, all thoughts of escape eradicated with his threat. I won’t be responsible for their death. Leon knows that.
“Yes, Sir. Understood.”
With a terse nod of his head, Leon strides back across the courtyard and disappears into the castle.
* * *
“You’re shaking,”Nala whispers, gently pushing my hands away from the mask, and removing it for me. Her face crumples. “You look terrible.”
Over her shoulder I can see my reflection in the bathroom mirror. The foundation I’d so carefully applied has been washed away by the storm, my hair is matted, and dark circles ring my eyes. I’ve not eaten properly in two days, my shoulders and arms ache, and I’m past the point of exhaustion.
“I’ve been tied to a tree for the last twenty-four hours, Nala. I’m not sure what you expected,” I reply, pushing past her and removing my dress. The bath isn’t even halfway filled but I step into it nevertheless, hugging my knees to my chest.
“You didn’t do what they asked…” she says, her voice trailing off when she notices the look in my eyes.
“They wanted to put a collar and leash on me. They wanted to treat me no better than a dog. Should I have obeyed? What’s next, will I need to lick their hand, shit and piss in front of them?”
Tears spring in her eyes and she looks at her feet, her fingertips clutching the mask tightly. “I’ll leave you to bathe. Grandfather has brought you food. It’s in the bedroom. The clothes you need to wear are on the bed,” she says softly, before turning on her feet and leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
The moment she’s gone I allow the tears to fall, sobbing silently into my hands as the water rises up around me. I don’t know how to move forward. When I ran, they chased me. When I fought, they punished me. There doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel, only a long, lonely walk of darkness. I don’t know how to fight this. I’ve only been here a couple of days and already I feel my strength waning, my courage slipping. The only thing I can do is fight one battle at a time. They’ll have a weakness, a chink in their armor. When I find it, I’ll use it.
With that thought I feel a sense of calm settle over me, allowing me the headspace to wash myself clean. I use the shampoo that Nala placed on a table beside the bath, and rub a healthy amount into my hair. It smells of roses and jasmine, floral and sweet. When I’m thoroughly clean, I climb out of the bath and wrap the towelling robe around myself, then head back out into the bedroom. On the vanity unit is a bowl of pasta with a creamy sauce and a tall glass of water. Despite hating the fact that I’m beholden to these men, I eat every last scrap, cursing every mouthful for tasting so delicious and for providing false comfort, but it gives me much needed sustenance. I can’t fight if I’m too weak to stand.
Picking up the bottle of foundation, I spread it across my face, working the liquid into my skin until my complexion has been smoothed out. Once I’m done, I comb through my wet hair and towel dry it as much as possible, then turn my attention to the outfit The Masks have left draped over the end of the bed.
It’s not the same dress I’ve been made to wear up until this moment, but a long sleeved, emerald dress with a sweetheart neckline and floaty skirt that falls just below my knee. It’s demure, sophisticated, and not what I was expecting at all. I’ve been left matching satin ballet slippers, but no underwear. Figures.
Chewing on my lip I mull over my options. I could refuse to do as they ask and be punished once again, try to run and risk the lives of Renard and Nala or do as they want. Whilst I’m grateful they haven’t made me dress up in something as revealing as what Four and Eight were wearing yesterday, I’m not foolish enough to think that they won’t ever expect me to wear something like that in the future. It’s only a matter of time.
Picking up the dress, I finger the material wondering how I’m ever going to escape this terrible place. I can’t even bring myself to think about Sandy and Frank, they must be going out of their minds with worry, and Grim… She’ll disregard her own safety to bring me home. That frightens me most of all.
Lost in my thoughts, I don’t notice Nala enter the room until she clears her throat. “You need to get dressed. The Masks are waiting for you.”
I meet her gaze and see the worry in hers. She thinks I’m going to run and whilst I want nothing more than to escape, I can’t be responsible for anything happening to her. “It’s okay, Nala, I’m coming.”
“Thank you,” she murmurs, her voice clogged with tears.
