AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’mnotlying, sir,” I said, lying through my teeth. “Please believe me.”
He leaned in close to me with his glittering eyes and his bushy beard. So close, I could feel the hair on his beard scratching my face. “Swear it,” he said, and his breath smelled like ozone. Like dark magic.
“I swear, sir,” I said, and he loosened his grip and took a step back.
“Very well then, I’ll believe you. This time. Go to bed immediately and don’t get up until time for your morning chores, do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. I will.”
I tried to slide past him, and he grabbed my arm. “Are you a good, obedient boy, Benjamin? If you are, you’ll be rewarded, and I’ll be most pleased with you. But if you’re not…” He let the words trail away, but the look on his face was terrible, and I couldn’t hold his gaze.
I dropped my eyes and stammered. “I-I can be a g-good boy, sir.”
“Can you now?” he purred at me and ran one huge hand down my arm. I shuddered—I couldn’t help it, but he seemed to like the fact that he terrified me. He smiled and did it again.
“Take no more walks outside your room at night, Benjamin. It’s far too dangerous for a pretty little omega like you. As your employer, it’s my duty to look after you now.”
“Yes, sir. Whatever you say.”
He seemed to like my reply, because he leaned in even more, until his nose was grazing the side of my throat. I struggled to stay absolutely still and not cringe away.
The next moment he straightened and took a step backward. “Run along, now.”
I moved past him on shaking legs and made it down the main stairs and back to my own room, furious with myself for being so intimidated by him. Once safely inside, I walked up and down in a helpless fury, thinking of how much he’d intimidated me and how I wish I’d stood up to him. Finally, I threw myself into bed, realizing I’d have to be up in only a few hours, but I lay awake for a long time, thinking of all the things I should have said and done. It was infuriating and I wished again for the millionth time that I had Wyatt here beside me.
The next morning came too early as anticipated, but I managed to get out of bed, despite very little sleep and go down to the scullery to see what chores Mr. Nolan had for me to do.
When I got there, everyone was at breakfast, so I made myself a plate from the sideboard and sat down to eat. It was the first good meal I’d eaten since I’d been there, and I realized I was ravenous. I half expected the baron to make an appearance just to give me some orders, since he’d seemed so keen the night before, but the morning remained quiet, and I went about my duties and never saw the baron again until that evening at dinner.
Once again, Nolan and I did the serving at dinner, and again, the Vicountess was quiet, barely looking up from her plate. I made up my mind to try to get to her room as soon as I could to speak to her, even as scared as I was of the baron.
As for Dargan, he barely looked at me, and while I was glad of it, I couldn’t help but wonder at how strangely he’d acted the night before. It was as if my fear of him excited him and that frightened me more than anything.
I was too afraid to go again that night, and in fact, it wasn’t until two more nights passed that I finally decided I couldn’t wait any longer. Every day that went by might mean more torture for Wyatt and his cousins, and I couldn’t stand to think of them somewhere, suffering. I waited until much later this time, and it was just past the witching hour of midnight when I crept out of my room and made my way to the Vicountess’s room, stopping to get food on the way again, because again, she had eaten almost nothing at dinner. It was deathly quiet on the landing that led to her room, and I jumped at every creak and groan of the old floorboards. I crept down the landing to the room I’d seen the baron come out of a few night’s before. I figured it must be her door, and afraid the baron might hear me, I tapped very lightly on it. About the time I thought she couldn’t hear me or just wouldn’t answer, the doorknob turned, and the door cracked open the tiniest bit.
I could only see a small sliver of her face peering around the door. Her eye widened as she saw me, and she pulled the door open farther. She had a look of dread on her face, rapidly cycling through confusion and then terror as she realized where she’d seen me before. “Oh gods,” she whispered fiercely. “Aren’t you the new footman from dinner? What are you doing here? If he finds you, he’ll kill us both. Go away!”
“Let me in and he won’t find me.” I held up the napkin. “Look. I brought you some food. You must be hungry.”
She still looked afraid, but after a long moment of hesitation, she stepped to the side so I could duck inside, and she closed the door softly behind me. The room was messy, with the bed in shambles and the covers tossed to the foot of the bed. It looked as though the Vicountess had been trying to put things back in order when I knocked. I noticed the red marks on the side of her face and more bruises on her arms.
“Was the baron here tonight?”
She gave me a wary look. “Why do you ask?”
“Vicountess, I don’t mean to offend you, but I think you’re being abused by your husband.”
She drew herself up and glared. “Who are you to ask me such questions? You must be crazy to come here and say such things. You’re going to get us both killed.” But she grabbed the bundle of food I was holding out to her, as if afraid I’d snatch it back and stared down at the contents. Then she ran over to the window seat, already gnawing at some crusty bread, like she was ravenous.
“Who are you?” she murmured around the food in her mouth. “Why have you come here?”
“I’m a friend,” I said, trying to calm her. “An Alpha named Wyatt, cousin and pack mate of King Harrison sent me. The king and queen have been searching for you.”
Her eyes widened dramatically, and she bounced a little on the window seat. “Did they send you? Harrison and Rozamond? Are they coming here?”
“You haven’t seen Alpha Wyatt then?”
“No.” She frowned and bit her plump, bottom lip. “I saw the other two Alphas, though. The cousins of Harrison, I think. They came to talk to my husband.”
