AllFreeNovel
Share Us
14
VIOLET
She stood on the balcony until she was absolutely certain they wouldn’t return to the alley, although every part of her itched to move. The sun rays filtered through stormy clouds. Her fingers were numb from the icy rain. Her stomach rumbled with the lack of food.
Violet couldn’t leave through the same road those bastards had taken. Apart from the mess of crates on the ground below, she was sure Julius suspected she was nearby and working with Gavin. He’d probably posted one of his goons to watch out for her on the street.
The wood creaked under her feet as she probed the tall doors to her left. The knob didn’t budge, clearly locked from the inside, but the panel gave way a bit when she rested her weight against it.
She peered at the sky, and her vision blurred with the heavy rain. The waiting game always paid off. The bolt of a lightning ray was followed by a crack of thunder that made the doors and flimsy windows shake, and Violet’s magic bent the doorknob under her tightening fist. She slammed her whole frame into the only feasible escape path with all that she had. Again and again, until the door fell open and dropped her into an empty, dark room.
She choked with the dust that bloomed around her and sat up, lifting her hands. Her magic illuminated the surrounding area. She rose and tiptoed past the peeling wallpaper and the stacked pieces of old furnishings covered in blankets that had once been white but were now spotted with mildew. At least she was alone and safe in here.
Until she opened the door to the adjacent suite—and the screams of a naked woman greeted her. A man leaped away from the bed and backed into the corner of the room, cowering behind a wingback chair. His wide-open mouth took over most of his face, and his half-erect cock swung around like a pendulum. If only she could unsee it. “Whatever my wife paid you for information, I’ll double it! You tell her I was never here.” He tried to pick up his pants in an attempt at modesty. “All you women have a price, don’t you?”
Her fleeting gaze lingered on the woman in bed. Should she ask for directions now? Best not. She took off across the room instead, running toward the main hallway.
From the inconspicuous looks of the building, Violet would have never guessed a brothel conducted its business here. How could these people ignore the heavy scent of animal feces drifting in from outside? She crossed the deserted hallway toward the staircase, and found the foyer on the ground floor busy with men sidling up to scantily clad women in half-hidden booths. Most of the patrons and prostitutes ignored Violet, even with her magical aura buzzing around her. She jumped down two steps toward the exit. Thankfully, it led out the back.
What a sad place. Still, she didn’t have time to think about these people, not when Julius might be torturing Gavin. Julius had revealed the information about their plans and whereabouts so easily–too easily in her opinion. In the middle of the day and out in the open. She wasn’t naïve enough not to suspect a trap. Perhaps he’d known she was there in the alleyway all along, although he hadn’t been able to find her.
Scoria was one of the rainiest cities in the Obsidian mountains. However, she hadn’t seen the weather this bad since her arrival… which meant the streets were deserted, so anything unusual would stand out. At least the absence of onlookers would give her enough time to defend herself if some bastard awaited her in a shadowy corner.
She was cold, fatigued, and hungry, and the storm raged as she made her way to the inn through the back roads. It took a while because she lacked exact knowledge of the buildings in town. While she didn’t trust Laura herself… Gavin had.
A leap of faith.
Violet found her alone, sat behind the counter as usual. A breath left her as the tension in her shoulders eased. This one time, she wouldn’t have to battle to get information. She could take a few minutes to collect herself before she had to go and fight for Gavin’s freedom.
The innkeeper yawned.
“Psst.”
Laura uncoiled and turned in her stool before her blue gaze met Violet’s. Her plump red lips fell open. Then she ran toward Violet like a soul called to purgatory. Her slender hand grabbed at Violet’s wet coat, and she pulled her into the cramped pantry.
“You can’t be here,” Laura said, out of breath. Violet had to give her points for bravery. Not many saw her scowl and dared to touch—let alone grab her—without permission.
“A commander of the King’s army arrived earlier today, looking for a black woman with purple eyes.”
They stared at each other knowing well what that meant. Violet shifted her weight away from her sore, throbbing leg. “Did you tell them I was here?” Her words lacked any heat, and Violet didn’t believe Laura harbored an ounce of hostility toward her. Not that she had a good record when it came to trusting people.
“What? No, of course not. I owe Mr. Gavin my niece’s life. I’d never want any harm to come to him.”
“If that’s true, you can help me find him. The men that were here earlier today took Gavin somewhere to be interrogated.” Violet cleared her throat. She had to avoid the horrid details of what would happen to him to protect Laura, in case all of this went awry. “They said they were taking him to the commissary. Is there such a place here?”
Laura seemed to mull it over before nodding. “Yes. But, it has been abandoned for quite some time. It burned down half a year ago after an altercation with the shifters.”
Definitely a trap then.
“What building would the King’s men take their prisoners to? Is there anywhere you can think of?”
“Yes,” Laura whispered. “The gaol is rumored to be underneath the governor’s home. The high-ranking commanders stay there whenever they visit Scoria. It’s the large building on the outskirts of town. You can’t miss it.”
Ah. Now that made sense.
Violet placed her chilled hand on Laura’s shoulder, and even though the innkeeper flinched under her touch, she remained in her spot. “He was right about you.”
Laura blinked rapidly. “Mrs. Luna?”
