Page 124 of Depravity

No. No. This can’t be happening.

The door creaks open, light pours in, and I see Ingrid standing there, holding a tray with her eyes narrowed.

She puts it down, then walks over and pulls the curtains open. More light streams in.

She turns around, staring at my body for a second and then she carries the tray over and places it beside me. With a little jump, she lands on the bed. Her plump legs seem to dangle down, making her look like a comic book character. Only, I’m not laughing.

As she scoops up a mouthful of porridge, she mutters about it being hot and then she holds it in front of my lips. I realise then that she’s planning on feeding me. Like I’m an invalid.

I shake my head, refusing to allow it and she huffs.

“You’re being so difficult Brynn, after all I’ve done for you.”

“What have you done?” I hiss back. She said she would help me. This doesn’t help me.

Help.

Someone help.

She rams a mouthful in and I almost choke on it as I try to get it down. It burns my throat, it burns the whole way to my stomach.

“You don’t have a clue,” She states. “You don’t have any understanding of this. You’re an Asher, Brynn. That’s royalty by Brethren standards. You’d never have found your father if I hadn't helped you. You’d still be in that house, with that man…”

“I want to be there,” I reply. “I want to be back with Conrad, with my husband,”

She shoves another mouthful in, using the porridge to silence me.

“He is not your husband. Your father hasn’t agreed to it, no one witnessed the ceremony. You have Founder Blood, thatmeans any marriage has to be sanctified. Besides, Xavier makes a far better candidate.”

“I don’t want him. I don’t like him.” I sob.

“You will learn to like him. Besides, once we’ve sorted everything, you’ll be Chapter Lady. Chapter Lady, Brynn. You really want to turn that down?”

“Magnus is going to be Chapter Lord,” I mumble back because what she says makes no sense.

She lets out a laugh. It’s bitter, twisted, and it sends goosebumps up my skin. “He will not be Chapter Lord, we’re seeing to that. And once Titus is in, once everything has settled, then we’ll set everything straight. Xavier will take charge, and we’ll purge anyone who stands against us.”

“I want Conrad,” I state. I don’t care what the plans are, I don’t care who is in charge. I just want to go home.

She gets to her feet, moving the tray out of the way. “Fine then, be difficult. But the more you fight, the longer we’ll keep you like this…”

She walks out, leaving me there, leaving me tied up. Defenceless.

He comes an hour later.

My stomach drops when I see the light reflecting off his bald, shiny head.

He stares at me, taking me in, like he didn’t get a good enough look last night.

“How’s your cunt feeling?” He asks.

I gulp, unsure how to reply to that.

He walks over to the fireplace and starts packing it with wood, making the tiny embers that were there spark into flames.

“You bled enough that if I hadn't known better, I’d have thought you were a virgin,” He remarks. He doesn’t sound remorseful. He doesn’t sound sorry. His voice is emotionless.

He reaches over, grabbing one of the instruments from beside the hearth and he places it hard against the stone, flattening it with his boot so it’s now at a ninety-degree angle against the handle. It’s a spade. A little one. One used for shovelling ash or coal.

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