Page 2 of The Howling
“Yes.” I stare straight ahead. I cannot meet his eyes or it will all be over.
Lord Guyzance stares at me for a long time before pulling in a breath as a hiss through his sharp teeth. His ethereal beauty is simply glamour, something I can occasionally see through. But I don’t risk it this time.
Not this close.
If he thinks I can do any such thing, I’ll be sent to Queen Mab, and from what I’ve heard, it’s even worse in her domain.
“Was there anything else out there?” Guyzance addresses the Redcap.
“We found the Barghest heading to the village. He’s in your dungeons now.”
“The Barghest…”. Lord Guyzance moves away from me, meaning I can take a gulp of air. “Was it after this human?”
“It was after souls.” The Redcap shrugs. “Perhaps it was after this one.”
Lord Guyzance turns in a blur of movement, and I find myself lifted from the floor by my throat, my legs dangling, my feet kicking.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t feed your soul to the Barghest in my dungeon?” he snarls.
I can’t speak. I attempt to clutch at his arm, but mine are pinned magically to my sides. I feel consciousness slipping away from me as I struggle to breathe. I see his face change from a mask of rage to one of evil pleasure.
I can’t shudder because my body is frozen, but I fear the ultimate punishment. To have to surrender to him.
“Perhaps instead, you should spend some time working in the dungeons,” he says with a sharp-toothed smile. “No chance of escape and some time in the presence of the soul sucker will dissuade you from any such thoughts in the future.”
WYNTER
The Redcap gives me a shove, and I stumble down the three stone steps into the kitchen.
“You’ve got until I get bored,” he says, grabbing a plate filled with bones and throwing himself into a chair by the fire. “Don’t waste it. You won’t be seeing daylight for a long time.”
“What have you been doing, girl?” Gloriana declares, looking me up and down, taking in my disheveled state.
The witch is, for want of a better title, the head housekeeper and cook. She rules the kitchens and the underside of Lord Guyzance’s palace with a rod of iron, although don’t tell the Faerie.
She’s also one of the fairest people I’ve ever met.
“She escaped,” the guard says through a mouthful of food. “The Lord’s sending her to the dungeons.”
“Shit,” Kaitlyn says. “Did you?”
My red-haired friend has never minced her words in all the time we’ve been here. And she’s been here longer than I. She doesn’t care if it gets her into trouble, although she’s pretty adept at keeping out of it.
Unlike me. I seem to attract trouble.
“No. I’m here, aren’t I?” I glare at Kaitlyn. “I was looking for mushrooms,” I add pointedly.
“Did you get any?” Gloriana asks.
“No, I dropped them,” I respond.
“Shame. I have a spell which could do with some.” She sighs.
“Lord Guyzance is sending you to the dungeons because you were collecting mushrooms?” Kaitlyn queries.
“She’s going to the dungeons to work,” the Redcap interjects. “And she says she needs a few things before she goes, but if you all don’t shut up, I’ll take her as she is.” Nastiness glitters in his eyes.
Gloriana gives me a knowing look and flaps a kitchen rag in my direction. “Get changed. I’ll get your supplies,” she says before turning to the Redcap. “Get your filthy feet out of my kitchen,” she growls. “Or I’ll turn them into flippers.”
