feeding off the energy of the other patrons.
I noticed Mark didn’t even glance at the performer, he simply
watched me. Too happy to feel embarrassed by such obvious
attention, I flashed him a big smile.
“Thank you,” I mouthed at him. He smiled and
dipped his head towards me. I couldn’t have been happier seeing how
my people lived and how they laughed in their free time. After
years of slavery I didn’t realize that somewhere outside my little
world people were allowed such simple freedoms.
I opened my mouth to ask Mark a question
about the juggler when the door burst open and four heavily armed
guards marched in the tavern. I hid my hands under the table and
glanced away to the fire. My heart beat so hard I was afraid it
would leap out of my chest and give me away. Mark’s hand grabbed
mine under the table.
“Citizens of Keree, for weeks we have been
looking for a missing slave, one our master will not cease
searching for. To ensure your cooperation in finding her, he has
issued a proclamation. If she is not found by his wedding day,
seven days from now, he will begin executing petty criminals,
including men from this town.”
My gasp joined that of the patrons around
me. How could Kandek do this? Execute men who’d stolen bread or
poached deer from his land to feed their families to force someone
to turn me in. My stomach twirled like a trapped snake.
“If she is returned, your family members
will be set free the day of his wedding as a goodwill gesture
towards his loyal subjects.”
I held back the tears that threatened to
burst forth. Mark squeezed my hand so hard I feared the bones might
break, but I sat still not wanting to give myself away. I glanced
around at the other people in the tavern, trying to gauge their
reactions. I saw the joy on the faces of men whose brothers would
be released, but I also saw fear. They knew without finding me
their loved ones might be in jeopardy for crimes that normally
carried only a fine or a sentence of thirty days in prison.
Now they faced death simply because Kandek
could not let me go.
Chapter Twelve
The party atmosphere dissipated when the
guards left. Mark tugged my hand and we blended in with the other
villagers heading for the door. Their reactions ranged from anger
at Kandek’s blackmail to worry for their families. They whispered
about how unfair it was that they were being held accountable for
the actions a girl they didn’t even know. It broke my heart to be
among them so visible, yet hidden, knowing that I was the cause of
their concerns.
Once we were away from the crowd and headed
back to Johna’s cottage, Mark put his arm around my shoulder.
“Don’t let it get to you,” he whispered in
my ear.
I glanced around, most of the people were
having their own conversations and were oblivious to the two of
us.
“How can I not be upset? This is my
fault.”
“It’s Kandek’s fault.”
We walked in silence, arriving at the
cottage moments later. I walked in the door and made eye contact
with Johna, who was still hard at work grinding herbs.
“What’s the matter child?” She wiped her
hands on her apron and scurried over to me. I flung my cloak on a
nearby hook and sank to the bench.
“Kandek’s going to kill petty criminals if
Reychel isn’t turned in within the week. He’s getting married and
used his wedding as a deadline,” Mark said, placing a hand on my
shoulder.
“ Oh no,” Johna cried. “What
is it about you that he needs so? You must figure out what makes
you so valuable. Think, child, think. What happened during your
time with him?”
“Nothing,” I said, balling up my hands.
“I’ve thought about it over and over but I still have no idea.”
“Ivy said you had private audiences with
him. What happened during those meetings?” Mark asked.
“He would ask me to tell stories; that’s
all. There was nothing special other than those were the only times
I was allowed to look out the windows. He kept me
I noticed Mark didn’t even glance at the performer, he simply
watched me. Too happy to feel embarrassed by such obvious
attention, I flashed him a big smile.
“Thank you,” I mouthed at him. He smiled and
dipped his head towards me. I couldn’t have been happier seeing how
my people lived and how they laughed in their free time. After
years of slavery I didn’t realize that somewhere outside my little
world people were allowed such simple freedoms.
I opened my mouth to ask Mark a question
about the juggler when the door burst open and four heavily armed
guards marched in the tavern. I hid my hands under the table and
glanced away to the fire. My heart beat so hard I was afraid it
would leap out of my chest and give me away. Mark’s hand grabbed
mine under the table.
“Citizens of Keree, for weeks we have been
looking for a missing slave, one our master will not cease
searching for. To ensure your cooperation in finding her, he has
issued a proclamation. If she is not found by his wedding day,
seven days from now, he will begin executing petty criminals,
including men from this town.”
My gasp joined that of the patrons around
me. How could Kandek do this? Execute men who’d stolen bread or
poached deer from his land to feed their families to force someone
to turn me in. My stomach twirled like a trapped snake.
“If she is returned, your family members
will be set free the day of his wedding as a goodwill gesture
towards his loyal subjects.”
I held back the tears that threatened to
burst forth. Mark squeezed my hand so hard I feared the bones might
break, but I sat still not wanting to give myself away. I glanced
around at the other people in the tavern, trying to gauge their
reactions. I saw the joy on the faces of men whose brothers would
be released, but I also saw fear. They knew without finding me
their loved ones might be in jeopardy for crimes that normally
carried only a fine or a sentence of thirty days in prison.
Now they faced death simply because Kandek
could not let me go.
Chapter Twelve
The party atmosphere dissipated when the
guards left. Mark tugged my hand and we blended in with the other
villagers heading for the door. Their reactions ranged from anger
at Kandek’s blackmail to worry for their families. They whispered
about how unfair it was that they were being held accountable for
the actions a girl they didn’t even know. It broke my heart to be
among them so visible, yet hidden, knowing that I was the cause of
their concerns.
Once we were away from the crowd and headed
back to Johna’s cottage, Mark put his arm around my shoulder.
“Don’t let it get to you,” he whispered in
my ear.
I glanced around, most of the people were
having their own conversations and were oblivious to the two of
us.
“How can I not be upset? This is my
fault.”
“It’s Kandek’s fault.”
We walked in silence, arriving at the
cottage moments later. I walked in the door and made eye contact
with Johna, who was still hard at work grinding herbs.
“What’s the matter child?” She wiped her
hands on her apron and scurried over to me. I flung my cloak on a
nearby hook and sank to the bench.
“Kandek’s going to kill petty criminals if
Reychel isn’t turned in within the week. He’s getting married and
used his wedding as a deadline,” Mark said, placing a hand on my
shoulder.
“ Oh no,” Johna cried. “What
is it about you that he needs so? You must figure out what makes
you so valuable. Think, child, think. What happened during your
time with him?”
“Nothing,” I said, balling up my hands.
“I’ve thought about it over and over but I still have no idea.”
“Ivy said you had private audiences with
him. What happened during those meetings?” Mark asked.
“He would ask me to tell stories; that’s
all. There was nothing special other than those were the only times
I was allowed to look out the windows. He kept me
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