╚╩╩╩╝ Hamil ╚╩╩╩╝

We quickly discovered another of the kidnappers, though it was Damian who noticed them first. Once we got close enough, I could feel the terror of those trapped inside, but the Freelancer was already there to apprehend the driver.

Unlike the one that they’d found the first time, no backup appeared, most likely because of the small army that we led. Pert let about half of his men to take the cart, and the girls inside, back to Renae.

We’d traveled as fast as we could for the past few hours. The distance between the Gelling’s main estate and Renae would take two days of normal travel, but we should be able to make it before nightfall at our current pace. The time it took to get through the bog was less than half that time, though. They no doubt had Charlotte right now.

I could feel a knot forming in my chest as I pictured my friend in the hands of her captors.

As it started to rain, Astrid asked Damian. “Do you two know each other?” She turned to look at Dame Austen, who didn’t react.

“I knew her people.” Damian answered.

“What’s this Weeping Fist?” Astrid continued.

“It’s a fighting technique that was taught in my family. Similar to her Silent Sword. It’s why I only fight with my hands.”

Astrid nodded her head and focused on the road ahead.

After some time, Dame Austen asked. “How did you survive?”

I watched as Damian tightened his jaw and lower his head slightly. “I… was banished.”

“Consider yourself lucky, then.”

“I am lucky.” Damian spoke softly. “My family loved me, even after I drove them all to their death.”

“Then…”

“Yes. I was the one who started the conflict.”

Astrid turned her head and I could feel conflict rising within her. “What… happened?” She hesitated.

Damian paused, sorrow filling him. “A nobleman paid for my elder sister to be kidnapped. He had been courting her for some time and grew tired of rejection, so he hired a band of thieves, the same thieves we now hunt, to take her.” He took a shaky breath. “I went to the noble’s estate and… I murdered everyone inside. Men, women and children. It turns out that she escaped not long after being taken. I was banished for what I had done.”

Damian bit his lip and froze.

Dame Austen spoke up. “The king sent an army to the Cil Clan and demanded the head of the boy who had done this. They refused to give you up and all suffered the fate prepared for you.” She turned and looked up at the storm clouds. “Though you are stronger because of it.”

Astrid rode closer to Damian and asked. “What noble family was it?”

“The Narak.” Damian answered simply before inching away slightly.

I could feel the conflict within her grow tighter and tighter before it suddenly loosened and disappeared.

“I was a part of a noble family in the west, the Nile family.” Astrid spoke up. Hearing this, Damian turned to look at her, eyes wide in surprise. She continued. “Our family was split into two houses, and we were bitter rivals with the Narak family. One day, we found out that the Narak family had been completely destroyed. One of the main houses decided to report to the king that the other house, my house, had conspired with the Cil Clan to do it.” Astrid paused, looking down at her hands. “I survived because my mother had disguised herself in town. She left me with one of the locals and turned herself in, hoping that they wouldn’t look for me.”

The two Freelancers looked at each other, an unfamiliar emotion filling them before Dame Austen spoke. “That explains the amount of soldiers they sent. They were going to eradicate your clan either way.”

Silence followed this discussion for quite some time.

This silence was shattered as Pert groaned in frustration. “We aren’t going fast enough!”

“You could just run there like when you carried Jaime to Renae.” I replied.

“I can’t storm their estate by myself. I need witnesses to attest to our purpose.” He explained.

“So? Who cares about stuff like that?”

Pert caught my gaze and held it for a moment, looking down at me, unsure about which course of action to take.

Finally, the man lifted his gaze and looked back to the soldiers he had left. “Follow as fast as you can.” He then looked at the three in front. “I need you to ride harder than you ever have.”

Before Pert could leave, though, I stopped him. “Take me with you.”

He looked at me, but didn’t say a word.

“Please. I can fight.” I stopped, seeing the look on the man’s face. “It’s my fault that they’re out there. I want to make it right.”

Pert nodded his head before climbing down from the horse and picking me up.

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“Hold your breath.” He said as a yellow light flowed through his body. “And try not to pass out.”

╚╩╩╩╝ Charlotte Renae ╚╩╩╩╝

After a long time suffocating through the worst smells and sounds ever, the air cleared.

Every time I managed to clear my mind, Gareth’s face dragged itself forward and I would dry heave. I was terrified, and I tried to stop the shaking, but I never could. The only times of peace were when I told myself that Hamil was coming. This was pointless, though. What were the chances that he knew who had taken me and where they were taking me to?

Through the thin cracks on the sides of the compartment, I could see Jaime. The space was so thin that I could hardly turn my head, but when I did, I could see the calm look on her face. Rather, the expression on her face was not one of calm, but curiosity. She hadn’t realized what was happening or was in denial.

Steeling myself, I vowed to do whatever I could to keep her safe. Just like Hamil would have done for me.

Just then, the cart stopped and I could hear voices outside.

Suddenly, the door swung open and two people were looking down at us.

One of them, a graying man with lecherous eyes grinned. “Yes, these are the ones. Bring them inside.”

We were all dragged out and set on our feet. Clementine collapsed and would have hit the ground if one of the men that had kidnapped us had not caught her.

“My lords have prepared a room for them. Dinner is in an hour. All the prospects will make themselves presentable for the meal and afterward, or they will be sent to the dungeons.” The lecherous man explain.

Without another word, the men lead us toward the large estate and stopped as the doors swung open and a swarm of servants came out.

The lecherous man stepped past us and stopped at the door. “My lords will not be available until dinner. They have expressed that they wish for this meal to be… special.”

I caught the gazes of many of the servants. They all looked either terrified or remorseful. None, though, tried to do anything to stop what was happening. The servants then came forward and led us all into the mansion.

Rather than taking us to a cell somewhere, the servants led us to separate rooms all in the same hall. Stepping through the door into my room, I looked around to see that the room looked relatively clean, though a thick layer of dust covered many surfaces.

“I’m… so sorry.” The servant standing in the doorway apologized. She looked quite young, almost as young as me. “None of us can do anything. We all have loved ones in my lord’s hands. If any of us step out of line, they all go to the dungeons.”

“I understand.” I nodded my head.

Would I have done anything different if I was in her position? I’d like to think not.

The servant closed the door and left me to my myself.

The first thing I did was check the window, though it looked to be bolted shut, and we were on the second floor, so jumping wouldn’t accomplish much beyond hurting myself, not to mention the guards standing close by.

“If only I had mother’s bloodline.” I mumbled to myself. I could just burn my way through this prison of a home like Alistair does through people on the battlefield.

Then I realized whose bloodline I did have.

My heart still tightened in fear, I thought of the girls in the rooms around me. I didn’t know Clementine very well, and I hardly knew Jaime, but I was in the best position to help them. I would do whatever I could to help them, even if it killed me.

I dressed as nicely as I could with what was given to me and waited for someone to come and bring us.

After waiting for a few minutes, the door opened and the servant who had led me to the room stood by the lecherous man who nodded his head. “My lord has good tastes.” He then turned and took a step away from the door. “Follow me.”

I followed the man through the halls and into a large dining hall. Jaime and Clementine were already seated at the table on the end opposite of both of the Gellings. Oddly, though, their father was absent.

Neither of the men said anything, deciding to simply stare instead. Trying to calm myself, I avoided eye contact and sat down beside Jaime. There was no food to be seen on the table, so we waited quietly.

Turning to look at the two other girls, I saw that Clementine looked very pale and Jaime looked dazed. Worried, I placed my hand on Jaime’s arm to get her attention. She turned and looked at me with unfocused eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I whispered.

She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head.

Finally, the servants came in with a ton of food that they laid across our section of the table only. I noticed too late that the two brothers had disappeared from their side of the table and were standing right beside us.

Gareth sat down beside me and placed a leg on my thigh, causing me to tense up. His brother sat across from us, staring at Jaime and Clementine.

The first to start eating was Jaime. She stacked food high and cleaned off her plate within just a minute. This seemed to disappoint the other Gelling.

Clementine and I had barely eaten anything before neither of us could eat anymore. I assumed that, like me, her stomach was churning bad enough that what food they did eat threatened to come back up.

Servants came back through the room and removed all traces of the meal that had once covered the table, leaving the five of us alone and with nothing to distract the two brothers.

“Quite a woman you’ve chosen, brother.” Gareth’s brother announced. “I’ve never been able to get a good look at her until now. Renae makes ‘em nice.”

“What about you? Have you decided?” Gareth asked.

“I’d rather wait ‘till the whole shipment gets here.”

“What are you going to do with us?” I asked.

Gareth turned his head and looked deep into my eyes. Definitely not his first mistake. I hadn’t had much practice with my bloodline power, but I knew how to make it work. I had to ask questions. The more questions they answered, the deeper they fell into a trance, until they would essentially become a slave to my words. My father could do this with a single question, but never used it.

“We’re going to finally get married. Your father has decided to object, so we’re going to elope to Farrol.” Gareth answered and I could feel my power working.

“And your brother?” I asked.

“He got so sad when I told him what I was going to do. I decided to find him a wife too.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love you. I have to have you! Nobody else can have you!” He spoke louder and louder.

I could feel that I was close, but before I could ask another question, the door to the dining hall swung open.

“They’re on to us!” The lecherous man cried out.

Gareth turned away and furrowed his brow.

“Why would you do that to me?” He asked, frowning.

“I… I don’t know what-”

He slapped me across the face hard enough to knock my chair back.

Jaime and Clementine quickly got out of their chairs and helped me up.

“Do that again, and I’ll cut out your tongue.” Gareth threatened, before turning to his brother. “These two are all you’re gonna get. Pick one.”

The brother stood from his chair, walked around the table and looked down at Jaime and Clementine.

He pointed to Jaime. “She’s young and eats like father, but I don’t like the way the other one keeps looking at me.” He reached down and grabbed Jaime’s face, bringing it closer to his.

Before he could do anything, however, Jaime lurched forward.

The brother pulled back, crying out in pain and grabbed at his face.

“My nose! She took off my nose!” He shouted. “Send them both to the dungeons!” He screamed as the doors swung open.

Lowering his hands, I could see that Jaime had not simply take a bite from his nose, she had taken everything down to the bone.

Guards swarmed into the room and dragged the two girls away.

“We’ll have to find a healer on our way. Someone come and bind his wounds.” Gareth comforted his brother and called for someone to help before turning to me. “We leave in an hour. I suggest you make yourself ready.”