Gretchen was sick again. She got sick quite often. Even when she was well, she never seemed to be energetic. This morning, Gretchen said she had a bad headache and chills. Seri asked if she would like to stay in bed, and she replied that she would, so Seri brought up food and water.

“Would you like some company today?” Seri asked.

“Not now,” Gretchen said. “I think I’ll go back to sleep.”

“Do you need an extra blanket?”

“That would be nice.”

Seri went to her room, brought up her blanket, and laid it atop Gretchen. Gretchen thanked her politely, but her words were dull. This was not a symptom of the sickness, Seri thought, but of something worse.

When Seri returned to the dining room, Petronille wasn’t there. Seri looked around the castle. She found Nel in the library. Brand was with her.

They sat at the table by the window, and there was a book between them. Rather than sitting opposite her, Brand sat beside Nel, so that there was hardly space between them. As soon as Seri came in, Nel looked up, a look of fear and guilt upon her face. Brand grinned, smugly.

“Good morning, Seri. What brings you to the library at this hour?”

“I was looking for Nel.”

“I asked her here. Nel is interested in drawings, and I have quite a collection. I was showing her my favorites. Care to see?”

“No, thank you.”

“You might see something you like.”

“No, thank you.”

“See, Seri, always thinks I have the worst things on my mind,” he said, and though he was speaking to Nel, he was looking at her. “These are plants, Seri—your specialty. And I know you’ve looked at this book before, because your scraps of paper are tucked into the pages. But you won’t come and look at it now. Because I’m here, and that, somehow, taints the subject matter.”

“If I wanted to read it, I would read it on my own. Reading is a solitary activity.”

“You can read?” Nel asked, in a high-pitched, nervous voice. “You must be very clever.”

“She is,” Brand said. “Seri has been translating the Greek, using my dictionaries and grammar books. Hence all the notes. Of course, I do know Greek. Not well, but better than she does. I’d help her translate, but she never asks. She’s too stubborn, too proud.”

Seri had no idea how to respond to this. She felt put on the spot, and she knew full well what he was doing. Trying to make her look bad in front of Nel.

“Do you care to join us?” Brand said, gesturing toward the book. “You can enlighten us with your great botany expertise.”

“Yes,” Seri said.

Brand blinked. “Yes?”

Seri took a chair and planted it at the table, across from Brand and Nel. “I will share my insight… and keep an eye on you.”

Brand rolled his eyes. “Of course. You think it’s your job to chaperone Nel.”

“I know your intentions, Brand.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“You don’t, Seri,” he snapped. “I happen to like art. So does she. Sometimes, I like to spend time with a girl who likes the things I like and doesn’t argue with me every time I try to get a word in.”

Petronille cleared her throat.

Brand glanced at her. “I apologize,” he said. “This is an old debate between me and Seri. It has nothing to do with you.”

“It’s all right,” Nel said. “But… well, Seri did say she wanted to give me a tour of the castle today. I don’t think I was supposed to leave the breakfast table.”

“You can do whatever you like,” Brand said. “You are not beholden to Seri. She is no different from you.” He stood up. “But by all means, take a tour, if that is what you desire. I’ll eat my breakfast, and we can look at books later. We have lots of time, after all, Nel. There’s no need to rush.”

He smiled at her.

She timidly smiled back.

Seri looked off to the side.

Brand walked past them, leaving Seri alone with Nel.

“I’m sorry,” Nel said. “He came in while you were gone and asked if I wanted to see some books.”

“And you agreed?” Seri said, wearily.

“It was innocent.”

“That’s how it starts off, Nel. You agree to little things, innocent things, and then he asks you to do more and more, and before you know it, you’re….”

She trailed off. She noticed her voice had gotten angry again. Nel looked down.

“I’m sorry,” Nel said. “I just like his drawings, and I wanted to see his books. I didn’t know it was wrong. I won’t do it again.”

Seri sighed.

“Nel,” she said quietly, “it’s not about the books or even agreeing to see him. It’s just… I know what it feels like to be… to be hunted by him. You can’t be naïve. I’m not telling you this to scare you, but because you must understand his ways, if you are to resist him.”

Nel fiddled with her hands. “It’s just that…”

“What is it?”

Nel took a deep breath. “Seri, I have only known you for a little while, but it strikes me that you are very strong and very brave. I am not. I am a plain little mouse, and I tremble at the first angry word. I do not think I can resist him in the same way you do.”

“Nel, you are stronger than you suppose.”

“No. I know very little, Seri, but I do know myself. If I’m to be hunted, I am likely to succumb. Not because I wish to be taken. But he has power, and I do not. What can I do? Perhaps if I am nice to him, he will be nice to me.”

“You don’t wish to resist him?” Seri said.

Nel shook her head. “It cannot be easy, I imagine.” She looked away. “Besides, Brand does not seem like a man who takes pleasure in the pain of others. So long as he is not cruel, well, then, I may live with him, and we may get along. I still prefer him to the man I was to wed.”

“You prefer Brand?” Seri said, taken aback.

Nel nodded. “He has yet to call me stupid, though I am. He has not struck me.”

Seri felt shaken by this. Shaken and angry. She did not know what Nel had endured that Brand was preferable, and she hated the idea that someone had taken advantage of Nel’s kindness. This sweet girl should not be forced to wed a man who abused her. Perhaps, Brand truly was a reprieve.

Not much of one. Brand had his own mean streak.

“I would not have you become his prey,” Seri said. “But you need not resist him as I do, for I know all too well the cost, and I will not ask you to pay it. If you want to go home, give Brand what he wants. It doesn’t have to be sex. In fact, if you insist against it, he won’t force you.”

“But what else could he want from me?” Nel asked.

“In the past, it’s been a family relic: your Castle’s source of magic.”

“But I don’t have a Castle,” Nel said. “We don’t have magic.”

“I know.”

“Then what could he desire?”

“I don’t think he himself knows,” Seri said. “I think this is some perverse habit he clings to, because he doesn’t know what else he might do with his life. I would have him stop, but he won’t listen to me.” She sighed. “But in your case, Nel, you have three months to get to know him. Use that time to learn his desires, and, if possible, steer them toward something that… that is not disagreeable to you.”

“But I have nothing.”

“You have your wits, your talents, your mind, your heart. You will find something.” Seri paused. “You like art? You have a genuine interest in it?”

Nel nodded.

“So does he,” Seri said. “Start with that. Speak to him, as you would any other person. Be cordial, but do not let him take liberties with you. I will keep an eye on you, when I can, and if he acts in a way that is uncourteous, I will intervene on your behalf and put a stop to it.”

“Won’t he be angry?”

“Not at you.”

“I don’t want him to be mad at you, Seri.”

“He’s already mad at me,” Seri said. “What does it matter? It is my duty to resist him, and I will do it. And you shall do your duty, as you suppose it to be. If you go home, untouched by his madness, that is enough. It’s not for me to tell you.”

Nel nodded. “You are very kind. I’m grateful for your guidance.”

“I was where you are not so long ago,” Seri said quietly. “I don’t wish you to suffer. I don’t wish any of us to suffer.” She rubbed her arms. “I hope we may go home soon. I wish he’d let us go.”