Page 202 of Barbi and the Villain

But that reveals something about them. They are doing a job, which means they were sent here by someone.

I can work with that.

Pulling the door open, I stare them right in the eye.

“What brings you here?” I ask in a fake sweet voice.

But as I regard the group of men, I realize that my initial estimates were way off. It’s not ten or twelve, but close to twenty. Where the hell had the rest come from?

I do my best to keep my poker face so they don’t see how intimidated I am. But a woman alone with a group of men? When is that not absolutely terrifying?

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” One of the men steps forward, narrowing his eyes at me.

I note the weapons peeking through their clothes.

“What?” I smile.

“The lighthouse is property of the House of Jubal of Sattoriya. You are trespassing.”

“Oh, really? I am so sorry. I did not know,” I say in a sweet voice. “I thought it was an abandoned place. But no worries, I will gather my things and leave.”

With another smile, I take a step back, closing the door.

A booted foot blocks it.

“You must identify yourself. Trespassing on the property of the House of Jubal is a crime.”

“Oh, maybe you can overlook it this one time?” I bat my lashes at them. “You have no idea what I’ve been through.” I let out a quiet sob. “I was just trying to get to my grandmother who’s severely sick and?—”

“We have received a report that you have run away from your husband, which is against the law,” the same man says, interrupting me. “We are here to retrieve you so you can be judged accordingly.”

My eyes flare in shock. I gawk at them, slowly digesting these outrageous accusations.

What?

They received a report? About me?

What the hell? And the report said I ran away from my husband? This must be a mistake. Maybe there was another woman who fled from her husband in the area, and now they decided to pin this on me. Otherwise, nothing makes sense.

“You are under arrest and will stand trial at the House of Jubal for trespassing, after which you will be moved to the Public House of Sattoriya for abandonment of the marital home,” he continues in a robotic tone. “You are required to tell us your name and your affiliation so we can identify your husband. He will need to be present for the trial.”

“What are you talking about?” I frown.

He stares at me blankly.

Before I know what’s happening, he pushes the door open and instructs two men to hold me.

“W-what are you doing?” I stammer when I note him removing a device from his pouch. It resembles a pair of cuffs, but there is something odd about them. They are made from a golden material, but there is an unusual green glow to them. As it nears me, the glow intensifies, and specks of foreign energy float around the metal.

It must be a magical device of sorts. And if they put that on me, I don’t know what might happen.

Panic swells in my breast and I start flailing my arms and legs.

I struggle to get the men off me, but they are much stronger and within seconds, they subdue me, pushing me against the wall and pulling my hands behind my back.

A scorching heat envelops my body as the cuffs make contact with my skin.

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