Page 63 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Maggie and Sarah enveloped her in the white velvet cloak, and they waited for Ian. He knocked and entered a few minutes later wearing a black belted robe that reminded Anna of something the pope would wear. Maggie and Sarah greeted him and left.

“Hello, Anna. How are you doing?”

Anna nodded and smiled, feeling as if she would float right out of the Manor.

“Did he Silence you?”

She nodded again.

A sadness filled his eyes she didn’t understand. He hugged her and petted her hair; an unexpectedly gentle gesture from him. She was curious, but she couldn’t ask about it... if she had really wanted to.

Ian straightened, and his face became inscrutable. “Shall we? We don’t want to make Devin wait.” He adjusted her cloak, pulled the hood up over her head, and they made their way downstairs. His hand on her arm was comforting as they walked through the maze of the Manor.

Chapter 27

Soon the familiar double doors appeared. Ian opened one of them and guided Anna inside and to the back corner where she would wait, hidden in the darkness. No one took notice of her and she lifted her head so she could see the entire room.

A soft, golden light bathed the Great Hall, with the corner shining even brighter where the majestic golden eagle towered over the room, stretching its head toward the ceiling. The sight of the creature’s talons spread across the back of the platform, surrounded by a fiery moat, sent chills down her spine.

Devin’s throne sat at the center of the dais, with three smaller thrones on either side of it. In the middle of the main platform was a waist-high rectangular stone table about half the length of a twin-size bed. Two empty thrones, similar to Devin’s, sat on one end of the platform. At the other end sat a tall, square stone table holding a bowl and other items Anna couldn’t identify.

Rows of wooden benches filled the main floor, with a single, wide center aisle. Clad in blue hooded robes, the men spoke in low voices as they made their way towards the benches. Girls—mostly in blue hooded cloaks, but a few in red—stood silently in the balconies above.

A sharp rapping sound shot through the Hall, instantly silencing the room as the men quickly took their seats. A man in a green robe with gold edging stood in the middle of the platform, holding a tall wooden stick.

Two other men in green robes appeared at the end of the aisle at the back of the Hall. Their hoods hid their faces in deep shadows, and each held out a smoking silver ball suspended on a chain in front of them. Two more green-robed men appeared at opposite ends of the benches, each carrying a smoking silver ball. Another man in a green robe came out from behind the eagle and began chanting in a language Anna didn’t understand, though the melody was haunting.

The men with the balls moved forward together, their deliberate steps accompanied by the gentle swaying of the balls, which sent the smoke billowing up the aisle. Smoke swirled around Anna and a sweet fragrance filled her nostrils. The little tension that had remained after Devin’s visit disappeared as she inhaled deeply.

Three men in white robes emerged from behind the eagle and the men in blue stood. Two of the men’s robes white were adorned with an intricate gold edging that sparkled as if encrusted with diamonds. Their hoods were pulled low over their faces, concealing their identities. The man in the plain white robe had very broad shoulders.

One white-robed man walked to the middle of the platform and stopped, while the other two walked to the side of the platform and stood by the empty thrones.

Once the men in the green robes reached the platform, the chanting ceased, and the room fell silent again. The man in the center of the platform waved his hand, and the men in blue sat back down on the benches. The green-robed men climbed the steps to the platform and sat on the smaller thrones that surrounded Devin’s.

“My Brothers,” came Devin’s voice from the shadow of his hood. He spoke in a deep, commanding voice that sent delicious shivers up and down Anna’s spine. “I give you good greetings. Tonight we welcome into our fold two new brothers and several new slaves.” He motioned with his hand to the side of the platform where the other men in white robes sat. “I would also like to extend a special greeting to our visiting German Brothers.” He nodded in acknowledgment.

The two men gave nods in return.

German Brothers? Did that mean Wilhelm and Kurt? What were they doing there?

Devin pulled his hood back, and the other men in the room did the same. Devin continued to speak, but his voice faded in Anna’s ears as she watched the other men in white pull their hoods back. It was indeed Wilhelm. But Kurt wasn’t with him. Alex was.

Anna’s heart stirred as she watched Alex sitting next to his father, tall and handsome. Memories of his kind blue eyes from her dreams threatened to erode the peace she’d had since Devin had visited her in her room. He turned his head and looked in her direction. Her breath caught in her throat and she tore her eyes away from him. How could she feel his gaze burning her? He didn’t know she was in the Hall, did he?

She pushed aside the traitorous thoughts and returned her focus to her beloved Devin, who had stopped talking.

Devin turned to watch five young women a little younger than Anna, chained together at the wrists, emerge from a doorway near the platform. Three blondes and two brunettes. Naked. A man in a black robe like Ian’s led them to the platform to stand in front of the table.

Devin walked up behind one of the blondes and reached in front to cup her breasts. He caressed them for a moment, then pulled at her nipples. He pulled hard, but she only closed her eyes in reaction. A twinge of jealousy poked at Anna’s heart.

“Freshly trained slaves, my Brothers.” He smiled. “Take a good look. We will mark them and then you may sample them after the ceremony.”

Appreciative murmurs and chuckles came from the men in blue. Devin grinned and motioned to two of the men in green robes. Devin sat down on his throne, resting his chin on his fist as the other men walked in front of the blonde at the end.

One man stood behind her and rolled her nipples between his fingers until they were erect, then the other man put a gun-type device against her breast and pulled the trigger. She jumped and bit her lip, but didn’t make a sound. He pulled the gun away, revealing a silver ring hanging from her nipple.

That doesn’t look too bad. I can handle that.

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