Page 7 of Ruled By Magic

The doctor’s eyes widened, but he just nodded, all professional disinterest. “Thank you. Now, give me your arm.” He extracted a sample of blood and stuck a plaster over the tiny wound. I ran a finger over it and winced at the sting.

“One last thing.” He rummaged in his bag and retrieved a small box of pills. “One dose lasts three months.” He handed one to me. “Place it under your tongue. It stops your cycle, no risk of pregnancy.”

That simple. I stared at the white tablet for a second before slipping it under my tongue. A bitter taste, poorly disguised by a sweet coating. The doctor patted my knee, a patronizing gesture. “Very good. I’ll be back to check on you in three months.” He nodded to the guard and left.

Two women entered, laden with cases and a large fold-out screen. I tensed. “What’s this now?”

The older lady, stern and covered in thick foundation, answered as the younger positioned the screen. “We’re to make you presentable for the Lord Commander.” Her gaze traveled over me. “And we’ve got our work cut out. What have you been washing your hair with, turpentine?”

“Prison soap,” I shot back, patience fraying. “We’ve had no food yet, can’t this—”

“Don’t be difficult. The faster we start, the faster it’s done.”

Two hours later, the beauticians left. I perched on the edge of the bed in the modest black dress they’d given me, calf length with capped sleeves and a full skirt. They’d waxed me bare everywhere and my skin tingled, even with the soothing cream they’d applied. My hair felt smooth, silky soft, pulled into an updo. Small pieces fell in artful curls past my shoulders, and the color shone a deep chestnut brown. I twirled a piece around my finger. Breakfast arrived at last, the same greasy meat and rubbery eggs I’d eaten every day for weeks. I’d lost track.

Hex and I ate in silence. I wiped grease from my lips. “So, how do I look?”

She studied me. “I mean... nice. The makeup’s a bit over the top. They’ve done this weird blue design up your cheek. I think it’s to draw attention to your mark.”

His mark. My stomach lurched at the thought of seeing it again. What kind of psychopath wanted to brand a woman as his property? “I’ll take your word for it.”

Hex nodded, brows down. “Let’s talk about something else. What’ll we do in ten years when I’m released? The first place we go.”

I tapped my long, silver-tipped nail on the plate in thought. “Somewhere we’ve never been. I’ll start saving as soon as I’m free and we’ll go to the beaches, right on the north side of the forest.” I smiled, the first genuine one since my arrest, and it felt strange on my face. “We can swim in the ocean.”

Start saving. With what money? I’d have to support myself somehow. Perhaps Suzette would have work in her café. She went through staff fast. Employees hated the spitting fat used to fry the wild pig sausages. I hated it too, I helped one summer and lasted all of three days. But my options would be limited. Teaching was out. No respectable business would want to hire me. A criminal, and the Lord Commander’s ex-whore. As unemployable as anyone could be. I scrunched the bedsheet in my hand and tried not to let my sudden despondency show. Hex faced ten years in prison. She needed one last happy day.

Hex returned an answering grin. “Perfect. Make sure you get plenty of booze too.”

I dredged my tired brain for a good memory. “Remember the first night we got drunk? It was us and that boy. What was his name?”

Hex let out a startled laugh. “Shit. Something weird. Emeldo? Amaro?”

“You lost your shoe in that stream.”

“And you threw up in the fountain! I’ve not thought of that night in forever.” Hex leaned back on the bed. “We weren’t even sixteen.”

“We thought we’d been so smart and then, when we got home, your mum was waiting for us at the end of the street like a fucking watchdog. I was so scared.” My laughter dissolved into a sigh. “I miss her. You’ll be able to speak to her soon. You’ll get one call a week, right?”

“Yeah.” Hex’s face turned grave. “She’ll be so disappointed. She was always telling everyone how proud she was of me, being a Guardian. Upholding the law.”

I looked down at my hands as a fresh surge of guilt curled its fingers through me. The news site was my idea. Hex was on board from day one, but the spark of the project came from me. If not for me, we’d still be living our ordinary lives. “It sounds awful, but I’m glad my mum and dad aren’t here to see this. Especially Dad. Imagine how he’d have felt, with what I’ve agreed to.”

“Fucking stop that.” Hex growled the words, and I jumped at the anger in them. “Stop acting like you’re the one that’s done something wrong. It’s him, all him.” Her fists clenched. “Once I’m out of prison, I’ll make him pay. I promise.”

Hex never let a bully’s fist touch me, all through our childhood. She used her natural size and strength to protect her friends. I smiled, but it felt fake on my lips. This was one fight Hex couldn’t win.

We passed the next few hours in an anxious haze, avoiding serious topics. I wrenched my mind away whenever it strayed to what awaited me. I couldn’t change it now. Too late. Time dragged on. Maybe the Lord Commander was too busy for me? An electronic buzz shattered that hope. The door opened to reveal a guard and two men in unfamiliar uniforms. Gray and green, almost military in style. “Miss Spencer,” the guard said. “Time to go.”

Hex grabbed me in one last crushing hug. Her fingers dug into me, and our shoulders shook with sobs. “Don’t drag it out,” she whispered. “Go on. See you in ten years.” Her voice cracked on the final word. My eyes swam as I tore them from Hex and followed the guard through the door.

The men ushered me into the back of a sleek, black karros. I settled into the plush seat. I’d seen the slender three-wheeled contraptions driving around the city but hadn’t ridden in one. Powered by electricity, it made almost no noise as it pulled out of the prison grounds and onto the main road.

“Where are we going? Who are you?”

“To the palace. Where do you think? And we’re the Lord Commander’s personal security.” The uniformed man was young and carried himself with a brash confidence. He turned to his companion. “Didn’t pick her for her brains.” Both men laughed.

Morons.

---