Page 32 of The Time Of Queens

“Okay, so I will just go to my room and…” I started to say, trying to make my way past her, but she quickly stopped me.

“No, there is no time. I can’t stall everyone else in the drawing room for much longer.” I frowned at this before asking,

“The drawing room?”

“I arranged for us to all go riding, remember? But Draven doesn’t know so as it doesn’t give him the chance to tell us he wishes to go alone with you. It will look odd if he does this in front of you after we all turn up.” The plan quickly dawned on me, and I started nodding.

“Oh, I see.”

“Yes, which is why you must hurry,” she said, looking around and pushing me into the cellar, telling me, “No one will find you in here, just change quickly and we will meet you in the stable yard.”

I nodded, taking the riding clothes from her and dropping them on the edge of an empty old barrel. Then I removed my apron, tugging at the ties quickly once she was gone.

However, before I had chance to do anything else, I heard a banshee of a scream as a voice hollered from behind me,

“Thief!”

I frowned and turned around to find the cook pointing an accusing finger my way. Then when I looked down at the riding habit and then back up at the mad woman, I was quick to defend myself.

“I didn’t steal this.”

“That belongs to the lady of the house!” she bellowed again, making me roll my eyes before stating,

“Yes, and she gave it to me to…”

Her sinister laughter interrupted me as she walked closer, and I had just put my hands on my hips when she turned her body slightly. Which meant I didn’t see the threat coming whenshe lashed out and backhanded me across the cheek, making me stumble into the shelving rack.

“Now I get to beat you for a reason!” she snarled at me, making me seethe as I saw red.

She pulled a whip from under her apron and let it uncurl to the floor. My eyes widened as her beady eyes looked behind me, making me turn to find a pair of chains hanging there. Which was precisely when I realised what that haunting look had been about from Betsy when she had glanced at the cellar.

She had already felt the punishments firsthand.

At this, I didn’t just see red, I felt as if my anger would burn me alive! Which meant that the second she took a step towards me, nothing could stop what came next, as I let my fist fly upwards. It connected with her face with a painful crunch, taking her completely off guard as she stumbled back from the uppercut I just delivered. Her nose practically exploded from the impact as blood started to pour down instantly. But even the sight of it wasn’t enough to stop me or have my inner conscious say, enough was enough.

“You think you have the right to inflict pain on others?” I asked, my voice a dangerous tone as I stalked closer, my fist still curled tighter and at the ready to inflict my revenge. She brought her hand to her bleeding nose as if shocked to see that I had landed a blow. Nevertheless, she wasn’t ready to go down without a fight.

Something I anticipated, taking the correct stance just like my husband had taught me. Which meant when she launched herself at me, I side stepped and punched her in the gut, tearing the air from her lungs as I winded her.

However, I was too far gone in my anger, just thinking of those chains and questioning how many poor girls had she tortured over the years? How many defenceless maids had been lashed and gone to bed bleeding, wincing for weeks later? Howmany had found themselves cast to the street after she had seen to their unemployment? How many had found themselves at her mercy?!

Which was why I couldn’t be stopped. I brought my fist up and connected with her face once more. Knowing instantly that I had broken her nose this time, as I had felt the bone shift against my knuckles. She reared back, her hand shaking as it went to her blood covered face where I had also split her lip. But I wasn’t done, as I continued to hit her, only stopping when I felt a hand grab my shoulder, making me spin and land one elsewhere.

Although it didn’t connect like it intended to as a large hand captured my fist… then my eyes widened as I took in Draven’s astonished expression.

“M-m-my Lord… thank goodness you came… she is mad… she attacked me!”

I practically snarled down at the cook, making her whimper as she covered her face. Doing so no doubt in fear that I would hurt her further. Her face was covered with blood, with one eye nearly swollen shut. The damage I inflicted was easy to see, and yet, I couldn’t find it in me to feel guilty for a single second of it.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Draven asked, making me snap my head back to him as I snatched my fist from his hand. Then I leaned down to pick up the whip and tossed it into his chest to catch.

“That is the meaning of this! That and this…!” I said, pausing long enough to point to the chains on the wall. “…Something that has been going on under your roof and in your household for far too long! Today, it ends! This sorry excuse for a human being and her reign of terror stops today, for I will not stay another minute in a house that holds within its walls such a cruel monster!” I shouted down at her, and then at Draven, noticing the way he flinched.

But I wasn’t in the right mind to question it. No, I was still too lost in my anger to do anything other than snatch up the riding gear and tell him,

“And like I told the bitch, I didn’t steal anything. Now, I must return this to the mistress of the house, for I am no longer in the mood for riding!”

Then I promptly…

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