Page 96 of Trapped to Tame
He was brought close, and his eyes widened as he saw Eve.
‘Tell them,’ he begged her. ‘Tell them I didn't harm you.’
Her eyes narrowed at him. She didn't say a word. It might be petty, but she’d not save him. He may not have held the whip himself, but after everything he’d let the Bull do for all those years, he deserved nothing from her.
Her father stood and backhanded his prisoner across the face, the crack and Talik’s cry of pain echoing through the room. He fell to the floor, chains rattling as the guards put him back on his feet, holding him steady.
‘Pathetic. Because of you, I have a whelp who cannot even read.’ Then he chuckled. ‘After all I did to ensure I sired a child from a fae female, and all I can get is human babe.’
He gave a dramatic sigh as he wiped clean the hand that had touched the human with a nearby cloth.
‘I can't send her to him like this. I'll be a laughingstock,’ he said low, muttering to himself again as he sat down, his attention caught by some documents in front of him.
‘Kill him,’ he ordered, not bothering to look up as Talik was stabbed in the back. He even yawned behind his hand.
‘Leave the knife in. I don't want blood all over my floors.’
Wide eyed, Eve watched as Talik’s corpse was carried away. When she looked back at Gerling, he was regarding her.
‘I'm afraid this is going to hurt, but it must be done. You can blame Talik for this along with his other misdeeds.’
She reared back in the chair as a sudden, intense pain seared through her skull. She screamed, holding her head that felt as if it was splitting open. Images began to flood into her consciousness, memories of lessons; long days and nights spent poring over books with letters and pictures, symbols that she began to recognize and understand, conjuring circles and magick.
By the time it was over, she found herself cowering on the floor, whimpering. The paper that her father had tried to hand before fluttered down next to her.
‘What does it say?’ he asked, his tone condescending.
Eve began to tell him again that she didn't know how to read, wondering what game he played, but then she looked at it. The words made sense. She picked it up and held it closer to her face, her mouth opening on a gasp.
‘Read the first line,’ he commanded.
‘My dearest Lord Gerling. I invite you to arrive at my borders on the second day before midwinter,’ she said, unable to hide her shock.
She looked up at her father.
‘It’s taken. Good,’ he said. ‘That's today. We’ll be leaving very soon. I expect you to behave with the decorum I have now imbued you with. Do you understand? I will not be shamed by you, blood or no.’
Eve’s mouth fell open, for she did indeed remember lessons with tutors as a child where she learned fae etiquette, reading, writing … magick; her father’s memories.
She could use her magick. It was so simple.
‘What did you do to me?’ she asked.
‘Gave you the education that I had,’ he said with a wave of his hand. ‘Most of it you won't need, but it will at least stop me from being labeled the fool should you find yourself moving in fae circles. Now,’ he stood. ‘You’ll be taken back to your room to await our departure to your betrothed.’
‘Betrothed?’ she asked, taken aback.
He rolled his eyes. ‘You're not very quick witted, are you? Still, I never promised him an intelligent daughter, only a breedable one.’
He turned back to his papers. ‘Take her back to her room and prepare the carriage.’
Her sire didn’t look up again. ‘Don't embarrass me, or I’ll make you wish I’d killed your whore mother before she birthed you.’
The guards escorted her out and, as soon as the door to the hall closed, Eve ran. She was quick, and the guards behind had not been ready for her to bolt, so she was able to elude them as she ran down the hallways. She found herself back in the human wing, and raced past her room, confused as she was sure she’d gone in the opposite direction.
As she went down the long corridor, the rooms became smaller. Some were without doors, some were merely cells with irons bars on the outsides until she got to a dead end. She was trapped. There was no way out. She turned, but the guards were there, strolling down the hall and she understood what her father had meant by his home being a maze. There was no way out unless he wished it.
She could conjure!
