Page 24 of Seized to Sacrifice
But it had been so long for him. The others had had their relations with other females over the years, but he had not. Perhaps he’d simply had his fill of loneliness.
If he could just see her for a moment … It wasn't as if the others would know, he thought as he trudged down the steps and into the main hall. Rye was out seeing to the estate’s business and Thorne was probably in the library as usual.
Nyx peeked into the kitchens expecting to see her working with the others, but she wasn't there. He walked in and nodded at Fen, ignoring the stares of the other servants. He was rarely seen in here.
‘Where's the slave?’
He hated calling her that. It didn’t fit her. Not at all, and he was struck by the notion that this Elle was very similar in some ways to the real Elle. He’d been working on the notion that Rye’s slave was simply a human girl, but what if …
The cook glanced around the kitchen and Nyx got the impression that the man was buying time because he couldn’t remember what he was meant to say.
Rye.He’d told Nyx she’d simply be working in the kitchens for a time so where was she?
‘Downstairs,’ he finally said, avoiding Nyx’s gaze.
Nyx’s jaw tightened. ‘Downstairs? In the dungeon?’ he asked, trying not to sound as angry as he felt.
Fen shook his head slowly. ‘Thorne told me to put her to work down in one of the storerooms in the cellar during the days.’
Nyx’s hands clenched. The cellar, the dungeon. Semantics. It was practically the same fucking place.
Just then, a light breeze wafted through the kitchen from the open door and Nyx smelled a muted version of her scent. His eyes locked on one of the men Rye had brought back with him. Eruk, he thought his name was. Why did he smell like Elle? Was she giving her favors to every man within the keep’s walls but him? Anger and resentment warred with each other and ran hot through his veins.
That sounded like the real Elle, and he ground his teeth at the thought.
Afraid of what he might do to the men in front of him, he turned without a word and left the kitchens, walking briskly back to the steps that would lead him to his chamber. He paused, casting a long look in the direction of the staircase that led down to the cellars.
With a curse, he changed direction, barreling down the corridors, intending to confront her. He flung open the door and descended the steps into the darkness, not bothering to take any light, but, when he got to the bottom, he realized the corridors were black as night. Perhaps Thorne had moved her elsewhere and she wasn’t down here after all.
Then he heard an almost indiscernible whimper and cocked his head in the dark. Moving forward quietly, he walked down the passageways, the lack of light no problem for him. His home realm had been a dark place. He went to the very end to where the steps led even further down. There was a door close by that led to the cells of the dungeon. Thorne had practically put her back there after Nyx had promised her she wouldn’t be. His Brother had made him a liar and he vowed a comeuppance for that as well as Ryder’s falsehoods to his face.
He reached the last, thick door in the tunnel and heard the noise again.
‘Hello?’ he called into the dark.
He heard a scramble.
‘Hello?’ came a whispered reply.
With a growl, he pulled at the door and snarled when it wouldn’t open. They’d locked down here! Nyx gripped the metal grate with both hands and practically tore the door off its hinges with a roar that echoed through the passages.
His Dark Realm eyes could see everything now as if he was standing in the bright sun and he knew that if she could see him at this very moment, his eyes would be solid black. Luckily, she wouldn't be able to, wouldn’t be frightened any more than she already was at his violent behavior.
He strode into the storeroom and saw her huddled against the wall. She was shaking with fear and cold and he let out a roar that made her cringe even more. With a grimace, he tempered his tone.
‘Why are you down here?’ he asked.
‘Clearing up the storeroom,’ she whispered.
‘In the dark?’
‘Forgot to leave the torch,’ she murmured.
Nyx clenched his fists.
‘Who?’
She didn’t answer him as he caught her by the arm and drew her from the room.
