Page 17 of Seized to Sacrifice
Putting her ear to the door, she now heard nothing on the other side. She eased the latch up and pushed. The corridor was deserted. What if she didn’t make it, a small voice inside her asked. She pushed it away. Anything was better than the dungeon. She didn’t hesitate any longer. This might be the only chance she got.
Eyes assessing, trying to find the best way of escape, she spotted some steps and descended them quickly, finding herself in another corridor and passing a large door. She had very vague recollections, but she thought it must be the main hall where she’d met the lords of the keep that first night.
She kept going, fleeing down a few more steps and realizing she was practically in the kitchens. She froze. Four servants milled around, including at least two from the group who’d visited her cell to ogle her, but no one had seen her yet. She looked behind her, hoping the way was clear to run back, but it wasn’t. Two guards were coming, but it looked as if they were talking with each other. They hadn’t noticed her either. Desperate, she turned back to the kitchens and saw the slave from the cart who’d given her the shoes. He’d been kind. Perhaps he would help her hide.
Hearing the guards’ steps, she walked briskly toward him, but before she reached him, the other, larger one from the cart who’d come to her cell with the others stepped into her path.
‘Come on,’ he hissed, pulling her through the kitchens and into an alcove.
He put her in the corner of a storeroom, and she curled into a ball, hiding from view of the door. He left and she huddled on the floor for what seemed like ages. Dry foodstuffs in bags lined the shelves as well as small barrels and crates. There was a smell of rye and a mustiness that came from grains lingering in the air.
Finally, the door opened, and she tensed before she saw that it was the one who’d hid her here. He came inside and she stood, so grateful to him for his help that she didn’t see the excitement in his eyes as he closed the door behind him.
He didn’t say anything as he came towards her, his eyes taking in the thin shirt she wore. Brow furrowing, she took a step back, looking for a way past him. She shuffled forward and gave him a friendly smile though her heart was hammering in her chest.
‘My thanks,’ she said quietly and tried to edge around him, but he moved too fast.
Pushing her back a few steps into the wall at the end of the storeroom, her head hit stone and she gave a loud cry that he quickly silenced with his hand over her mouth.
She pleaded with her eyes, but all he did was smile, and she knew that she’d been wrong. She’d rather be back in that cell than here alone with this man.
‘Have you enjoyed being passed around and rutted by their lordships’ noble cocks?’ he sneered as he subjected her body to a thorough perusal that made her skin crawl. He barked a laugh as he saw the manacle still around her ankle. ‘They chained you as well?’ He leaned closer. ‘What other perversions did they visit upon you?’ he asked, whispering in her ear as his hand rubbed himself over his worn leather breeches.
‘Let me go!’
She felt this hand on her and shook her head.
‘I-I’m theirs,’ she said. ‘They’ll gut you if you touch me.’
But he didn’t seem to care as he ground his pelvis into hers and grabbed her breast through the shirt. She fought, raising her knee to kick him and he laughed, drawing up his fist to hit her.
‘I’d rather you were awake for me, but I’ll settle for insensible if need be,’ he threatened, and she wondered if being defiled whilst unaware of what he was doing would be preferable.
She closed her eyes tightly, wishing she was away from this place and, mercifully, she heard the door to the storeroom creak open.
He took a step back from her immediately. ‘If you say a word, I’ll swear to them you bent over and begged for my cock,’ he hissed. ‘They won’t believe anything you say anyway. I’m a freeman now and you’re just a slave. No one here will take your word over mine. They never do.’
He let her go and she edged around him slowly, taking small steps as her legs shook, not wanting to go too fast and have him give chase. She looked back just for a moment to make sure she wasn't being followed when she collided with someone else. She didn't need to look up to know that Nyx had found her.
She tilted her head up with a grimace. He did not look happy.
‘You are not well enough to be running around the keep,’ he said, eyes narrowing as he looked passed her and saw the other man. ‘You’re one of the men Ryder brought back, are you not?’
‘Aye. Eruk,’ the man said pleasantly as if he hadn’t just attacked her.
‘Come,’ Nyx said to Elle, taking her by the arm in a hard grip. His touch gentled immediately, though, and he frowned at her. ‘Are you well?’
She nodded, her body shaking. ‘Just cold,’ she murmured.
Nyx led her back through the keep and up the steps to his chamber. He put her in the bed and told her to stay there. If he noticed that she’d stolen his shirt, he didn’t mention it.
He examined the chain that she’d broken and rasped something about shoddy workmanship before he turned away and sat down with a thump in his large chair by the fire that was turned towards her.
‘Do not leave this room without me again,’ he ordered.
‘Why?’ she dared to ask. ‘You’re going to put me in the dungeon again. I’d rather die.’But not be raped by Eruk.
She wasn’t lying, she discovered. She couldn’t go back down there.
