Page 3 of The Howling
She’s a formidable witch, and the Redcap guards, whilst masters of intimidation, know it. Her threat is not an idle one, and the Redcap, whilst attempting to maintain his dignity (difficult for a creature who soaks his cap in the blood of his victims), drops his boots from where they are propped and puts the platter where he found it.
“Don’t be long,” he snarls at me. “I’ll come and get you, and it won’t be pretty.”
Gloriana puts her hands on her waist, her golden curls bobbing at him. Like most witches, she doesn’t need glamour to look good. She’s a goddess all on her own.
Kaitlyn pulls at my arm, and I allow myself to be dragged into the rear scullery which also doubles as our living quarters. She pulls a dull blue dress out of her trunk at the end of her bed and shoves it at me.
“I can’t take it.” I push it back.
“You can and you will. You can’t go to the dungeons inthat.” She looks me up and down. “For a start, it’s wet, and if you get cold, you’ll get sick.”
“Which the Faerie will promptly cure,” I point out.
“Not if you’re stuck in the dungeons,” Kaitlyn retorts. “You know it’s basically an oubliette. It’s what we’ve always been told.”
“I’m just working there,” I wail as I strip off my dress.
I don’t have any underwear. Everything we own was stripped from us when we entered the Yeavering. I have to thank my lucky stars as a bigger busted lady that the dresses the Faerie prefer are tight fitting, at least in the bosom area.
I wriggle into Kaitlyn’s dress. It’s tighter than mine and shoves the girls front and centre. But it does feel better having dry clothing on.
“Here.” Kaitlyn shoves a damp piece of linen at me. “You look like you’ve been in a ditch.” She points to her face.
I wipe over my face and the linen comes away dirty.
“I was in a ditch. The Redcaps ran me into one.”
“Fuckers,” Kaitlyn growls. “Anything to hurt something smaller than them.”
“What’s a Barghest?” I ask.
“What?” Kaitlyn stops fussing with a bag she’s shoving things into. “What did you say?”
“A Barghest. Do you know what it is?” I repeat.
The colour drains from her face. “The black dog of death,” she says in a semi whisper. “Why?”
“There’s…one in the dungeons,” I say slowly as my heart speeds up. “The Redcaps caught it the same time they caught me.”
Kaitlyn visibly swallows. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone do that before.
“It’ll be fine. It can’t hurt you here in Lord Guyzance’s castle,” she says in an entirely unconvincing way.
“Apparently it sucks souls.”
“Then you should kick it in the knackers and run away before it gets yours.” Kaitlyn grabs me in a big hug.
“I’m sure this won’t be forever,” I say into her hair. “I’ll see you soon.”
“I’m sure you will.” Kaitlyn’s voice is muffled in my shoulder.
I want to believe her, but I’ve been in the Yeavering for all of three months. She’s been here years. Kaitlyn knows the score and she’s frightened for me.
Great.
A black dog of death and dungeon duties. All because I thought, stupidly, I could escape this place. The Yeavering proved me wrong yet again.
There is no escape. I am here until the Faerie let me go. And they’re never going to let me go.
