Page 11 of Spark of Madness

And that was how I had always come before, silently, secretly, because I never once came from service.

Arlo turns his head, running his nose along the sensitive skin behind my ear, letting out a soft hum as he exhales, and that tips me over the edge. My body spasms, my grip tightens, and I arch against him as every muscle in my body tenses. Then comes the release as a strangled moan fights its way up my throat.

His hand moves to cradle the back of my head, pushing my face down into the curve of his neck. “Bite down and keep quiet,” he whispers, andoh, how that makes me clench around his hand, spurring my release to its peak.

I clamp down on the soft fabric covering his shoulder and let it muffle the moans that wish to escape. I’ve never climaxed from the touch of another, and it makes my head spin.

How did he do that?

How didhe make me come like that?

He strokes my hair as I twitch, as my body suddenly goes limp against him. His lips press to my cheek as he holds me through this oddly comforting let down.

“See?” he whispers. “You can be obedient when you want to be. I think Hyatt’s gone away now. I don’t suspect he heard a single moan,” he thrusts forward against my middle, “or whimper.”

I feel breathless and shaky. “H-how can I serve you?”

He lets out a groan that vibrates across my cheek. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

With a suddenness I don’t expect, he releases me and steps back. My knees are so weak that I slump as they buckle beneath me, the fingers of one hand grazing the dirt as I brace myself with the other palm against the trunk of the tree. I steady myself, then push back up to standing, watching him retreat into the darkness.

He’s silent, taking a step back, then another.

I can’t stand the silence.

“Do you want me to—”

“I want nothing from a sinner like you, Mercy Madness. Enjoy the remainder of your night in the forest. The Control will decide your punishment soon enough.”

I hear leaves crunch as he turns and runs away. He runs away, leaving me there, panting, overwhelmed, stunned…and alone.

I SAT WITHmy back to the tree for a while, basking in my confusion over what had happened and my fear of what will happen to me next. Somewhere in the midst of deciding whether I should return to camp and try to fulfill my duty as a servant, or give in to the fact that I’m already in deep trouble, I fell asleep.

Awakening now, the sun is rising, fog overcasting the streaks of orange glow that draw lines between the trees. The purging is over now that the sun is rising, and I know I’m safe. No man will touch me—not until next month’s service under the full moon.

I push myself up from where I’d slumped over sideways across the ground, yawning as I draw up my knees to brush dirt from my bare legs, which are covered in goosebumps from the chill of night.

I inhale the fresh morning air as I let my head fall back against the tree, looking up at the branches overhead. Flashes of last night rush through my mind’s eye—running, climbing, leaping from the limb, and trying to get away…Flashing to Arlo grabbing me and shoving me against the tree at my back.

A trembling breath shakes through my lungs as I recall the way he touched me. How his touch felt good, welcomed. And then he’d left me alone, and I couldn’t understand it. I couldn’t understand how he was so hard, how he had me at his mercy, but had somehow dragged himself away during a night of purging. He hadn’t asked me to serve his needs, and I’m entirely baffled by it.

Why didn’t he use me?

I should return and check in with my friends. They may worry about me now that the purge is over and I’m nowhere to be found at camp. I shouldn’t be out here in the forest.

I drop my head forward, glancing around to gauge my location so I can find my way back to camp. The hazy orange sunshine tries to tear its way through the fog, peeking between the ash-colored tree trunks and casting a glow over the teardrop-shaped marigold leaves which are scattered across the forest floor. They’re starting to fall rather early this year.

I stand, brushing dry dirt from my hips and smoothing down the torn remnants of my lacy black skirt. My shoulders sag as I walk, the brightly colored leaves beneath my feet sparking images of walking fire and the memory of Ivy Jane awash in flames. I wonder if she survived the night. If she’s dead, we’ll know it soon enough. Either we’ll see her at Sanctuary or we won’t.

Maybe I won’t be seen atSanctuary.

Maybe I’ll be dead by then.

A shiver creeps up my spine as I recall just how badly I’ve behaved and how much I’ve sinned in failing to fulfill my purpose. Arlo Rainn had promised that punishment would be coming, but what that punishment will be or when it will fall is anyone’s guess.

Perhaps I’m in so much trouble that it will be days before retribution finds me. I imagine my transgressions will be brought to the full attention of the Control, and a collective decision will be made. Slow-burning fear already crawls through my veins at the thought of what penance I’ll be made to pay.

I come upon a fallen tree laying sideways across the ground in front of me. I lift my leg to step over it, and as my boot comes down to land on dirt on the opposite side, I gasp because my eyes land on the other servant who ran last night.

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