It might have only been a bath, but being squeaky clean had raised my spirits and renewed my hope. Escaping might have been off the table for a moment, but the thought still sat heavy in the back of my mind. I’d figure out an escape, I just needed time to work out a better plan.
When Holga finished with my hair, she set the brush aside and removed the lid from the platter on the bedside table. I eyed the plate curiously. There was a piece of bread, something pale that could have been meat, and the darkest, juiciest-looking plum I’d ever seen. There was also a tiny, empty goblet, which Holga soon filled with wine from the bottle. Aside from the plum, it didn’t look overly appetizing, but my mouth watered regardless.
“Eat,” Holga said, pointing to the food. For a brief moment I thought I’d be able to eat alone, but when she didn’t turn to walk away I knew she planned to stay until I finished. Not that I minded the company. After being alone for so many hours, it was nice to see someone else aside from the Lord of Bones.
I tentatively reached for the bread and took a small bite out of it. It was bland, but at least it wasn’t stale.
“Where does the Lord of Bones stay in the castle?” I asked, still on a mission to get information out of Holga. “Like where does he hang out the most?”
She tilted her head to the side, her bones cracking and making my stomach turn. “The master is everywhere and nowhere. He knows everything that goes on within these walls.”
“That’s specific, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Lady Rayven,” Holga said with a small dip of her head.
I wasn’t sure how old the witch was, but I guess she’d been born sometime before sarcasm was invented.
“Does the Lord at least have a name?”
She chuckled once, a dry, raspy noise. “You sure are a curious thing. Way more talkative than the last mistress. You may call him Lord or Master.”
Also unhelpful, but her laugh made me think she was warming up to me. Or maybe I was delusional, and this place was slowly eating away in my mind, making me crazy. “Yeah, I’ll pass on calling him Master.”
In an attempt to spice things up in the bedroom, Mark had once asked me to call him Master. But the guy’s idea of being a Dom was a gentle ass spanking and stained tie around my wrists he used for the occasional interview—Since grave robbing wasn’t always his ideal career choice.
My stomach went sour at the thought of Mark, and I had to choke down the rest of my meat and bread without tasting it for fear it would come up again.
The wine in the goblet was bitter but strong. I welcomed the temporary relief the alcohol brought.
My eyes settled on the plum, and I thought about saving it for later. After all, who knew when I’d receive another meal. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too long, since Holga was there to make sure I had everything I needed, but I couldn’t be sure. There was nothing I could trust in this realm, especially when it came to my wellbeing.
“I think I’m full,” I said. I grabbed the plum off the plate. “I’ll save this for later…”
“The master said specifically to make sure you ate everything,” she warned. “So be a good girl and finish it now. Surely you’ve learned not to disobey him by now.”
I swallowed hard over the lump forming in my throat, and stared down at the fat fruit in my hand. There was nothing sinister about it, but Holga’s insistence made me wary.
I took the first bite, sweet juice exploding in my mouth, and Holga nodded approvingly. She stood there, a few feet away, waiting until I’d finished with the fruit. She placed the top back on the tray and snatched it off the table.
“Aren’t you going to restrain my wrists again?” My eyes bounced nervously to shackles on the bedside table, my stomach knotting uncomfortably.
“If that’s what you desire,” she said with another dry chuckle. “You won’t get anywhere with that collar on your neck, so there’s no need for them.”
“No, I’d rather leave them off.” I wrung my hands together, thinking about the hours I’d spent chained up to the bed. “I just didn’t want you to get in trouble for defying your master.”
I’d seen how easily the Lord of Bones could wipe out a room full of souls, and even though I didn’t know Holga well, I didn’t want him to do the same to her. She’d been kind to me so far, nicer than anything else in this realm had been, and I didn’t want to be the reason she died… again.
“No need to worry, dear.” She shook her head slowly. “Now you get some rest. I’ll be along eventually to check on you.”
Before she mentioned rest, I hadn’t felt the least bit sleepy–after all, I’d napped before she arrived–but as soon as she said it, I felt my eyelids droop. My limbs were heavy, and the silky smooth-sheets called to me, wanting to claim me again.
“Thanks, Holga,” I said, my words slurred. Sleep was quickly taking me under.
“Good evening, Lady Rayven.” With a bow, she slipped out of the room, and the door closed softly behind her.
I crawled up the bed, exhaustion sinking down to my core, and laid my head on the pillow. The last thing that crossed my mind before sleep pulled me under was the Lord of Bones standing over me, enraged that another being had dared touch my body, and how his anger sparked a warmth in my chest to combat the icy air inside the castle.
Then the sweet embrace of darkness swept me away.
