Chapter Eleven
Klyn
Iglanced at the solemn,frail, young woman who delivered a bowl of porridge and a bread roll. Dark shadows hung below her sunken eyes. She looked as though she could not have been any older than Sean. She wore a dingy smock that hung loosely from her shoulders that hunched forward. A small grouping of bright red threads dangled from her tiny wrist. Was it a simple bracelet, or something with a deeper meaning? Judging by her thin, boney arms, I did not take her for being very strong. I found it interesting that this creature could stand so close to me, and my vision, hearing, nor stamina had been affected. I knew right away that she was not a Carpe Noctem, and most likely not a vampire atall.
Absolutely, she posed no threat tome.
She set my bowl down on the ground but held the bread roll in her hand while she fumbled with a key. The key clanged on the ground and bounced on the stone behind her. I was surprised that a larger guard had not accompanied her. Were they actually this dim-witted?
“I hope you like porridge and bread,” she sweetly said as she smiled at me and unlocked the irondoor.
She left the key in the lock and then bent down to pick up my food. I could easily knock her over, shove her to the back of the cell, and then lock her inside. But I had no idea what lay around the corner for me. I did not trust my ability to detect Carpe Noctem right now. It was peculiar to me that I was in the town that was home to the Carpe Noctem, and my hearing, vision, and stamina appeared to beunaffected.
The young woman actually walked all the way into the cell and set the bowl down on the small wooden table. She handed me the bread roll instead of setting it next to the bowl on the table. I held my hand out, and she placed it in the palm of my hand with asmile.
“I did not want to set it on the table as it might be dirty. I forgot the charger for it,” sheexplained.
“That is very kind of you to not want to set it on the dirty table,” I paused and gestured to her, hoping she would tell me hername.
“Eve,” she eagerly offeredup.
Not only had I gained her name, but I was also rewarded with a smile…and blushingcheeks.
“Eve,” I repeated and bent at the waist to bowpolitely.
Eve giggled, but her laughter and smile quickly faded. She looked toward the iron bars and then back atme.
“Such a beautiful smile. It is a pity you stopped laughing,” Icomplained.
“Why?” Eve quickly glanced at the bars. The door still remained wideopen.
“You have the sweetest sounding voice. And you have been the prettiest person that I have laid my tired eyes upon since I arrived. So it is a pity that I will not be blessed with hearing the pretty voice, or seeing yoursmile.”
“You…you like my smile?” shestuttered.
“Yes, I do,Eve.”
“And myvoice?”
“Yes, your voicetoo.”
She was a frightened girl, it seemed. What was interesting, though, was that it was not me that she was frightenedof.
“Master does not like it when I talk,” she whispered as her eyes rapidly moved around mycell.
“No? Well, I assure you that it is his loss. For you have one of the most beautifulvoices.”
She smiled and looked down in shame as a stray tear fell from her eye. I reached out and swiped the lone tear with the pad of my thumb. The poor girl was a mess, and I could tell that she did not enjoy her timehere.
“Why are you crying, Eve?” I asked and reached for my bread roll. I broke it in half and offered her apiece.
She looked at me with wide eyes. It was as though she could not fathom that I offered her food. Gently, I took hold of her wrist, turned it over, and I placed the piece of bread in herhand.
I relaxed my posture, leaned back in my chair, and began to eat my bread. She slowly started to eat aswell.
“Are you from Stonewald,Eve?”
“No. I am from WesterLea.”
