“That’s absurd,” I gasped, horrified. “How could someone do that? I might be bound to my contract to Rumple, but to force you to serve him forever? That sounds like torture.”
Righteous anger billowed up inside of me. Maybe I couldn’t leave yet. If I killed Blackthorn, perhaps the spell on the doors would break and these poor people would be set free.
“No, no, mistress. You’ve gotten it all wrong.” Fran shook her head with a concerned frown. “None of us were forced into his service. We all chose to be here.”
My eyes narrowed. “Did he trick you with some vague promises of a better life?”
“No, mistress.” Fran chuckled. “I’ve been with the master since he was just a baby and Cookie? He’s been here as long as me. Choosing to stay versus leaving master all on his own.”
“And what about everyone else?” I inquired, my indignation only lessening slightly. “Certainly they weren’t all here before. Baylen said he’d just been to the capital a decade ago. He couldn’t have been here when you two started.”
Fran shook her head. “You’re right, he wasn’t. No. The others were all found on master’s travels. Everyone has their own story, but none of them were happy with their lot in life and chose to come here and serve our master. While it hasn’t been easy these past few decades, it’s a good life, and I don’t know a single one of them who would want to leave this place.”
My brows pinched at her explanation, not sure I completely believed her.
It sounded like Blackthorn was like Rumple, preying on the desperate. And yet the way she spoke of her master was with fondness, not resentment. Maybe she wasn’t lying, after all.
“Come, let’s get you dressed, then I’ll show you around the castle.”
Fran’s excitement made me even a little bit excited. It was probably why I let her talk me into changing out the sensible boots for a pair of pretty, heeled shoes that matched the blue hue of the dress. I also didn’t complain when she pulled the corset strings of the dress a bit tighter than I would have liked.
As I stared into the mirror, the end result was worth it.
The woman in the mirror couldn’t have been me. I was bland and frumpy, not this beautiful princess Fran had made me in to.
“Gorgeous,” Fran murmured, adjusting one of the curls she had made in my hair. “Come, there is a lot of castle to see and not much time until lunch.”
I followed after Fran, allowing her to drag me down every corridor and passageway. That tour showed me more of the castle than I ever wanted to. Who knew they had a dungeon? And who needed an aviary? There weren’t even any birds in it!
The library made my eyes bulge out of my head. It was so large that it had a second floor and rolling ladders to reach higher up books on the shelves. A roaring fire had already been built in the large ornate fireplace. Two overstuffed couches sat in front of it with a long table between them. An open book sat on the table.
“Do you like to read?” Fran asked, walking her fingers across the books on the shelves.
“Uh... not really.” I flushed.
I’d always been embarrassed about my lack of education. My parents made sure I knew how to read and write but, beyond the basics, they didn’t think I needed to know more for life on the island or even as a maid in the castle. Reading had always been seen as a rich person’s pastime, something I certainly was not.
“Well, that’s alright.” Fran patted my arm. “If you don’t mind listening, we do a reading every night here by the fireplace. Even master comes by occasionally to listen in.”
I nodded, even though I had no intention of staying long enough to be at one of the readings. Once again, guilt started to gnaw at my stomach alongside the tugging of Rumple’s magic telling me to hurry it up.
“Where does your food come from?” I blurted out as she led me out of the library. “I mean, you must get deliveries of some kind even with the doors locked.”
Fran arched a brow at me but didn’t question my inquiry. “Not all the doors are locked, only those that lead outside the palace. We have a greenhouse where we grow all our fruits and vegetables, and a handful of animals kept in the back acre of the castle grounds. There are only a few of us and seeing as the master doesn’t feed on human food... Well, we get by with what we have.”
“Oh.” I bobbed my head, eagerly taking in the information. If not all the doors were locked, then there had to be some kind of crack in their defenses. Some missed nook or cranny that I could slip out of.
Lunch was served in a small dining room that looked over the overgrown garden. The other servants didn’t join me this time, though Cookie and Baylen did pop in and out bringing me more dishes to try.
By the time I was finished, I felt as if my corset would break its ties. Thankfully, Fran rescued me for a much-needed break.
The rest of the day was spent exploring the castle with Fran which unfortunately didn’t give me much of a chance to find a way out on my own. I did get to see the greenhouse, which was impressive in its own right, and outside where the animals were kept.
Sadly, Fran didn’t want me to ruin my shoes so she wouldn’t let me go outside to see the animals myself.
By the time I sat down for dinner, I was exhausted and overwhelmed by everything I’d seen that day. Worse, I was no closer to finding a way out of the castle and back to the factory.
Dinner was served in a large dining room. I sat at a ten-foot table with only one chair on either end. My side was set with a plate and silverware while the other sat empty except for a golden chalice. Cookie and Balyn once more piled my plate high with more food than I could put away.
