Pushing it open, I jerked to a halt at the large figure blocking the exit. I backed up, shoving my bag behind my back with a sheepish grin.
“Mistress.” Cookie’s voice boomed as he stepped into the room, causing me to back away even more. “What are you doing up at this hour?”
I glanced from side to side, my shoulders up to my ears. “Oh, I couldn’t sleep and wanted a snack.” I dug into the bag behind my back and pulled out an apple. “But I got one. It’s okay, right?”
Cookie chuckled, his large belly bouncing. “Of course it is, you can have anything you want. But you know, you really shouldn’t wander the halls at night. You could trip and fall.” He wrapped a warm arm around my shoulders, directing me to the kitchen doors. “Next time, ring for one of us. There’s a rope near your bed. It’ll let us know you need something.”
I frowned. “Oh, I didn’t know that. Thank you.”
“No problem. Now off to bed with you, we want to make sure you get your beauty sleep.” He winked and gave me a little shove into the hallway.
I nodded and pulled my bag to my chest as I spun around to make my way back to my room. Once safely behind my door, I sank against it, breathing out a sigh of relief.
After I got myself together again, I took a deep breath and pulled my shoulders back. It was time to leave. No more excuses or delays.
I gathered my makeshift rope and tied one end to the bed post then trailed it over to the window. Glancing over the edge, Itossed the rope down, relieved when it brushed the ground of the balcony below.
Looping the strap of the bag over my head so it rested between my breasts, I climbed up onto the ledge and held onto the rope. I wasn’t afraid of heights per se it was more the fear of falling that had me inching out of the window until my feet hung in the empty air. Wrapping part of the rope around my foot so I didn’t feel like I was free falling, I barely breathed as I slid down each inch of the rope.
Never in my life did I think I’d have to climb down a rope, and I thanked whoever was listening that stirring the dye barrels at the factory had given me enough strength in my arms to make the long trek down.
Unfortunately, the sheets and dresses weren’t made to hold my weight, no matter how little I was. I’d only made it a few feet down the rope before the telltale sound of ripping filled my ears. My heart raced, my hands going slick with sweat. With panicked movements, I tried to speed up my descent.
I wasn’t fast enough.
Falling through the air, I couldn’t swallow down my scream before I landed hard with a thump. My eyes blinked open, expecting to see the ground me. Only to find myself staring up into the dark eyes of my captor, Blackthorn.
His head tilted to one side as he peered down at me. “And what do we have here?”
Chapter 12
I swallowed down another scream, wiggling in his embrace to get away.
Blackthorn wasn’t having it. His arms tightened around me, holding me firmly to his chest.
“Let me go,” I cried out, pushing against his embrace.
His arms might as well have been made of stone for all my pushing did. “I will do no such thing,” he said as he started walking,
I let out a huff and stopped struggling. The moment I resigned to let him carry me, the tugging in my stomach started once more. Apparently, it didn’t care that I could die if I fought back, only that I kept trying to get home.
A frustrated animalic sound came from my throat as I fought tooth and nail to get free, digging my nails into his arms and slapping at him. My hand landed across his face, and I gasped, pulling my hands up to my mouth.
“I... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to...”
Blackthorn’s eyes glowed red, his brows narrowing. “Unless you want to lose those hands, I would keep them to yourself.”
I quickly folded my hands under my arms, my fear overriding the tug in my stomach.
As Blackthorn brought us back into the castle, my eyes gazed forlornly at the castle entrance that was growing further and further away. So much for my escape plan. It would be hard, ifnot impossible, to escape through my window now. I’d have to find another way out.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked when I realized we weren’t heading back to my room.
Blackthorn didn’t answer and simply kept walking. We headed to a part of the castle I’d only briefly been in with Fran earlier that day. Blackthorn shoved open a door into a room lit by a fireplace, letting me able to make out a bedroom similar to the one I was staying in.
Without warning, Blackthorn dropped me. I braced for impact only to bounce on the soft surface of the bed. My hands came out beside me, halting my movement as I stared up at my captor. What was he going to do to me?
Blackthorn stepped back, dragging a hand through his hair as he stalked back and forth before the fireplace. “I do not understand you, human.”
