A Pirate's Agony (Legends of the Soaring Phoenix Book 3) by M.L. Guida Page A

itching rashes, but from staring into his handsome face. Celeste never hurt the men’s faces. But their poor bodies suffered a different fate.
    “You’re lyin’.”
    She shook her head, but he held her fast. “No, no, I’m not.”
    Despite the agony he must be enduring, he flashed a devilish smile. “When you lie, you break out in blotches, don’t you?”
    “I, uh, don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    He caressed her chin with a finger, sending chills through her like a prairie fire. “Truth, poppet.”
    His soft words penetrated her shield. She moistened her lips. Her heart beat hard, and she couldn’t lie, not to him. She tried protecting the other men to give them hope, always wishing her false promises would come true. A tear slipped down her face. “Aye, she will kill you.”
    “How long?”
    The fiery burn lessened on her right cheek. She forced herself to utter the truth. “After she takes you to her bed…She tires easily.” She closed her eyes, thinking of all those men, their cries, their agonizing deaths.
    “I’m not dat easy to kill.”
    She flung open her eyes. “Why?”
    He stared at her under hooded eyes. She frowned, trying to decipher how he could be telling the truth. “I don’t understand.”
    “Tell me, how long will I be in her bed?”
    “Less than a week. She never keeps them more than a week.”
    “She does dis often?”
    She sighed. “Every time there’s a new shipment of slaves.”
    “Does she know you come down here?”
    “No, but she’ll send a servant to do this.”
    “Why does she want me clean?”
    “Because she wants to see where the skin is unblemished.”
    He leaned his head back. “So she can leave new marks?”
    “Aye. I’m sorry.” She pulled out her needle and thread. “May I?”
    He nodded. “Your rashes are gone.”
    She slowly stitched his temple. “I know. I told the truth.” 
    “You can tell when other people are lyin’.” ‘Twas more of a statement than a question.
    “Aye. A curse.”
    “Why?”
    “People don’t like their lies to be discovered.” She lifted her hands. “’Tis how I got to be Celeste’s indentured servant.”
    “And?”
    “My stepfather is a gambler, and when his creditors came…”
    “He was hidin’ money, and you told ‘em he was lyin’?”
    “He didn’t have the money. But the creditors discovered this wonderful curse and decided to sell me.”
    “To Celeste?”
    “Aye. She was in London on holiday. Just my luck. I’ve tried to lie, to protect people from Celeste, but every time I do…”
    “You turn into a strawberry.”
    “An itchy strawberry.” She studied his knee. It was gnarled and split open. “I’m sorry I can’t do more for your knee. I could stitch it.” She glanced around the chambers, but there was nothing to brace it. “I’ll be back.”
    “Where are you goin’?”
    “To find some wood to make some splints. I’ll be back soon.”
    “I’m not goin’ anywhere.” He rested his head against the wall.
    ***
    She climbed the stairs then pressed her ear against the door. No sounds came from inside the kitchen. If the servants caught her, they wouldn’t talk. They usually stayed away from Violet, fearful she’d tell the mistress of any wrong doings. Celeste was known to question Violet at length, which meant among the servants and slaves, she was a pariah.
    She cracked open the door and found the kitchen empty. Without any further delay, she raced across the wooden floor and stepped out the back door. Luckily, the waxing moon lit up the grass. She hurried over to an oak fence that was being built around a small garden and found some discarded planks. For anyone else, they’d be too long, but not Amadi. Once again, she was lucky and found some rope. Celeste would undoubtedly question her, punish her. If Celeste whipped her again, Violet would not be able to walk.
    She sneaked back into the kitchen and hurried down the creepy stairs. Amadi sat still, alert. He glanced at