Bathory's Secret: When All The Time In The World Is Not Enough (Affliction Vampires Book 1) by Romina Nicolaides Page B
Authors: Romina Nicolaides
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spoiled girls changed their clothes meant that they weren’t particularly soiled so she could get away with a quick rinse in soapy water.
Hanging them up to dry, she remembered to place a small bowl of water for her little kitten who had seen her and after a languorous stretch and yawn came happily to greet her. Whatever the girls had left from breakfast, which included some very fine sausages, she cut up in tiny pieces and gave to him after having a sneaky bite herself. The sound of his purring soothed her incredibly as did the fact that he looked much healthier since she had started feeding him.
“You’re looking very well Mačka,” she said scratching his ear, which he was particularly fond of.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me I have more work to do.”
Back at the binding room she continued to puncture precise holes in the folds of the journal pages. This part of the binding process was the most time consuming and tedious, followed closely by the sewing of each group of pages to each other to form the basic book shape. Nevertheless it was a job she didn’t mind doing, she found it quite meditative and rewarding when the bunch fattened and began to resemble a book, though a naked one. She truly loved books, despite the fact they were an absolute mystery to her. She had been around them since childhood and had always been told by her uncle that they were very important. She held them in reverence and it pained her to know that she could not decipher their contents.
The last bell told her it was midnight. Conveniently, the castle’s chapel bells rung four times each day: 6:00 am, 12:00 pm, 6:00 pm and midnight as opposed to the three chimes of other chapels, which neglected the midnight ring. This meant that before long the girls would be done. Because it was spring the sun had set early, around 6:30, meaning they had been in lessons for over five hours, so they would soon come out tired and ready for bed.
At some time after 1:00 am Kati abandoned her binding and went to the Library to fetch them. The doors were still closed but she could hear the Countess’s authoritative echo from within. She stood around for a few moments but nothing happened so she sat down on the cold stone floor to wait. There were no Turkish rugs here. Her eyelids felt terribly heavy and she battled to stay awake. Shaking her head worked but only for a few moments. Slapping her cheeks did the same for a few moments more. Biting her tongue also worked but for a little longer still.
***
Opening the door of the great Library the Countess ushered the girls outside. On the ground huddled in a little corner was Katalina fast asleep on the ground.
Furious at this impertinent sight the Countess marched towards her and grabbed her squarely by the roots of her hair. The girl woke instantly and cried out in pain, lifting her body up by Erzsébet’s pull.
“You dare sleep when you’re meant to be working?”
“I’m sorry Your Grace, it’s only been a few moments, I swear!”
The Countess released the girl and simultaneously whacked her in the face with the heavy book she was carrying.
“Take them to their room immediately and return to your binding the moment you are done!”
“Yes mistress,” replied Kati cradling her face.
***
After she helped the girls get undressed and into their nightclothes and then their beds, Kati took another bunch of soiled clothes for washing and left the room. She couldn’t look any of them in the eye; she felt very embarrassed at having been found sleeping and being chastised by the Countess. She hadn't even exchanged any words with Oriana.
Leaving the barn she closed the door behind her, placed the clothes in the basket outside to wash in the morning and returned to her binding. She worked for another hour or two before her weariness was too strong to ignore and wondered whether she should just go to bed or take a walk outside to wake up a
Hanging them up to dry, she remembered to place a small bowl of water for her little kitten who had seen her and after a languorous stretch and yawn came happily to greet her. Whatever the girls had left from breakfast, which included some very fine sausages, she cut up in tiny pieces and gave to him after having a sneaky bite herself. The sound of his purring soothed her incredibly as did the fact that he looked much healthier since she had started feeding him.
“You’re looking very well Mačka,” she said scratching his ear, which he was particularly fond of.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me I have more work to do.”
Back at the binding room she continued to puncture precise holes in the folds of the journal pages. This part of the binding process was the most time consuming and tedious, followed closely by the sewing of each group of pages to each other to form the basic book shape. Nevertheless it was a job she didn’t mind doing, she found it quite meditative and rewarding when the bunch fattened and began to resemble a book, though a naked one. She truly loved books, despite the fact they were an absolute mystery to her. She had been around them since childhood and had always been told by her uncle that they were very important. She held them in reverence and it pained her to know that she could not decipher their contents.
The last bell told her it was midnight. Conveniently, the castle’s chapel bells rung four times each day: 6:00 am, 12:00 pm, 6:00 pm and midnight as opposed to the three chimes of other chapels, which neglected the midnight ring. This meant that before long the girls would be done. Because it was spring the sun had set early, around 6:30, meaning they had been in lessons for over five hours, so they would soon come out tired and ready for bed.
At some time after 1:00 am Kati abandoned her binding and went to the Library to fetch them. The doors were still closed but she could hear the Countess’s authoritative echo from within. She stood around for a few moments but nothing happened so she sat down on the cold stone floor to wait. There were no Turkish rugs here. Her eyelids felt terribly heavy and she battled to stay awake. Shaking her head worked but only for a few moments. Slapping her cheeks did the same for a few moments more. Biting her tongue also worked but for a little longer still.
***
Opening the door of the great Library the Countess ushered the girls outside. On the ground huddled in a little corner was Katalina fast asleep on the ground.
Furious at this impertinent sight the Countess marched towards her and grabbed her squarely by the roots of her hair. The girl woke instantly and cried out in pain, lifting her body up by Erzsébet’s pull.
“You dare sleep when you’re meant to be working?”
“I’m sorry Your Grace, it’s only been a few moments, I swear!”
The Countess released the girl and simultaneously whacked her in the face with the heavy book she was carrying.
“Take them to their room immediately and return to your binding the moment you are done!”
“Yes mistress,” replied Kati cradling her face.
***
After she helped the girls get undressed and into their nightclothes and then their beds, Kati took another bunch of soiled clothes for washing and left the room. She couldn’t look any of them in the eye; she felt very embarrassed at having been found sleeping and being chastised by the Countess. She hadn't even exchanged any words with Oriana.
Leaving the barn she closed the door behind her, placed the clothes in the basket outside to wash in the morning and returned to her binding. She worked for another hour or two before her weariness was too strong to ignore and wondered whether she should just go to bed or take a walk outside to wake up a
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