nightfall by the ghosts for sure,” Dreban said.
Senda agreed with the groom, but kept his thoughts to himself. Since there wasn't any cleaning or rearranging to do in the buttery, he helped scrub the floors in the large dining hall. The mundane task left his mind free to ponder what was happening. He wouldn't have believed the tales of the spirits roaming the streets at night, except that he had seen Lord Suasor with his own eyes.
His heart broke at the full realization of what Lucian had done. He never would have thought Lucian to be so cruel as to put people to the sword for no reason. It's not my Lord that did this deed . Senda knew the real Lucian was dead and gone, replaced with a man with no soul.
The household staff remained quiet, their nervousness evident in the clinking of dishes as their hands trembled. Mandor seemed not to notice as he stuffed his face with dinner. He sat alone at the great table.
When Mandor was done, the servants cleared the dishes and cleaned up without their usual banter and gossip.
“Senda, I have a message for Lucian. Bring it to him at once,” Mandor ordered.
Senda tentatively reached out for the envelope, wondering why Mandor wanted him to take the message to Lucian. His duty to serve too ingrained to argue; he bowed and left to deliver the rolled parchment.
The sun had not yet sunk below the horizon. Senda decided to give the message to the first guard he saw and leave it at that. He refused to bring it to Lucian in person. I can't face him .
A commotion just outside the main gates gave him pause. His already shattered nerves couldn't take any more surprises. A soldier was being dragged into the castle. His screams reached Senda.
“Lucian is mad! Can you not see it? We must stand up to him, lest we all fall to the madness!”
A rush of excitement swept through Senda. Someone else sees it too! He knew he would never make it to the castle before they forced him inside. Senda felt sorry for the man. The guards would bring him before Lucian. And at the rate Lucian was going, the soldier would be hanged.
Moments later, a terrified scream echoed in the square. Senda looked up, and watched in horror as Lucian's guards flung the soldier to his death. He backed away from the grisly sight of the man's broken body and ran for Mandor's, dropping the letter in the street.
NINE
THE NEXT DAY, SENDA AWOKE to the sound of marching footsteps. Some stopped at the front of Mandor's manor, while the rest moved on. He quickly got dressed, wondering what foul plot was afoot. He crept down the back hallway to the kitchens. He could hear Lord Mandor arguing with the soldiers outside, calling them all sorts of foul names. Most of the staff peered from behind counters and barrels of flour and sugar.
Mandor's roar of rage made them jump and squeal in fright. Senda peered out the window. Mandor was being led away by two soldiers. The rest were making their way into the house.
“We must flee, or we will all be put to death just like Lord Byron's household!” Senda cried out to the others as he ran for the buttery.
There was a small door leading to the outside. It hadn't been used in some time and the hinges were rusty. Senda tugged with all his might and felt the door open a mere inch. The rest of the staff pushed against him, urging him to hurry.
Senda tried to shut out the sound of the soldiers moving through the house, grabbing anyone they found. The noise of the footsteps grew louder.
“Here's a bunch who think they can escape Anali's justice.” The big man sneered and wiped his mouth.
Senda's muscles ached and cords stood out on his neck as he wrestled with the door. The soldiers grabbed those closest to them and shoved them to their comrades in arms. The rest pushed againstSenda, forcing the tiny door closed with the weight of their bodies. Senda tried to shove them backward but their fear took over. All they could think of was to get as far away from the soldiers as they could, and
Senda agreed with the groom, but kept his thoughts to himself. Since there wasn't any cleaning or rearranging to do in the buttery, he helped scrub the floors in the large dining hall. The mundane task left his mind free to ponder what was happening. He wouldn't have believed the tales of the spirits roaming the streets at night, except that he had seen Lord Suasor with his own eyes.
His heart broke at the full realization of what Lucian had done. He never would have thought Lucian to be so cruel as to put people to the sword for no reason. It's not my Lord that did this deed . Senda knew the real Lucian was dead and gone, replaced with a man with no soul.
The household staff remained quiet, their nervousness evident in the clinking of dishes as their hands trembled. Mandor seemed not to notice as he stuffed his face with dinner. He sat alone at the great table.
When Mandor was done, the servants cleared the dishes and cleaned up without their usual banter and gossip.
“Senda, I have a message for Lucian. Bring it to him at once,” Mandor ordered.
Senda tentatively reached out for the envelope, wondering why Mandor wanted him to take the message to Lucian. His duty to serve too ingrained to argue; he bowed and left to deliver the rolled parchment.
The sun had not yet sunk below the horizon. Senda decided to give the message to the first guard he saw and leave it at that. He refused to bring it to Lucian in person. I can't face him .
A commotion just outside the main gates gave him pause. His already shattered nerves couldn't take any more surprises. A soldier was being dragged into the castle. His screams reached Senda.
“Lucian is mad! Can you not see it? We must stand up to him, lest we all fall to the madness!”
A rush of excitement swept through Senda. Someone else sees it too! He knew he would never make it to the castle before they forced him inside. Senda felt sorry for the man. The guards would bring him before Lucian. And at the rate Lucian was going, the soldier would be hanged.
Moments later, a terrified scream echoed in the square. Senda looked up, and watched in horror as Lucian's guards flung the soldier to his death. He backed away from the grisly sight of the man's broken body and ran for Mandor's, dropping the letter in the street.
NINE
THE NEXT DAY, SENDA AWOKE to the sound of marching footsteps. Some stopped at the front of Mandor's manor, while the rest moved on. He quickly got dressed, wondering what foul plot was afoot. He crept down the back hallway to the kitchens. He could hear Lord Mandor arguing with the soldiers outside, calling them all sorts of foul names. Most of the staff peered from behind counters and barrels of flour and sugar.
Mandor's roar of rage made them jump and squeal in fright. Senda peered out the window. Mandor was being led away by two soldiers. The rest were making their way into the house.
“We must flee, or we will all be put to death just like Lord Byron's household!” Senda cried out to the others as he ran for the buttery.
There was a small door leading to the outside. It hadn't been used in some time and the hinges were rusty. Senda tugged with all his might and felt the door open a mere inch. The rest of the staff pushed against him, urging him to hurry.
Senda tried to shut out the sound of the soldiers moving through the house, grabbing anyone they found. The noise of the footsteps grew louder.
“Here's a bunch who think they can escape Anali's justice.” The big man sneered and wiped his mouth.
Senda's muscles ached and cords stood out on his neck as he wrestled with the door. The soldiers grabbed those closest to them and shoved them to their comrades in arms. The rest pushed againstSenda, forcing the tiny door closed with the weight of their bodies. Senda tried to shove them backward but their fear took over. All they could think of was to get as far away from the soldiers as they could, and
Similar Books
