Chapter 7
Avrum
“You should change into something more comfortable,” Lysander suggests as we continue down the hallway, passing the many bedroom doors. “You don’t want to practice in a tailored suit and polished shoes. Especially if you have never worked with a sword before.”
Trying to suppress my excitement, I nod.
Lysander makes sure to keep his voice no higher than a whisper. “I’m going to make up for some of the sleep that I’ve lost now, and we will meet back in the foyer at dawn.”
“Right,” I reply.
“In order to make this the least conspicuous as possible, I will show you the stances and some exercises and return to my duties, allowing you practice time on your own. I will come back and check on you, giving you more instruction throughout the day.”
We go up another set of stairs and turn down the east hallway, where more doors line the walls on either side. I rarely come down this way since my own bedroom lay in the main hall, along with Henri’s bedroom, and Haven’s as well. I have no reason to travel farther than that.
“Looks like sleep is going to come sparingly for the both of us,” I say.
“I have slept long enough in my lifetime.”
I don’t reply, not sure what he means by that. Lysander is known to be cryptic that way.
“It’s Avrum and the Frenchman!”
I wince, knowing instantly who the high-pitched voice belongs to before we even turn around. In the middle of the hallway, both Keagan and Cornelius stand, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.
Lysander tenses beside me, and my own anger prickles.
“What do you want, Keagan?” I ask.
“I’ve been looking for you, actually,” he replies, a smirk forming.
My annoyance builds by the second. “Me? Why me?”
“I have a bit of good news for you, boy,” he goes on, his tone mocking. “You have been lifted from your duties over that little tramp, Haven.”
My heart stops.
“That’s right. I will be looking after her from now on,” he says, with a very pleased look on his impish face. “You know, since you are going to be handling more important things being Henri’s second.”
The memory of Keagan and Cornelius tying Haven to Henri’s bed flashes before my eyes. How Keagan had pressed his lips against her forehead… It made my stomach turn.
I’ve never wanted to punch someone so much in my life. My entire body trembles as I resist. I know what his intentions truly are. He has been working alongside Henri since the beginning. He’s been hurting her, mocking me, and having a good laugh about it.
“He doesn’t want you distracted chasing after the girl anymore,” he says. “But don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”
I lunge forward, but Lysander’s quick hand snatches my elbow and jerks me back. A growl vibrates in my throat.
“He’s not worth it.” Lysander’s voice is calm, but his grip is firm on my arm. “Leave it be.”
Keagan raises his long, pointed nose in satisfaction. “I’ll make sure to treat her well. She won’t be running away from me. If anything, she’ll be coming back for more.”
I lurch toward him again, my fist pulled back, but Lysander holds me back.
Cornelius chuckles behind Keagan, his shaggy hair dancing in front of his eyes.
“Come on. We don’t have time to waste on these two,” Lysander urges, and tugs me away from them.
“Time?” Keagan switches his attention to Lysander now.
“I was under the impression that you had plenty of time, now that you’re no longer head of the guard.
” He pats the hilt of his sword. “Honestly, the title was never meant for a Frenchman. They are too busy powdering their faces and sewing their stockings to learn how to wield a weapon.”
“You better hold your tongue,” Lysander says, but somehow without any emotion to his threatening words. I have no idea how my friend is able to control himself so well.
“And why is that?” he snaps back.
Lysander shrugs. “My skill is what gained me the guard position. You gained it by my mistake, that’s all.”
Baring his fangs, Keagan draws his sword faster than I can blink. He holds it out with both hands around the hilt.
Still, Lysander’s unfazed. His heavy-lidded eyes study him up and down, but he looks unthreatened and almost bored.
“Be careful with that now. You don’t want to hurt yourself.”
“Oh, shut your mouth, Lysander.”
I’ve had enough of this. “Put the sword away,” I demand.
Keagan doesn’t move. “I’m the head of the guard now,” he says through clenched teeth.
“And Avrum is Henri’s second-in-command.” Lysander turns toward Cornelius. “That means he has authority over you and your moronic friend there.”
That’s right. Being Henri’s second means the only person above me is the lord.
Keagan has to listen to me.
I grin.
The same realization seems to pass over Keagan’s face, and he grimaces as he sheaths his sword again. Snarling, he gestures for Cornelius to follow him. They disappear inside one of the bedrooms and slam the door shut, the thunderous sound echoing throughout the hall.
I glance over at Lysander. “One of these days I’ll make him eat his words.”
He nods. “But that day cannot be today. We don’t want to draw any attention to ourselves and cause suspicion. It could hurt our chances of training you.”
The sound of quick footsteps approaching causes us to pause. Spinning around, I catch a figure hurrying past the hall, draped in a dark cloak.
“What in the world?”
Lysander and I exchange confused looks.
“You don’t think?” he asks, and there’s a sinking feeling inside me, one that prays it isn’t Haven I just witnessed run past us.
How does she even have the strength to move? When I’d left her, she could barely keep her eyes open.
I have to stop her. If Keagan finds her this time or if Henri finds out—
I stop myself. I can’t even think about it without acid rising.
“Go on,” Lysander whispers to me.
“What?”
He gestures toward the end of the hall. “Go on. I know what you are thinking, and you should go. She will be in even more trouble if Keagan finds her. Go get her and bring her back safely.”
Giving him a grateful smile, I hurry off in the direction Haven disappeared to.
Haven
Pain explodes behind my temples and my tight muscles twitch with every step, but I don’t slow my pace.
I’d wasted enough time going to my room to change my clothes and take a winter cloak and boots for the long journey ahead.
Bringing anything more could slow me down, so I’m going to hope I won’t need anything more than the clothes on my back.
I sneak down the back staircase to the courtyard doors, glancing over my shoulder every so often to make sure I’m not being followed. Opening the heavy doors just a crack, I slip outside, trying to make as little noise as possible.
The moment I’m out in the frigid night, a gust of icy wind blows past me, and the skin on my exposed cheeks and hands burn.
As I keep to the shadows along the stone path, there’s a lightness in the air that reminds me of an early snowfall.
I clutch my cloak closer to my trembling body.
Maybe I shouldn’t have gone out tonight.
The chill is already sinking into my bones, and my knees are quivering from weakness.
Everything still throbs, and the cut across my cheek stings with the slightest touch of the breeze.
Will I even be able to make the journey to the city like this?
Glancing back at the manor, I try to remember my father’s face. I can see his silver-touched hair and hunched shoulders, but his face is just a hazy blur.
I try to envision his eyes, the ones that sparkled with joy when I’d successfully read my first book after his daily teachings, and then swam with tears as he told me my mother had passed.
His eyes are blue. A kind, soft shade of blue… But the vision of him doesn’t become any clearer.
How can I forget what my own father looks like? If I stay here, will I fully lose him from my memory and dreams?
That horrible thought has me pressing on at a faster pace. I try not to think of Emma and how I’m leaving her behind to survive this horrid place alone. Guilt weighs heavy on my shoulders, but I know I need to focus on the daunting task ahead of me, not what’s behind.
My father. My father is ahead of me, and with that, my freedom.
“Haven!”
My heart leaps into my throat as a voice slices through the thick silence. I haven’t even made it off the manor property and already Avrum is on my tail.
How does he keep finding me?
Pretending to not hear him, I speed up, panic driving me forward.
I can’t go back. I can’t. Henri will kill me next time, I just know it.
“Haven, stop.”
Still, I don’t. I know I can’t outrun him but giving up isn’t an option.
Then, faster than a blink, he’s in front of me.
I try to lock my knees and stop short, but my weight continues forward, and I fall.
Arms come around me before I hit the ground, and when I look up, Avrum’s staring down at me with a tenderness in his eyes I hardly recognize.
His hands are gentle as he lifts me onto my feet again, but when he realizes how close we are, he steps back to give me space and clears his throat.
“I… I need to speak with you,” he says, stumbling a bit in embarrassment.
I look at him—really look at him for the first time—and find the strangest and most unexpected thing.
Among his unnatural perfections, there are natural imperfections.
Fine worry lines mark his otherwise smooth forehead and around his down-turned mouth.
His russet hair that he normally keeps tied back now hangs loosely about his shoulders, and his eyes carry a heaviness to them as they search my face.
All things I hadn’t noticed before. Or maybe didn’t care to.
“Haven…” He tries again, and I’m reminded of what he really wants. To take me back to Henri. Even knowing the truth about what he’s done to me. After seeing it with his own eyes, after all, he’s still come here to try and drag me back.
My anger rekindles, and I go to step around him, but he follows my movements to block me.