Chapter 2
‘Monday morning, rise and shine,’ shouted a female guard as lights lit up the cells, waking all inmates for the day.
Within fifteen minutes, every cell door had noisily slid open, and all prisoners stood in their doorways ready for the first headcount.
Dionne looked fit for bed, and even Scarlen had to stifle a yawn.
Perusing the cells opposite, she counted five in total, same as her side, perhaps ten above and below as well. She figured it was the same in the men’s section. Hardly any of the women looked up for a conversation, and Scarlen wasn’t sure if that was down to choice.
‘Showers,’ yelled the guard, and Scarlen followed the line, piled clothes in hand, as instructed.
There was some chatter in the shower chamber as people started to wake, and a few glances were cast towards Scarlen, but only because she was new, Dionne assured her.
Dionne introduced some of the women she knew from her last stint inside, and they all seemed friendly enough, especially the blind nineteen-year-old witch, Elbar, who assured Scarlen she needed no help navigating her way around the prison.
There was only one group of women, sporting anchor tattoos on their left hands, whose stares caused Scarlen’s nerves to rattle a little.
‘Are the Pirate whores watching you?’ asked Elbar, her cloud-white eyes holding a slight shimmer as she turned her head their way.
‘Don’t antagonise them, Elbar,’ warned Dionne.
Elbar raised her long brown stick an inch from the ground. ‘Their head girl, Kylar, hid this from me once, knowing full well it aids me in here. So, I don’t care about antagonising them at all. They’re lucky I have Rings.’
Scarlen glanced at the Rings on Elbar’s wrists, hanging loose, but not loose enough to slip off. ‘Do you know a lot of magick?’
Elbar’s smile held a mixture of mischief and charm. ‘My crime is illegal magick. My grandmother taught me well enough. I’d show you if I weren’t shackled. And I’d happily demonstrate on the Pirates, especially Kylar.’
The Pirates were whispering among themselves while looking over, and by the way they were protectively surrounding the tall one with yellow spiky hair, Scarlen figured her for their head girl.
‘Come on, let’s put our nightclothes away and go eat.’ It was as though Dionne could feel the tension looming as she hurried everyone away, and Scarlen was happy to leave, especially as her stomach had started to rumble.
The canteen wasn’t as noisy as expected, as the guards patrolling the area made sure order was maintained, and most inmates were focused on breakfast, the scent of the food encouraging them to step into line.
Scarlen stayed quiet as she picked up a tray and joined the queue, bracing herself for any sudden attack, as paranoia had well and truly kicked in that her truth had already been revealed.
At this stage, she wouldn’t put anything past her father.
She could hear his voice in her head after he had starved her for three days as a form of punishment for running away the first time.
‘This is for your own good. It will strengthen you.’
‘It’s okay, fledgling,’ came a delicate voice from behind, taking Scarlen from her thoughts. ‘It stops feeling intimidating after a week.’
Scarlen turned to see tawny eyes and a long pink plait belonging to a small-framed woman. ‘Thanks,’ was all she could think to say, unsure if friendliness was on offer.
‘I’m Wynter.’
‘Scarlen.’
Facing the entrance, Wynter gestured to the tables on the right. ‘When you get your food, always sit that side. That’s the Green side.’
It was then Scarlen noticed how empty the seating was on the left. ‘Who sits there?’ Please don’t say Amber.
‘Amber.’
And on cue, in they strolled, small groups, freshly showered, and quietly talking among themselves.
Scarlen faced the inmate serving breakfast and asked for porridge, hoping to avoid one Amber in particular, as she was certain he had hatred in his eyes when he’d looked at her last night.
‘Ooh, good morning to you too.’ A hushed giggle left Wynter, causing Scarlen to turn.
If she thought Bear was gorgeous, the muscular man leaning over Wynter was a god. It took seconds to register his white-blond hair, golden eyes, and warmth to his light-brown skin.
Whoa!
‘This is my fiancé, Raven,’ Wynter introduced. ‘Fledgling, Scarlen.’
Raven glanced at her tray. ‘Porridge. Good choice for the silent system. Keeps you full and awake.’ His voice was soft, but something in his gaze said he wasn’t.
She’d forgotten about the silent system, and she still had no idea what it was, but at least now she knew she’d made the right choice for breakfast.
‘How about you fuck off,’ said a man wearing amber passing Wynter, taking Scarlen by surprise. ‘She’s no northerner.’
‘Some of us talk to everyone, as we’re not all assholes, Judd,’ snapped Wynter.
His deep-set brown eyes flashed straight at Raven. ‘No, but you are demons.’
Scarlen knew that to be a slur word for shapeshifter, and by the look on Raven’s face, so did he.
‘Problem, lads?’ A guard approached, cropped blond hair, right ear missing, name badge reading Mr Lackly, his hand tightening on his baton.
‘No, sir,’ replied Raven. ‘Just another Pirate wanting to stand in the presence of the great Raven.’
Judd scoffed, then mocked a bow. ‘Well, you are the last of your kind. It’ll be a shame when you’re dead. When will that be? Oh, yeah, two years’ time. Looking forward to the show.’
‘Move along, Judd.’ Mr Lackly shoved his arm. ‘Else have your breakfast in the pillory.’
Judd raised his palms in submission. ‘I was just joining the queue, sir.’
‘Then join at the back.’ Mr Lackly moved him away, then called to Raven. ‘And you hurry and get your food and sit down. And if I see you kissing Wynter in here one more time, you can go straight to a dark cell.’
Raven quirked his lips at Judd. ‘It’s all right, sir, I was saving my kisses for him. He needs more love in his life, poor little human.’
Judd stuck up his middle finger. ‘You can kiss my ass, bird boy.’
‘And you can both keep quiet,’ said Mr Lackly. ‘Last warning.’
Scarlen sat next to Dionne, who had her mouth slightly gaping at Raven, clearly a fan.
‘I’d risk a week in a dark cell to kiss him. Or her.’
Scarlen shushed her as Wynter joined their table.
‘Sorry about that. Just Judd swinging his balls. He’s from Borough Mids, and he causes problems with us because he hates northerners. He says he hates southerners as well, but it doesn’t stop him having sex with any willing in here.’
‘He looks angry.’ Scarlen dared to glance his way for all but a second.
‘He always looks that way.’ Wynter started eating her cereal as though nothing much had occurred. ‘He’s the Pirates leader. Got a tattoo of an anchor on his right shoulder to prove the fact. Give him time, he’ll make sure you see it. Everyone has to know he’s a Pirate. Dickhead, more like.’
Dionne gently nudged Scarlen. ‘The male Flames have their flame tattoos beside their right eye. They don’t have to strip off to let everyone know who they are.’ She grinned into her spoon. ‘Mind, I’m not opposed to Judd removing his top. Not exactly hard on the eye.’
‘I felt his chest once,’ said Elbar, joining them. ‘He asked me to. He can be kind of weird like that, but, hey, I still got a kick out of it.’
Scarlen went to peep once more but met menacing silver eyes instead as Bear stood in the aisle between the Green and Amber sides.
Judd rose from his chair, raising a finger. ‘Now all the leaders are here, I’m going to make a claim.’
‘Shit,’ mumbled Dionne, causing nerves to rattle in Scarlen.
‘What?’ she whispered.
The leader of the Flames gazed up from his toast. ‘You ain’t claiming shit.’
Judd sneered his way. ‘Rules are rules, Varklee.’
Varklee’s stern blue eyes practically stabbed his rival with the venom of a thousand snakes as he grunted to a stand.
‘As long as it’s not Scarlen Smithson,’ said Bear, looking only at her.
What the fuck!
Judd frowned. ‘Says who?’
‘I claimed her last night.’
All eyes were on Scarlen, and she had no idea what was going on.
‘Nod,’ whispered Dionne without moving her mouth.
But Scarlen was frozen, even her heart had stopped beating.
‘You can’t do that,’ snapped Judd. ‘We weren’t present.’ He waggled one hand dismissively at Varklee, who laughed as he sat to carry on with his food. ‘And she’s Borough South.’
‘And now she’s mine. Still got the taste of her tongue in my mouth to prove it.’
A senior female guard in her forties, Miss Binnow, entered the canteen, and at once a hushed silence fell, and everyone went back to doing what they were supposed to do as she paced around like a predator examining prey, her pointy nose held high, death in her midnight-blue eyes.
Scarlen side-eyed her as she passed, sensing trouble.
It was for the best if she finished her breakfast in silence.
All the claiming malarkey would have to wait, but it definitely wasn’t going to disappear.
No one was about to make her theirs, especially the Rebel.
Fuck him and his silver eyes. He will never taste my tongue.
It was hard to eat while sensing people watching her, including a definite scowl from Kylar, but Scarlen did her best to ignore everything, even when her bowl was empty and some quiet chatter had resumed.
Dionne nudged her as three loud pips went off. ‘That means we have a few minutes to get to our jobs, but as we’re only starting our sentence, we do the silent system for the first month. Follow me. I know where to go.’
Everyone seemed to know where to go, and as soon as the spoons were counted, they left. Scarlen didn’t notice where Bear went, not that she was paying attention or anything, just watching her back from kidnappers, so she told herself, more than once.