Terrifying Meal
Sabin traced his finger over the elegant script handwriting. His new charge had an education, and not just any education. Most regular people didn’t learn calligraphy.
He returned his attention to Ock. “You may give her what she asks for. And she may speak with you in the public section and in the gardens when no one else is around. Find out who she is and why she’s here.”
“Yes, sir.” Ock saluted, turned, and left the study.
An educated woman who could write with such beautiful handwriting. Khali. Who was she really? Because she wasn’t some lowly servant.
He traced another word. She could be a favored servant who was raised with his bride or a noble who lived on the expansive estate. If that was the case, then he’d allow Kahli to serve her and keep her company. But not until he had all the answers.
It was time to see how his bride fared. Sabin got to his feet, donned his robe, and headed through secret passageways to the backside of his family’s special training hold.
Perin entered from further away, a scowl on her usual calm face. She faced him and flinched. Her brows pinched. “She refuses to dine with anyone. Said she’ll take it in her room. The child is stubborn and probably used to getting her way. Sir, will you reconsider taking her as your wife?”
There was only one daughter of Ka. Spoiled or not, he needed her as a figurehead to gain more influence and power. “No. Find someone to act as a scholar and teach her proper etiquette.”
“I’ll hire someone personally. I doubt anyone here would have the patience to deal with her.”
She was that bad? Then so be it. “Very well.”
Since his bride wouldn’t dine with them, then there was no reason to go and collect her. Sabin pivoted and headed in the direction of the dining hall.
Kahli. Why all the lies surrounding her? And why defiantly reveal she could speak?
Spoiled. Both she and his bride. Well, since she was in his care, she’d have to learn better manners. He’d see to it.
The main prayer room was abuzz with hushed chatter. Thank the gods no outsiders were there.
He cringed. But Kahli was there. Inside the main façade. His men needed to be careful or they’d get caught.
“Who cares what she looks like, haven’t you noticed her curves?”
Sabin rolled his eyes and retrieved a pebble from his pocket. Such talk shouldn’t take place in the main prayer hall, real or fake. He flicked it at Winlin and it nailed him in the head.
The offender groaned and touched the spot, his gaze darting around until it locked on Sabin.
He gave Winlin a warning look, and the man quickly shushed the others and pointed at him. It was too late; they were all caught. He’d make them run extra laps that night.
Several men shot to their feet and headed toward him, but he shook his head. They couldn’t be interested in his charge. She was off limits. They’d find out later when he punished them. They should’ve been focused and in character. Such novice mistakes were deadly.
Kahli blinked at the bowl of watery soup in front of her. That was dinner?
The head monk sat two seats down from her at the head of the table and gestured to the bread. All right. She’d soak up the soup with it. She could do it.
Kahli grabbed a chunk of bread and dropped it. It was rock solid! How was she supposed to eat it?
The head monk stood, walked over, grabbed the bread, and plopped it in her soup.
W-well, the soup would soften it. Made sense. Perfect sense. She gave him a respectful nod and moved the bread around, holding onto part of it.
The friendly monk sat next to her, holding a bundle. “I was given permission to give this to you.”
Permission? She turned her focus to the head monk, and his head dipped.
They lived simple lives. And there in the mountains, they probably didn’t receive such basic materials often, so there wasn’t likely a large stash of supplies.
Kahli bowed her head lower to the head monk, then gave the friendly monk next to her a little bow of the head in thanks.
She was in their world. For the moment. So it was best to learn to play by their rules.
“After dinner, let’s go to the gardens. I have some news for you.”
News. Very well. She slightly inclined her head. Hopefully it was good news. There was too much of the bad going around.
She lifted her bread, but the friendly monk touched her hand. “Not yet. After the blessing on the food.”
Oh. Yes. She gave an apologetic nod and put her hands in her lap.
A deep, rumbling chant filled the room, vibrating through her atoms. The sound resonated with her soul. A low hum buzzed through her.
Her lids closed, and she tilted her head toward the ceiling. The hum intensified, shaking the matter of her being.
Kahli sucked in a breath as the voices rose.
Weakness flooded her. Something was wrong.
She lifted her leaden hand. It was so heavy. Yet she flexed her muscles and reached to her left. Her hand brushed against coarse fabric.
A large hand wrapped around her upper arm.
She couldn’t pry her eyes open, but helplessly sat there.
Her body gave out.
Pressure grew in her arm while gravity pulled at her.
What was happening?
Air whooshed around her before arms cradled her while fog rolled in her head.
Her body bounced.
The chanting swelled, along with the hum.
Her back arched, and she sucked in a desperate breath. Gods, save her!
Cursed
Sabin chanted a calming mantra. The woman in his arms went limp in his hold. Cursed, the poor wretched thing. Only enemies of the god of war and god of protection reacted the way Kahli had at the dining table.
Which family had wronged his gods enough to deserve a curse, and what’d they done?
He carried her through a hallway and out into the side gardens.
No, Kahli was no ordinary woman. But did she know that?
She stirred in his hold, and her lids fluttered open. A good sign.
Sabin took her to the tree of healing and laid her in branches woven together, forming a large cradle. He switched to the mantra of healing and shared some of his strength with her. If her body accepted his energy, then his energy she absorbed would protect her from the effects of her curse. Yet if she wanted more, she’d need to earn it.
He finished his mantra and offered her his hand. “You may openly speak to me and the one you spoke to before here in these gardens, and also in the public area of the monastery. No one else knows you can speak.”
A shaking, delicate hand grasped his, the hold weak. That wouldn’t do.
He helped her sit up, then put his hand on her back. “Hold still.” Sabin closed his eyes and nursed the strong energy inside him. He sent a streaming trickle into her.
Her body absorbed it.
He allowed a smile. That was good. Clearly she wasn’t the one directly cursed. Maybe there was hope for her.
After a moment, he closed his well and backed away. “Tell me, Kahli, who are—”
Her lids closed, and the woman shuddered.
“Are you cold?”
Her lids fluttered open. Long, black lashes framed incredible vibrant green eyes.
His pulse raced. Her pupils were dilated. Even the irises were larger.
Sabin salivated and swallowed.
A breeze pushed at her face covering before brushing past him, carrying the scent of the flowers around them.
Her lids lowered in a becoming way, but then closed. “Forgive me. I’m so…tired…” She fell.
He reached out and caught her and eased her down.
Nothing like that had ever happened before. There was more than the curse at play.
“Sir.” Ock’s voice was like a sobering slap.
He flinched. Sabin turned his back to Kahli. “Take her to her room; the lady’s tired.”
“Yes, sir.” His guard reached out, but Sabin’s gut twisted.
He knocked Ock’s hands away. “Never mind. Take the items to her room. I’ll take her.”
Kahli shuffled into the dining hall, one of the few places she was allowed to go in the large monastery, took her seat, and waited. Rays of morning light poured through tall, wide, arched windows, brightening everything they touched. A simple beauty she’d never considered.
She reached into a beam. Her skin glowed, the light adding an ethereal touch. How had she never noticed the natural beauty around her before? Perhaps it was the rest she’d gotten. She awoke refreshed and ready to face her day.
Cailyan, her poor sister. How’d she sleep?
Kahli let out a heavy sigh. Her sister was only seventeen. She didn’t know the outside world. Well, none of them did; only their parents, servants, and guards. She and her siblings had never so much as gone to the nearest town for festivities, shopping, or anything.
“Shush. She’s right there.”
She peered over her shoulder. Hooded monks trailed in and filled seats at the long table. Soon others joined them and placed bowls of watery soup in front of them, and baskets of broken bread.
The friendly monk sat next to her. “How are you feeling today?”
Kahli picked her tablet from her lap, chalk attached by twine, and wrote ‘Good, thank you.’. She erased her message and wrote ‘Do you know what happened to me last evening?’.
“I don’t, but it’s a good sign you’re well today.”
The monk on her right cleared his throat, pulling her attention to him. Unlike the friendly monk, he had scruff on his face. “I’m to show you around today. After breakfast, you’ll have a lesson on common etiquette with the head monk.”
A lesson on etiquette? She already knew proper etiquette.
Kahli considered the staring men around her. She didn’t really have a choice; not in that moment. So she inclined her head to the man on her right.
He grabbed a chunk of bread and set it in her bowl. “Be sure to eat after the blessing.”
Sure. Eat what promised to be a tasteless meal. Her stomach grumbled. Well, everyone else was eating the same. Fine. She’d have to endure it. For the moment. But that afternoon, she’d sit and listen in the public part of the monastery.
The monks started chanting.
Every muscle in her body stiffened, and a familiar hum thrummed through her. Kahli gripped the chalk and her slate tablet. Whatever happened, she’d get through it.
A deeper resonance coursed through her from behind, feeding strength into her.
The chanting continued for a moment—nothing happening to her—then slowed and died away.
She let out a long sigh. Whatever their chant did to her before, it’d have to wait for her to find out some other time. Because after everyone settled in for bed that evening, she was going to sneak out.
« »
Thanks for reading the first 3 chapters of Tangled Fates! Ready to see what happens next? Get your eBook.