Through My Eyes

Chapter Twenty-Four

We are standing in the familiar square, which is the exact opposite of the bubbling activity I had witnessed during the day.

The stalls are either gone or have been smothered in protective covers, there are no children screaming and laughing, no customers bargaining for items, there are none of the pleasant smells that drove themselves up my nostrils during the day. Even the beggars and the homeless people are cowered in corners, chewing on leftover food they could manage to scrounge, eyeing us warily.

Emmanuel, Richard, Master Phillip and I are standing outside the house with the brown door as a dozen men scour the inside for any signs of human activity. My jaw is locked with anger, my arm bruising under the iron-like grip that Emmanuel is exerting on it and my eyes hurt with the effort of attempting not to glare at Master Phillip.

After everything he had said and done for us, now he chooses to betray us?! He promised so many things, claimed to care so much. What happened to all of that? What urge had possessed him to go and inform Emmanuel of Damon's presence? Not just that, but make up such a vile lie about me?! How could he do that?!

I start to shake with fury and Emmanuel tightens his hold on me, hissing in my ear. "Scared? Scared that they're going to find the man you love?"

"No." I say, my gaze guarded. "I am not afraid because you are not going to find anything. He was not here, I did not come to visit him."

Emmanuel pulls me closer, "And are you pure?"

"I am." I say, refusing to meet his dark eyes, choosing instead to stare at the brown door hanging on its hinges. I can hear the men in there, pullings things apart, grunting, calling to each other.

Emmanuel scoffs in disbelief. I use my fingers to disengage Emmanuel's grip from my arm and calmly say, "I am not going to run anywhere. You were hurting me."

Emmanuel just folds his arms and looks straight ahead. A man walks out of the house, his face masked. He shakes his head and then the rest of the men file out of the house empty-handed. Mentally, I sigh in relief.

Damon's going to be alright.

Emmanuel clenches his jaw and then turns to me. "You got lucky, Eloise. Do not think that this disproves anything! I believe my father and I believe that you are a promiscuous wench! Get in the coach."

Emmanuel shoves me in the direction of the waiting coach. I help myself into the coach, jamming my body right up against the side of the coach, looking out of the window. I sense Emmanuel, Master Phillip and Richard clamber into the coach. Master Phillip sits opposite me, his leg brushing against mine as he sits down.

I look at him sharply. He regards me calmly, his face betraying no emotion. No regret, no apologies, no smugness - nothing. I meet his gaze, glaring, informing him clearly what I think of him and his treacherous betrayal. Rolling my eyes dramatically, I turn back, watching the scenery from my window.

At his home, Emmanuel does not relay the events to his mother. He drags me up the staircase and into a room, one I perceive to be for guests. I have never seen it before.

Emmanuel shoves me on to the ground and points a finger at me. "You will not go without punishment, I promise you that. Go and look out of the window."

"What?" I exclaim, frowning at the man I hate. Yes, hate. I hate him like I have never hated another.

"Go and look out of the window!" Emmanuel yells.

When I do not move, Emmanuel strides over to me, grabbing me by the arms and hauling me into a standing position. He pushes me over to the window, using his hands to press mine against the windows, holding them there, pinning me in with his body.