A Dangerous Destiny: The Pure One Book I

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Hey there readers! Update #2 of the week. As I mentioned last post, you are about to meet  a new character. He plays a part in Teren's side story. In what way? You shall see...hehehe. Since his chapter is short it is combined with a Teren piece as well. Like I have done in the past, it is my goal to get at this scene from both POVs with the hope that the changing perspective will add a bit of tension and excitement. ;-)

------------------------------------------------

Seleb

They had been thrown into a small cell in what, Seleb assumed must be part of Portenbrough Prison, though he couldn't be certain. He'd been too frightened to pay much attention to where they were going at first, the cold hands of the guards on his shoulders enough to confuse his bearings. Their ride through the darkness of a starless night had given little opportunity to regain them. As he and his friend were driven from the Mather estate in a jailer's carriage, shoved through the back door of some ominous stone building, and dragged down a series of corridors to their prison, their location became less and less relevant. They were in trouble, that much was clear. Still it seemed likely that Portenborough would be the destination for those arrested on the lands of the man responsible for the infamous prison. 

 It was strange, but when Seleb agreed to accompany Tara he'd never imagined that there might be any danger in sneaking out to watch the guests arrive at Lord Mather's party. She had assured him that they were doing nothing wrong after all. Tara had only needed a lookout so she might see the ladies in all their finery. At least that's what she'd said. Seleb knew they were not meant to be wandering the estate of course, but he'd had no idea that the guards surrounding Lord Mather's home had been charged to arrest any who might have been caught lurking outside the bounds of the servants' quarters, a fact he'd quickly learned when he and Tara were taken into custody without question.

The underground chamber was bare save for a pile of soiled damp straw, and there were dark stains on the cold stone walling them in. He didn't want to imagine what might have left them. Sitting against the back wall, Seleb looked to his friend as she paced the length of their cramped cell. She hadn't stopped since they'd been locked behind bars, though how long ago that was he had no way of knowing. After trying, unsuccessfully to find a flaw in their prison walls, Tara seemed to have resigned herself to this anxious movement. Seleb wished she'd stop. Confined with her rage and fear the space felt suffocating. He was relieved when she finally tired and sat down beside him.

"What do you suppose they'll do to us?" Seleb asked nervously, hoping to break the tension he felt radiating from her still form as she stared at the lock on their cell door.

"Hush, I'm trying to think." She still had her signature prickly demeanor but he could tell how nervous she was, the fear plastered clearly across her face jut beneath the stoic facade.

"Tara what did he see on the underside of your arm?" he asked, looking to the tear in her dress through which her flesh was clearly visible. "What was that list in your hand?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Seleb watched as she self-consciously ran a hand along her bare skin.

"But I saw the guard," Seleb protested. "He ripped your dress. He found something on your arm and--"

Tara slapped him hard and Seleb shrank back from her, putting a hand to the stinging flesh of his cheek, recoiling more from surprise than pain.

"Oh God I'm sorry," she said, her eyes opening wide in horror at what she'd done. He continued to shy away when she reached for him, but quickly relented and allowed Tara to put a hand around his shoulder. It wasn't very comforting.