The Captive

Chapter 19: A False and Unreasonable Sense of Security

Vasilisa's POV

Madge was banging down my door in the middle of the night. I could hear her voice calling for me.

I was awake, but if she were here, that had to mean something was wrong.

I raced out of my room and to the door flinging it open "What is it? What's wrong? Is it Scar?" I asked the questions so quickly the words got tangled up as they spilled out of my lips.

She quickly pushed in the door and shut it securely behind her "Your room, girl."

I lead her there, my stomach knotting in dread.

When we got there she shut my door securely too. "Madge, what's going on?" I asked, feeling desperate.

She looked around and ordered then "Close your window." I did.

"Will you tell me now?" I asked.

She scuttled over to where I had been reading the book of spells by candlelight. My mother dug it up for me.

"Are there passages reciting how to preform sacrificial rituals in here...with human life?" She asked swiftly.

I frowned "I don't...I don't think so. It's all basic things, lighting fires, bringing light showers for crops, all of that stuff. There's a few curses in there I think...but it's for measles and mumps, the only sacrifice it requires is burning incense."

She turned to me and eyed me "Are you sure, girl?"

I shook my head "I haven't read it all...but nothing looks that malicious in there."

She looked at the book herself and thumbed the pages "I believe you, girl, but Scar may not. The woman they found yesterday, she was sacrificed. I'm not sure for what exactly, but it was obviously pernicious. Do you understand what this means if he finds out you're a witch?"

I froze "I would never do that to a human being."

She turned somber "I know that, but he's on edge now. He and Kendra, though not close, have known each other for a very long time. I saw what he did to you when he found out you were a woman..." 

She didn't have to go on. I sat on my bed and took deep, calming breaths "I don't know what happened to Kendra. I was too shocked when I saw the body to do much other than gawk, not examine."

Madge sat in the chair I'd been occupying not moments ago "There were various cuts along the body, made to drain the blood. She was tied by her wrists and ankles and suspended. She was beaten quite severely and then she was drowned."

Madge sighed "The only thing that doesn't fit in are the signs of sexual activity."

I gasped "What? She was raped?"

Madge nodded "Either that or she liked it rough."

I bit my lip and stood, pacing "It's been, what...a week or so since we returned from Dentrow?"

Madge nodded "Give or take a day."

I asked "How long does it take for signs of regular intercourse to go away?"

Madge peered at me with her glittering, multi-colored eyes "What are you getting at?"

I gave a little groan "Uh, the day we visited the Vampyres, Talon asked me to wake up Scar. When I went to his room, Kendra was there. They'd obviously been...engaging in amorous activities."

Madge gazed at me, her jaw setting "My dear, are you alright?"

I whipped around to her "Why wouldn't I be?" I asked a little too quickly. I still felt a deep ache in my chest at the thought that Scar would sleep with that woman.