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Chapter 3: Jamar

The shovel jarred against another rock and Jamar Pelacroix decided he hated digging.

“This is too hard,” Jamar said. He stared up at the unmoved faces of Edworth Dumas and Ted and Henry Grande.

Edworth took another bite from the cookie in his hands and nodded. “That’s why you’re doing the work.”

Jamar’s eyes narrowed. “Why not have one of the Ajaks do it?”

“Because it’s more fun to say we did it,” Henry said with a laugh.

“And it’s hilarious to watch you in the mud,” Ted said.

Jamar tossed the shovel to the bottom of the four foot deep hole and climbed out. “It’s someone else’s turn. I’m not your personal servant.”

Edworth stood up, his cookie gone. “You’ll dig until we say you’re done.”

“No, I won’t.”

“You will cause you’re staying in my father’s house and cause we are descended from royalty.” Edworth jerked his chin at the shovel.

“My family’s royal.”

“Ha, eighteen generations from it. That’s barely mentionable,” Ted said.

“Well, at least I don’t have Ajak blood in my line,” Jamar said.

With a shriek Ted jumped at Jamar and Jamar only had time to pop him once on the cheek before Henry tackled his legs. Jamar wasn’t even on the ground when Ted’s first kick landed. Once he was in the dirt, both boys whaled on him as he curled in a ball, covered his face and struck at their legs with his feet.

“Make him eat dirt,” Edworth said from where he was sitting.

Henry tried to grab Jamar’s legs, but Jamar kicked him in the mouth and blood started to pour from his teeth and bottom lip.

“You car!” Henry sputtered and Ted kicked him once more, but without Henry to hold him, Jamar rolled away and stood up.

“What are you going to do? Run to your mommy?” Jamar asked. He sniffed and straightened his shirt. Henry wiped his mouth on his shirt and glared at Jamar.

“Uh oh, look.” Ted pointed back at the house. One of the servants was walking toward them, his eyes wide as he saw the pile of dirt in the otherwise immaculate garden.

“Master Edworth, what have you done? Your father is having guests in the garden this afternoon,” the servant said when he was closer.

Edworth shrugged. “It’s not my fault. Jamar’s the one who wanted to dig for treasure.” When the servant placed his attention on Jamar, Edworth sneered at him.

He was such a liar. Jamar didn’t say anything, but he let his fist tighten and imagined slamming it into Edworth’s plush belly. If he got in trouble for the hole, he was going to make sure Edworth suffered in some way. Jamar was a person and they had no right to treat him like this.

“Master Jamar,” the servant’s tone completely disappointing. Then with a sigh he added, “Your father wishes to see you.”

“Already?” Jamar asked.

Ted snickered.

“Come on,” Edworth said to the other two boys. “Let’s go riding. I’m sure Jamar will be too busy refilling his hole.”

Jamar watched them walk away. This was the third time they had managed to go riding without him. As he followed the servant back inside he hoped his father would listen. They needed to go home. Not that home was much better, but at least there he wasn’t belittled at every turn. And the servants would listen to him, most of them anyway. Jamar already knew what he would do to the others when he inherited the estate. He had decided that loyalty was the only quality he would consider in keeping servants on. There was nothing worse than a household full of gossips and tattletales.