Read Online Griffin's Daughter by Leslie Ann Moore - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leslie Ann Moore
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girl, and it’s good… The best news you’re ever likely to hear from me.”
Jelena dared to look up at her uncle’s face. The hard lines around his mouth had softened a little, as if he were going to take great pleasure in what he was about to say.
“ I sent a letter to Duke Sebastianus several months after his wife died, describing you to him and inviting him to come have a look at you at Sansa. Well, he did, as you know, and he has agreed to take you off my hands. Do you understand what I’m telling you, girl?”
Her uncle’s words fell on Jelena like freezing rain, rooting her to the stone floor.
“ I…I’m not sure,” she whispered, barely able to get the words past lips that refused to work properly.
“ Veii has made an offer for you, girl, that’s what. He’s willing to take you on as his legal concubine. It’s not marriage, of course, but then, you didn’t really expect that, did you? This is an excellent offer, the best you’ll ever get. Veii will be legally obligated to care for you for life, and provide for any children that you may bear him, even if he marries again. Furthermore, he has agreed to pay me a decent sum for you, much more than I’d thought I’d get. Everyone profits.” The duke leaned back in his chair, smiling broadly now.
Everyone profits?! How do I profit by being sold into slavery?
A white-hot anger rose up in Jelena, melting the ice encasing her stunned brain and unfreezing her limbs. A shout forced its way up from her belly and into her throat. “No!” she screamed. “I won’t let you do this to me!”
Duke Teodorus’s smile vanished. Slowly he stood up, a storm of rage settling upon his brow. His voice was deadly calm. “You ungrateful little bitch. How dare you speak to me that way? Don’t you realize that you have no say in this? As your legal guardian, I have the right to decide for you in these matters. The bargain’s been struck, and the contract has been signed and witnessed.”
“ Contract! Don’t you mean bill of sale?” Jelena shot back bitterly.
Like a charging bull, the duke rushed her before she could react. His closed fist connected with the side of her head like a hammer blow, knocking her to the floor, where she lay stunned. Blearily, she saw the toes of her uncle’s boots appear just beyond the tip of her nose.
Where is it? Where is the magic!
She felt herself being hauled to her feet by the back of her dress. Her uncle shook her hard, like a terrier shakes a rat.
“ Stand up, damn you,” he growled, holding Jelena under her armpits while she struggled to get her feet underneath her.
I need the magic! her mind screamed, but it refused to come.
“ Veii leaves for home in three days’ time. You’ll be going with him. Now get out.” Jelena stumbled as the duke gave her a shove toward the door. Dizzy and sick from the blow to her head, she barely made it out into the hallway before she doubled over and retched.
“ Gods! Jelena, what happened?”
Jelena felt Magnes’s arms loop around her waist to steady her. She turned and leaned into him, close to losing consciousness.
“ Gods!” Magnes exclaimed again. “Who did this to you, Cousin? Who hit you?” He gently probed the blotch of rapidly purpling flesh on her face. She winced and tried to pull away, but he held her firmly.
“ Come on. I’m taking you back to my chambers. You can tell me there,” he said. Jelena felt too sick and disoriented to protest. Instead, she allowed Magnes to sweep her up and carry her back to his apartments, a suite of rooms that took up half of the keep’s third floor.
Once there, he laid her down on a couch in the outer chamber. Jelena closed her eyes while he disappeared momentarily, opening them again when he returned with a damp cloth in his hand. He laid the wet, cool cloth on her injured face, and she sighed gratefully.
“ Tell me what happened, Jelena. Who hurt you?” Magnes asked quietly. She studied his face for a moment before
Jelena dared to look up at her uncle’s face. The hard lines around his mouth had softened a little, as if he were going to take great pleasure in what he was about to say.
“ I sent a letter to Duke Sebastianus several months after his wife died, describing you to him and inviting him to come have a look at you at Sansa. Well, he did, as you know, and he has agreed to take you off my hands. Do you understand what I’m telling you, girl?”
Her uncle’s words fell on Jelena like freezing rain, rooting her to the stone floor.
“ I…I’m not sure,” she whispered, barely able to get the words past lips that refused to work properly.
“ Veii has made an offer for you, girl, that’s what. He’s willing to take you on as his legal concubine. It’s not marriage, of course, but then, you didn’t really expect that, did you? This is an excellent offer, the best you’ll ever get. Veii will be legally obligated to care for you for life, and provide for any children that you may bear him, even if he marries again. Furthermore, he has agreed to pay me a decent sum for you, much more than I’d thought I’d get. Everyone profits.” The duke leaned back in his chair, smiling broadly now.
Everyone profits?! How do I profit by being sold into slavery?
A white-hot anger rose up in Jelena, melting the ice encasing her stunned brain and unfreezing her limbs. A shout forced its way up from her belly and into her throat. “No!” she screamed. “I won’t let you do this to me!”
Duke Teodorus’s smile vanished. Slowly he stood up, a storm of rage settling upon his brow. His voice was deadly calm. “You ungrateful little bitch. How dare you speak to me that way? Don’t you realize that you have no say in this? As your legal guardian, I have the right to decide for you in these matters. The bargain’s been struck, and the contract has been signed and witnessed.”
“ Contract! Don’t you mean bill of sale?” Jelena shot back bitterly.
Like a charging bull, the duke rushed her before she could react. His closed fist connected with the side of her head like a hammer blow, knocking her to the floor, where she lay stunned. Blearily, she saw the toes of her uncle’s boots appear just beyond the tip of her nose.
Where is it? Where is the magic!
She felt herself being hauled to her feet by the back of her dress. Her uncle shook her hard, like a terrier shakes a rat.
“ Stand up, damn you,” he growled, holding Jelena under her armpits while she struggled to get her feet underneath her.
I need the magic! her mind screamed, but it refused to come.
“ Veii leaves for home in three days’ time. You’ll be going with him. Now get out.” Jelena stumbled as the duke gave her a shove toward the door. Dizzy and sick from the blow to her head, she barely made it out into the hallway before she doubled over and retched.
“ Gods! Jelena, what happened?”
Jelena felt Magnes’s arms loop around her waist to steady her. She turned and leaned into him, close to losing consciousness.
“ Gods!” Magnes exclaimed again. “Who did this to you, Cousin? Who hit you?” He gently probed the blotch of rapidly purpling flesh on her face. She winced and tried to pull away, but he held her firmly.
“ Come on. I’m taking you back to my chambers. You can tell me there,” he said. Jelena felt too sick and disoriented to protest. Instead, she allowed Magnes to sweep her up and carry her back to his apartments, a suite of rooms that took up half of the keep’s third floor.
Once there, he laid her down on a couch in the outer chamber. Jelena closed her eyes while he disappeared momentarily, opening them again when he returned with a damp cloth in his hand. He laid the wet, cool cloth on her injured face, and she sighed gratefully.
“ Tell me what happened, Jelena. Who hurt you?” Magnes asked quietly. She studied his face for a moment before
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