The Workmen

Chapter 31

Keira woke up in a cold sweat. The air smelt stale and her head was pounding. She stood, looking around her in terrified confusion. There were stone walls boxing her in and a small rectangular window with bars in front of her. She had no memory of how she got there or where she was.

The young woman ran to the window. Beyond it was a familiar scene, one she never wanted to see again. Keira backed away, unable to believe her eyes. How could she be back at the castle? She was just talking to her sister.

She tried to steady her chaotic thoughts before she had a panic attack. Somehow she managed to push back the building maelstrom of emotions to probe her confused mind.

"Okay," she told herself, "I was calming Stele down, and she apologized to me. Lewy walked in and told us that one of my roommates offered to give up her bed. He walked us to our room. We all said goodnight and then...what?"

She couldn't remember. That part of her mind was completely blank. As a matter of fact, she couldn't even recall falling asleep.

"That's it," she exclaimed, snapping her fingers. "I'm sleeping."

"Oh...how cute." The voice punched her in the gut. "But I am sorry to say you are most definitely not dreaming."

Larz's face took up most of the barred window. His puffy red eyes were as full of arrogance as was his tone. Keira's lips pressed into a hard line as she glared at her sister's husband.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Demanding things will not get you—or your sister, for that matter—anywhere."

"What have you done with Stele?" Keira rushed forward, grasping at the bars of the cell.

"No need to shout. She's right here," he said, motioning to someone unseen.

There was a maniacal chuckle immediately followed by an ear splitting howl.

"Stop! Don't hurt her."

"I have no intention of doing so, but I will if I must. Let's try not to make me do anything we'll all regret."

"What do you want from me? This is insane." Hatred began to burn Keira's veins. She despised this man.

"To put it simply—the Workmen on a platter," he said, brushing off her harsh judgment. Not even she could ruin his good mood. "Think of your being here as a means to an end."

Keira wanted to claw the smile clean off the King's face. She let go of the bars and crossed her arms.

"Well, sorry to break it to you, but I'm nothing special. You will have to find your bargaining chip somewhere else."

The King cocked his head to the side. "I never said that you were my bargaining chip." He let out an annoyingly loud laugh as if she had told him some hilarious joke. "No, no, this is my main attraction." He held the leather book up so she could see. "You're just the icing on top of the cake. Now that the weapon is back in my hands, and your little pals know that I have you, the Workmen will come crawling out of the wood works. No more rebellious outbreaks." He paused, basking in the torment he was causing. He started to laugh like a lunatic.

"Enjoy your stay," he jabbed, walking away from the isolation cell. "I'll make sure your sister is quite comfortable." A new throng of cackles burst out of him.

Keira listened helplessly as Stele was dragged away. The door to the jail slammed shut, and she was left all alone with the fading echoes of her sister's cries and the severity of her grief. She backed into the far wall and slid down its length. A sliver of hope rose within her when her butt touched the cell's hard floor.