In The Hearts Of Men

Chapter 6

Matilda pulled her long, dark hair into a bun and secured it with a ribbon. She pulled her apron strings around her waist and tied them at the back, breathing heavily.

She was late, again. That morning had been chaos; the execution causing everyone to be scattered all around the castle and not knowing whom needed to be waited on. She needed to get down to the kitchens as quickly as possible. Her boss was somewhat formidable, and she didn't want to get in herbad books.

As she speed-walked down the long corridors, Matilda thought about the criminal who had been burnt. She knew it was wrong to be glad in others suffering... However she could not help but to revel in the death of a sorcerer. Anyone of the kind who had killed her family deserved the same fate, as far as she was concerned. To be honest, it reassured her to know that the sorcerer had actually committed crimes... It made it easier to be glad of his execution.

There was talk now about finding the alias of the dead wizard: apparently he had been working with another of his kind. This case seemed to be spiraling out and Matilda knew it would be a while before it wad finally all solved, but she quite liked the drama and (although she felt unwillingly guilty,) the hope of further magic-user executions.

Matilda wasn't looking where she was going, and as she rounded a corner she bumped straight into someone. She gasped, apologising, and as she looked up to see who it was, cold horror and boiling embarrassment flooded through her.