Page 88 of Born for Silk
So, for the hundredth time today, my gaze veers across the grassed yard to the marble stone building where Paisley converses with the other Watchers. She has not offered me so much as a greeting since I woke.
Blossom leans close to me. “She is afraid of Sire.”
“He wouldn’t hurt her,” I say, still looking across the lush courtyard to where she stands.
“My Watcher told me that he reprimanded her this past day,” she explains. “And now your Watcher believes she will end up like your Wardeness did. Hung.”
I snap my eyes to Blossom, feeling them wide and giving my shock away. “Pardon? How do you?—”
“She was executed,” she whispers again. “For being careless with you and Iris.”
My heart plunges to my stomach.
At the sound of her name, Iris’s ears pluck up, her body inching into the circle to better hear us. “What did you say?”
“It is the law.” Daisy sits taller, always ready to remind us of our vows. Her gaze dances between us as we mutter quietly; secrecy never looks polite. “We know nothing of the guidelines of a Wardeness. I’m sure what had to be done was done for the necessary reasons.”
“She was not a bad woman,” I mutter, swallowing down a lump that forms over more words.
“Good alone is not virtuous. Purposeful is,” Daisy offers, a half-smile set on her lips. She bends across and taps my thighs. “Smile. We will all have round bellies soon, just like Ana.”
Blossom giggles. “And huge appetites.”
“And everyone will adore us,” Iris adds, then clears her throat, the five words overly revealing.
“And we will visit the spa every day. Have mineral baths together. The Trade believes in water therapy.” Blossom retires her book, closing it completely and setting it down on the lawn. “You will join us this time? Won’t you? We go after the Watchers have finished their meeting.” She looks at me, eyes smiling. “You have a small bruise on your collarbone.”
I place my hand over the delicate area.
“I have a few, too,” she adds.
My fingers pan out to hold the marks he left on my skin, and I stare across the distance, losing focus to the memory of his warmth and words. So many hot words, I cannot pick a favourite.
I feel a smile, sense the other girls’ eyes on me, and then the misguided word ‘love’ tickles my brain. Ana—Ana is in love. I look at her empty spot of the grass, the broken loop in our seated Silk Girl circle.
Concern nests in my chest.
With a sigh, I push to stand and walk toward Paisley and the other girls born for parchment. I don’t need to hear the gasps behind me to know Daisy and Blossom are holding their breath as I stop in front of the five Watchers.
“May I speak with you?” I ask Ana’s Watcher, and Paisley stares at me wide-eyed, a flicker of annoyance revealing itself.
“That is not the way,” Paisley states through grit teeth.
“It’s fine,” Ana’s Watcher offers, touching Paisley’s arm. “You can ask in front of all of us. We have no secrets, Aster.”
“Can I see Ana?” Clutching my hips, I attempt to look older and more serious than my height and stature could ever really pull off. “She might need a friend. I could read to her.”
“She has requested no visitors.”
“Well”—I shuffle— “will you please tell her that I would like to. That I’ll just sit with her.”
The sound of metal groaning draws my eyes to the far side of the courtyard, to a great gate as it opens. My heart leaps into my head and bounces from left to right when he appears. A monster of a man, seven feet at least, carrying a stack of dead animals over his shoulders like a collar.
He stares at me.
The courtyard shrinks.
For a moment, it is only us.