Chapter 112

Chapter 112 The Darkest Pit.

The ground of the church was almost worse than the snow outside. She felt the cold stone burn into her back the second she regained consciousness. Not even her clothes could help her fight off the nasty climate.

Doris knew one thing, she was right not to trust any of the food they had given her but still her stomach yearned for more. She wished she had cleared her plate when she had the chance even if it was drugged. She’d sooner die of starvation than whatever else they had in store for her. 1 Doris opened her eyes to see a delicately carved ceiling that showed a story of wolves running from a kingdom. She knew instantly that it told the story of the rogues with one simple glance. It would have been beautiful, if she didn’t feel like every inch of her was in agony. Whatever they had given her made her head ache and limbs feel like jelly.

She tried to reach for her wolf like she always did, but was only met with more silence. Half of her wondered if they had only given her more of the drug Joseph had mentioned. If so—when would she hear from her wolf again? When would her suffering end “…on their sightings. I don’t think they intend to wait until morning.” Doris quickly closed her eyes again when she heard approaching voices echo off the stone walls. A door near her had opened and quickly closed.

“Call them out now. I don’t want them anywhere near here when we unleash our men on them.” Mr. Hugh said.

“Enzo might be ready for us if we do that,“ said another familiar voice. Joseph?

“Even better. I love a good fight.” Mr. Hugh growled. Doris kept her eyes closed tightly but panic rose in her throat. They were planning on ambushing Enzo and William. Again. 1 “Keep at least ten guards here to make sure she doesn’t try to escape again. She’s good at pretending she’s innocent but now we know how false that facade was.”

“Will do, sir. We’ll find a place to put her incase they come for her here. I can imagine that the prince might try it.”

“It would be easier to keep her unconscious during all this, you might want to consider than if she wakes any time soon. She won’t be able to call for him if she’s out like this.”

“Noted.”

Doris listened as silence followed. She wasn’t sure if they were looking at her closely or communicating silently but she tried to stay as still as possible. Could they hear her heart trying to bang out of her chest?

Soon, one set of steps moved further away from her while another came closer. Doris felt her chest try to cave in and her breath start to get harder to control.

“I know you’re awake, Doris.” Joseph said quietly. Doris slowly opened her eyes to see him peering down at her. She swallowed the lump in her throat, he did not look even a little bit happy to see her. He looked at her as if she was some rat he’d found on the floor.

“Are they going to attack Enzo’s camp?” Doris asked suddenly. She moved to sit up but it was like a spike of pain erupted at each small movement. “This was all a big show, wasn’t it? There was never going to be a trade-I knew it.”.

“Enzo hasn’t had his people in mind for quite a while. He’s become a lazy leader and now we have to push him to be something great.” Joseph recited as if it was on the back of his hand. Doris narrowed her eyes at him. He ignored her gaze. “It’s time for him to step up or be pushed out.”

“Do you truly believe that? You’re willing to attack the camp where Sir Antony rests?” “There would never be any harm to our founder. He is off limits to all—his power is too great to mess with.” Joseph glanced behind his shoulder as if to make sure no one was there to overhear them. She looked around the empty room that only had rows and rows of benches with a podium at the front but no one else.

“If that’s true, why can’t we just have him decide what to do instead of start a war between your people?

He’s wise enough to know what’s best for the rogues. He started you guys.”

“Mr. Hugh believes that Enzo has betrayed us and is working with the palace. This can prove he’s not if he stands with his people instead of the prince! Sir Antony doesn’t need to get involved. He’s old—”.

“He won’t stand with people who are attacking him ahead of an agreement! Do you hear how crazy that sounds? He expects your word to be met. Not betrayal.” Doris wanted to shake Joseph if it would make him realize how ridiculous this all was. She stood from the ground and wrapped her arms around herself.

Her sweater felt like nothing against the cold, she might as well have been naked. His eyes flickered over her as if he noticed, but he didn’t say anything.

“You wouldn’t understand.” Joseph turned away from her. Doris swallowed her bile of guilt. No matter what she did, she couldn’t escape the feeling that she was always at fault when something went wrong.

“You think they won’t just try to come here and get me? They know where I’m at!”

“There are hundreds out there right now to prevent anyone from getting in here and even more on their way to his camp. It doesn’t matter that they know where you are.”

–

“I think you underestimate how determined Prince William will be.” Doris said through her teeth. Joseph narrowed his eyes a little. “Oh? For just some maid? I thought you said you’re nothing more.” “He doesn’t like when people take what he thinks belongs to him. I work for the palace, so I qualify—“

“Save it, Doris. Everyone already knows what you mean to him. It’s foolish for you to try and convince us otherwise. No one believed you for a second.”

Doris frowned and seated herself on one of the benches. “No, get up. I have to move you somewhere else. This is too open for you, I wouldn’t want you to run out into the snow again.” He grabbed Doris’s arm and forced her up. Doris glared at him as he glanced around the room. “This is just a church, I don’t think there’s anywhere for me to—“

“There.” He interrupted and dragged her to the center of the room with his eyes on the ground. Doris followed his sight and saw exactly what he was looking at.

“Under ground? Oh, no—I don’t do well with darkness—”

“You seemed fine after the cells.” He released her and forced up the wooden boards. She really must have bruised him if he was acting so cold. Or perhaps this was how he truly was and he was only being nice before because he wanted something from her. Men were always nice to pretty girls when they wanted something from them. 2 Joseph pulled up five boards before he peered down into the hole. Doris shook away a sick thought to shove him inside when she knew it was a losing game. There were most likely countless guards right outside the door waiting for her to pull something like that again. 1 “It looks fine. Get down there.”

“You don’t think someone would easily hear me down there? Honestly, Joseph. What’s the point of putting me in a hole?”

Joseph grabbed her arm and forced her against him. “This is to make sure you don’t try to escape. I don’t give a damn who can hear you down there, they’ll never find you if they can’t get in here.”

Joseph lifted her by her waist and dropped her right into the dark hole. She fell hard on her legs and swore she twisted both her ankles on impact. When she screamed, she heard him intake a sharp breath of air. Good, let him feel bad.

“I’ll bring by food in a little bit.”

“Wait!” Doris shouted, her own voiced echoed back to her. “You can’t leave me down here, please!”

Joseph seemed to hesitate. The hole was a lot deeper than she thought, there was nothing for her to grasp onto to get out. He so looked small at the top of the hole. For a moment, she thought she’d gotten through to him. But then he started to seal her in by placing the boards back where they were.

“Joseph!” Doris screamed. “I’m sorry! Please, I think I broke my ankle!”

He paused again for a second before he continued on. Doris screamed until the last board was in place and she was trapped in her own darkness.