Chapter 48

Chapter 48 We‘re just getting started Ice cold water woke Doris from her darkest dreams. Her head felt heavy as she finally opened her eyes to see an unfamiliar room. She tried to move her hands to wipe the water from her face but realized they were tied behind her. It looked as if she was in some old forgotten shack with only one dim light for the entire room. “There she is… I was beginning to think I might have hit you too hard.” A man with blond hair stepped out of the shadows. Doris tried to pull her hands free from the ropes that only burned her skin the harder she pulled. “Please… let me go-” The wooden chair creaked beneath her as she struggled. “What a waste that would be.” He leaned down to be eye level with her. She cringed away from his horrible breath and rotten teeth. “We wanted a prince, but we at least got you.” The fight rushed back to her all at once. Was William still alive? Was he able to get away before someone captured him-or worse? She shifted in her seat. “Where is he?” The man smiled. His teeth were sharper than they were a second before. “Your prince has fled into the night without you.” He took out a dagger from his belt and trailed it down her skin slowly. “Are you his lady?” “N-no. I’m just a maid at the palace” Doris closed her eyes for a moment as the cool blade ran over her jaw We’re just getting started Just a maid? Hmm… I’m not sure if I believe that. What kind of prince goes feral for his maid?” He applied a bit of pressure against her neck, Doris winced. “I swear I’m only a maid to him. He-he protected me out there because I didn’t have a blade, nothing else.” Doris flinched when he pushed a little deeper until he finally pulled back “Well, I suppose that makes since.” He started to circle her, her gaze snapped towards the door when another man bursted in. He was a bit shorter than his friend and had the same greasy blond hair. He dropped a sack on the ground. “What makes sense, Jules?” He asked. He looked Doris up and down and gave her a smile that made her bones chill. “I thought she was his lady, but a prince would never leave his lady behind. She’s nothing but a useless maid, Darrell.” “Oh, no shit eh?” His friend laughed. “I guess he won’t come back for her after all, he’s probably miles away by now.” Jules took a chair and dragged it next to Doris’s before he plopped down.

“I’m sure she must have some sort of information to tell us about the prince that might be useful.” “Yeah, she must know something.” Darrell leaned against the wall and pulled out a small knife to clean his disgusting nails. “What’s the prince doing out here in the north?” “I–I don’t know,” “Wrong!” Jules stood up so fast, his chair banged against the floor. He grabbed Doris by the chin and forced her to look at him.

“I don’t like liars. Is the prince planning on attacking the rogues in the north?” “No! He isn’t planning that.”

His grip tightened on We’re just getting started her chin, she tried to pull back but he only pressed harder. Mis that loyalty I hear? I wouldn’t bother trying to protect him, your man ran without a hesitation for what happens to you.

You’re nothing more than a maid, as you said.” Jules said. Doris swallowed. She didn’t doubt that was true, there was no way Prince William would risk himself to save her. He was probably already miles from here without a second thought to what happened to her. He wouldn’t risk himself over a maid.

Especially not one like her. It still hurt to hear. “Let’s try again. Why don’t you tell us why the prince brought you out of all the other maids he could have chosen?” “Yes, why did he bring you? Does the prince expect you to serve him in every way you can?” His friend smirked and kneeled down next to her chair. Doris tried to keep her voice as even as she could, though her fear was almost overwhelming. “I was the closest to him when he was leaving. He’s a prince, he travels with many servants.” “Ah, that just isn’t true. Is it? All of the men out there were trained guards, you are the only servant.” Darrell laid his hand on her knee, she wished she could kick him in the face for even touching her.” You must have heard something about why he’s here.” Her dress was suffocating her, sweat dripped slowly down her back. Every breath she took made her feel as if she was about to pass out. She couldn’t tell them why Prince William was here, they would know exactly where to find him if she did. It could lead to his death if they ambushed him. They were right, she was nothing but a maid–but he was a prince. He was important to the kingdom. She We’re just getting started wouldn’t betray him-no matter what they did. “I don’t know anything. As you said, I’m only a maid. The royals have never shared private information with their servants.” Doris said with a shaky voice The men glanced at each other. “How long have you worked there? “And what’s your name?” Jules added. Doris swallowed. “I’ve worked there for 5 years.” The men waited for her to continue, when she didn’t-Jules smacked her across the face. “I asked you what your name is!” “D-

Doris!” She said quickly as the pain burned her skin. “Well, Doris.” Darrell started walking around her chair. “You must have some sort of information to give us. Working 5 years at the palace doesn’t come away with nothing.” “1—I worked in the library, none of the royals ever ventured there.” Silence followed her words. They were both behind her, she couldn’t see if they were silently communicating or what but her heart sped up and tried to bang out of her chest. Would they kill her once they realized she was completely useless to them? Doris tried to name all of the people that might care if she died… Beth was the only one that came to mind. Would Prince William let her go free even though she didn’t return?

Doris licked her dry lips and tasted her own salty tears. Jules finally came to stand beside her. He put his boot on the side of her chair and knocked it over so she fell hard against the ground. “We know you’re lying. We didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave us no other choice.” “Yeah, there ain’t no way we walked out of that Chantera were lunt getting started fight empty handed. We will get something out of you… one way or another.” Doris shuddered to think what that might possibly mean. How far would they go to get something from her? Until she was on the edge of death? She imagined herself already bloodied and bruised, much worse than she had been when Prince Jack tried to get her to blame the poisoning on Prince William. It should have been so obvious then, of who was truly behind the poisoning. Perhaps if she had noticed sooner, she wouldn’t be here about to die now. Darrell picked up a pair of clippers.

“Should we take her fingers off first? One by one?” “No, no. Let’s save that for later. The night is still young, we might be able to get something without completely destroying her beauty.” Jules smirked. “I quite like her face, it’s got a sense of innocence in it.” He bent down to caress her cheek. Doris tumed her face away from his hand. He hit her for that, harder than before. “Don’t be like that with us, Doris. We promise to let you go if you tell us something worth our time.” A lie, she knew it. She would not see the fresh light of day again no matter what she told them. She could relay every secret she ever heard and they still wouldn’t let her walk free. Even if they did, there was no where for her to go for miles. She would freeze to death before she found somewhere safe. “I don’t have any information to tell you. You’re wasting your time on me.” Doris said weakly. Darrell paced the room as if in thought before he moved to kick her as hard as he could in her stomach. Jules pulled her back up We’re just getting started I’ll get you screaming, baby.” He licked her face before he brought his mouth to her neck and bit her as hard as he could. Doris screamed from the pain, she felt his sharp teeth draw blood and she tried to tip her chair again to get his mouth off her. He finally pulled away and grinned at her. His mouth was stained with her blood. “Don’t like that? We’re just getting started here.”

Her Unwanted Mate On The Thi