him.
Not ready to emerge yet, because I didn’t know if Mark could be trusted, I stayed under the counter, watching him through the hole.
“Mark, how did you know just what to say?” Johna asked, pulling him into a hug. His sword clanged at his side as he lifted his arms to squeeze her back.
“I was walking by and heard you outside the door. Good thing he didn’t think to shut the door behind him or I couldn’t have backed up your lie. I overheard everything,” he said with a smile.
“You’ve saved us,” she said.
“From what? Obviously she isn’t the slave they’re looking for,” he said, gesturing to Ivy. “Eyes are the wrong color.”
Mark moved to the counter until all I could see of him were the tips of his boots.
“Or did you do something to change them?” he asked.
“I’m Ivy,” I saw Ivy’s arm disappear above the counter to shake his hand.
“Reychel, come on out, dear,” Johna said. “Mark is safe. Probably the only person in town I’d trust you to.”
I crawled out from under the counter and met Mark’s eyes. Seeing him up close, not through a knothole, caused my heart to flutter. I swallowed hard and held out my hand.
He didn’t take it. Instead he reached to my head with both hands. I didn’t flinch as he straightened my wig.
“No one’s going to believe you’re not a slave if you don’t keep your wig straight,” he said, grinning.
“Mark is the son of the potter down the road,” Johna explained. “He’s been irritating me since he was a little boy.”
“Yep, I made it my life’s mission to keep Madame Johna from her work. Lucky for me, she was kind enough to humor a curious little boy who ruined her herb garden.”
“You didn’t ruin it,” she laughed. “You just trampled it. There’s a difference.”
She paused for a moment. “Mark knows about us.”
“Then you’re like us?” Ivy asked. Her eyelashes fluttered and she cocked her head to the side. Ivy was known for her flirting with other male slaves and they couldn’t resist her. Not even Grey. For the longest time, I thought he was interested in her, not me. I still wasn’t sure because I didn’t get the chance to find out.
Mark laughed. “Oh no, my only talent lies in fighting. I’m a soldier at heart and by trade.”
“Are you looking for me too?” I asked quietly.
“Yes, but I don’t put too much effort into searching for missing slaves. It’s not like I turned him away so I could have you to myself,” he said, winking. I felt a blush crept over my neck. I was grateful for the long wig that covered most of my bare skin.
Mark sat down on the bench and propped his boots up on another chair.
“Your cottage hasn’t changed a bit since I left,” he said. “Did you know I just got back today?”
“And thank Eloh you did,” Johna said. “Though I would have thought you’d learned some manners in the military. Get your boots off of my chair.” She swatted him with a towel.
“Sorry,” he said, grinning. “Old habits are hard to break.”
“Have you been home to see your parents?” Johna asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “I was coming from the west and happened upon your little drama first. I suppose I’ll make it home in a bit.”
“Can I get you anything?” Ivy asked him. “Some breakfast maybe? Or a drink?”
“A tumbler of mead would be great,” he answered, tossing Ivy a huge smile.
“Now tell me what’s so interesting about you that Kandek wants you back so badly?” Mark turned to me as Ivy poured his drink. “I know it’s not your wig straightening abilities.”
“I honestly don’t know. I didn’t do anything important around the castle.”
“Except for your private conversations with the master,” Ivy shot out. “What were those all about? Does that have something to do with why he wants you back?”
Mark’s eyebrows rose as he looked back to me. The blush turned to embarrassment. Ivy was the one person who had always supported me and never
Not ready to emerge yet, because I didn’t know if Mark could be trusted, I stayed under the counter, watching him through the hole.
“Mark, how did you know just what to say?” Johna asked, pulling him into a hug. His sword clanged at his side as he lifted his arms to squeeze her back.
“I was walking by and heard you outside the door. Good thing he didn’t think to shut the door behind him or I couldn’t have backed up your lie. I overheard everything,” he said with a smile.
“You’ve saved us,” she said.
“From what? Obviously she isn’t the slave they’re looking for,” he said, gesturing to Ivy. “Eyes are the wrong color.”
Mark moved to the counter until all I could see of him were the tips of his boots.
“Or did you do something to change them?” he asked.
“I’m Ivy,” I saw Ivy’s arm disappear above the counter to shake his hand.
“Reychel, come on out, dear,” Johna said. “Mark is safe. Probably the only person in town I’d trust you to.”
I crawled out from under the counter and met Mark’s eyes. Seeing him up close, not through a knothole, caused my heart to flutter. I swallowed hard and held out my hand.
He didn’t take it. Instead he reached to my head with both hands. I didn’t flinch as he straightened my wig.
“No one’s going to believe you’re not a slave if you don’t keep your wig straight,” he said, grinning.
“Mark is the son of the potter down the road,” Johna explained. “He’s been irritating me since he was a little boy.”
“Yep, I made it my life’s mission to keep Madame Johna from her work. Lucky for me, she was kind enough to humor a curious little boy who ruined her herb garden.”
“You didn’t ruin it,” she laughed. “You just trampled it. There’s a difference.”
She paused for a moment. “Mark knows about us.”
“Then you’re like us?” Ivy asked. Her eyelashes fluttered and she cocked her head to the side. Ivy was known for her flirting with other male slaves and they couldn’t resist her. Not even Grey. For the longest time, I thought he was interested in her, not me. I still wasn’t sure because I didn’t get the chance to find out.
Mark laughed. “Oh no, my only talent lies in fighting. I’m a soldier at heart and by trade.”
“Are you looking for me too?” I asked quietly.
“Yes, but I don’t put too much effort into searching for missing slaves. It’s not like I turned him away so I could have you to myself,” he said, winking. I felt a blush crept over my neck. I was grateful for the long wig that covered most of my bare skin.
Mark sat down on the bench and propped his boots up on another chair.
“Your cottage hasn’t changed a bit since I left,” he said. “Did you know I just got back today?”
“And thank Eloh you did,” Johna said. “Though I would have thought you’d learned some manners in the military. Get your boots off of my chair.” She swatted him with a towel.
“Sorry,” he said, grinning. “Old habits are hard to break.”
“Have you been home to see your parents?” Johna asked.
“Not yet,” he said. “I was coming from the west and happened upon your little drama first. I suppose I’ll make it home in a bit.”
“Can I get you anything?” Ivy asked him. “Some breakfast maybe? Or a drink?”
“A tumbler of mead would be great,” he answered, tossing Ivy a huge smile.
“Now tell me what’s so interesting about you that Kandek wants you back so badly?” Mark turned to me as Ivy poured his drink. “I know it’s not your wig straightening abilities.”
“I honestly don’t know. I didn’t do anything important around the castle.”
“Except for your private conversations with the master,” Ivy shot out. “What were those all about? Does that have something to do with why he wants you back?”
Mark’s eyebrows rose as he looked back to me. The blush turned to embarrassment. Ivy was the one person who had always supported me and never
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