Bound by Blood ch.2

Chapter Two

TWO 

Evie’s flats barely held on as she hopped up the eight steps of the walled-in garden and into the white marble hall. 

Companions dressed in silver and lavender silk gowns and suits stepped out of her way like she was diseased, Evie ignoring the pang of irritation at their reactions.  Of their looks promising retribution when she was back in the designated areas for humans.  

She hopped up the grand staircase draped in a rug runner the color of spilled blood and headed to the third floor, her breaths coming out in sharp huffs. By the time she reached the landing she had to brace her hands on her knees to get her breathing under control. 

I’m almost there. All she had to do was get down the long hall. Where Hatchet’s room was. He’d yell at her for being out of breath and looking anything but the composed figure of a companion, but she’d take that over him being angry at her lateness. 

Hatchet’s promise of correction hung over her like a ghost and she wasn’t sure what caused her stomach to hurt more: her impending doom or Hatchet’s wrath.  

Sweat slipped down her back as she straightened, shaking off her trepidation. I’m almost there. I just have to run the rest of the way... A brush of cool air touched her face and she was grateful for it, not sensing the danger until she glanced up, finding the reason. 

And her blood froze in her veins.  

The familiar silver-gold hair and cold laughter locked up Evie’s legs and arms. She stared into the ethereal face of Lord Jain, his beauty not marred even by the cruelty in his golden eyes. 

Evie was too terrified to move that she forgot her manners. 

Forgot to not look him in the eye. 

Lord Jain’s bowed lips quirked into an amused smile as he clasped his hands behind his back, the pressed navy blue suit highlighting his lean physique. “My, my...what’s this? You’re late again, girl?”

His musical voice crashed over Evie like a bucket of ice, and she finally lowered her head, trembling as she waited for the repercussion of looking at him. Her heart slammed in her chest when he added with a sigh, “the young prince is going to be very displeased with you, indeed.” 

Evie’s hands shook by her sides. Is he going to hit me again? 

The amusement in his voice didn’t give her any indication what his plan was. And the loud ringing in her head wasn’t there so she couldn’t decipher if this was what her body had been trying to warn her about. 

He chuckled, and out of the corner of her eyes she saw his hands unclasp, one lifting in front of him. Ready. 

Evie flinched in dreaded anticipation for the correction sure to be coming as the memory of the slap flashed in her mind.

She felt the sting of it. The roaring in her ears from the force. The breath knocked from her lungs while she fell sideways to the marble floor. 

Tensing, she waited for it now. Except the hit never came. Instead, Jain rested his long fingers on his smooth high cheekbone and clicked his tongue. “And it seems you’ve forgotten the proper etiquette when in the presence of your superior...” he tilted his head and Evie caught his bound silver-gold hair slipping over his bony shoulder. “I wonder what the young prince shall say about such poor manners.” 

The shock of not getting hit wore off as Evie remembered her etiquette training, quickly clasping her hands in front of her and lowering her head until the back of her neck was exposed, the proper way for Companions to be while in the presence of their superiors. 

A sign of submission. Of weakness. 

Hatchet never made her stand like this. He never let her look down either. Never treated her like she was lesser than him just because she’d been born as a human. 

It was humiliating. And the anger she felt pushed blood into her cheeks as Lord Jain hummed again.  “Much better.” 

He walked by her with lazy steps and she kept her gaze locked on his shiny black loafers, praying he wouldn’t change his mind about correcting her. Her hope withered away as he stopped next to her and asked in a patronizing tone, “Isn’t it so much better to know your place? All it took was a little training and you are finally behaving like the Companion of nobility should.” 

The memory of his training made Evie slam her eyes shut. Lord Jain heaved a sigh. “It’s such a shame your correction came too late. I hear young master’s in quite a mood this afternoon.” Evie inhaled quickly when Jain was suddenly next to her ear, chuckling. “It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the last time I ever have to speak to you.”

Her hands started to shake from the picture Lord Jain drew in her mind’s eye. She squeezed them tighter, the clench in her stomach making her nauseous. 

You’re wrong. Hatchet would never hurt me. Whatever was coming it couldn’t be from what Jain left unsaid. She was sure of it. 

Hatchet wasn’t like the others. He was different. Kind.  

She kept her desire to defend Hatchet locked on her tongue. Not willing to give him any reason to strike her again. The bruise on her cheek had finally healed after two weeks. She didn’t want another one to take its place. 

Jain eventually straightened, and she opened her eyes, seeing her reflection within the polished leather. And prayed he didn’t see the same thing as she did. 

The hate brimming underneath the fear.  

To her relief he decided to continue on his path, brushing past her and reaching the stairs with the fluid grace of a noble.  His voice interrupted the quiet that fell over the hall, and Evie realized he intended to hit her after all, his words knocking the air from her lungs. 

“Better hurry, girl. . . your master is waiting.”