Chapter 2.10-Interlude:

I opened my eyes to see if my little puppy had fallen asleep.

Sleeping soundly, my sweet angel. Seems two drops was enough.

I lit up a candle by my bedside table and got up. I closed up my gown and donned a coat. I took the candle and proceeded down the staircase.

I exited our home from a hidden door to the side and proceeded towards the mountains.

After a short walk, I saw the familiar rock formation and a man waiting beside it with a huge crate.

Prompt as always.

“Ronald.” I greeted as I approached.

“My lady,” the man replied in a low bow. “As requested. Our guest has been delivered unharmed.” He said as he patted the crate. “Here are the standard potions.” He brought out a small chest.

I opened the chest and saw the two vials inside, one red, one white.

“Very good.” I replied. I touched one of the jagged rocks and channeled mana into it. A small door appeared on the mountain side.

I opened the door and the smell of old blood flooded out of the room.

“Bring it in.” I commanded.

Ronald carried the crate and the chest inside.

I lit up the candles as Ronald opened the crate and laid the naked woman on the table in the middle of the room. He then strapped her down.

“You may wait outside or return within an hour.” I said simply.

“Then I shall return in an hour, my lady.” Ronald said with a bow as he exited the room and closed the door behind him.

I turned over the hourglass affixed to the wall and hung my coat on the rack beside it.

I turned to the woman who was staring at me with tears and wide eyes.

“Oh, now now. Don’t cry, pet. We haven’t even started.” I chastised her as I pulled out my tray of knives.

I removed her gag.

“P-please my lady… don’t kill me.” The woman pleaded.

“Why ever would I kill you?” I looked at her confused. “No, I simply want information.”

“I-I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. Please! Spare me.” The woman begged.

“Oh, but how can I trust anything you say? You could lie just to escape.” I explained patiently. “You see, I find that people are most honest, when they’re most desperate.” I held out my serrated carving knife.

The woman’s eyes widened and started crying more. “Creator help me…”

“Feel free to invoke whatever deity you believe in, pet. In my experience though, I haven’t really known any of them to answer prayers in this room.” I said with a smile.

“Please, my lady, don’t do this.” The woman continued to snivel.

I sighed.

“I’m getting tired of the begging. I don’t need your pleas. I need answers.” I replied as I slowly cut into her leg with the serrated knife until the bone was exposed.

The woman screamed in pain as blood started pouring out from the wound.

I put down the serrated knife and took the red vial from the chest. I poured some of the contents on the wound and it healed up completely.

The woman continued to whimper.

“See? I won’t kill you.” I smiled at her.

Panic and fear flooded her eyes. “Please… no more. I’ll tell you anything, I swear.”

“Very good. I do enjoy it more when my guests are cooperative.” I replied as I put down the vial. “Do you remember, Adi?”

The woman paused her whimpering. “A-adi? I don’t believe so, my lady.”

I sighed. “See, what did I tell you? People are very dishonest.”

I grabbed a small shiv and started stabbing into the woman’s stomach. Small bits of her skin flew off with the force of each stab

The woman writhed in pain and screamed even louder. I put down the shiv and again poured out some of the red vial’s contents on the woman’s stomach.

The woman closed her eyes and continued sobbing.

“I know that you’ve been Head Matron for more than a decade which means you were there when he first arrived.” I explained. “You may feel a maternal urge to protect the boy, but I don’t recommend you hold on to that.”

“Believe me, I understand. I have puppies I love more than anything and I would do anything to protect them from potential harm.” I continued. “Which is why you will tell me about the boy.” I punctuated my statement by pressing the tip of the shiv back to her stomach, but taking care not to puncture skin.

She kept her eyes fixed on the shiv.

“I know nothing of interest, my lady, I swear! He was left on our doorstep some seven years ago. No note. We didn’t even see who left him. No one has asked for him or visited him all this time.” The woman sputtered.

I paused to consider that. “Has he displayed any sort of magical ability around you or the children?”

“He could make sparks with the knife that he found from one of the donation boxes but that was it. We didn’t even let him keep it since he might start a fire.” The woman said quickly.

Perhaps the situation is still contained.

I put down the shiv and the woman looked relieved. At least until I took another knife from my tray.

I started tracing the blade along her arms.

“What do you know about, Adi?” I asked.

The woman looked at me confused. “M-my lady? I just told you.”

“Oh. You see, pet. We have to do this a lot of times. People in a panic can’t keep their lies consistent. So if you still keep the same story, then I can believe it’s true.” I smiled at her.

The woman’s eyes got wider again and she started pulling on her binding. “HELP! HELP!”

I laughed out loud. “The room is enchanted, pet. We’re in the mountains. Who do you think will hear you?”

The woman quieted down and whimpered.

I stabbed the knife from her left shoulder and pulled it down her arm all the way to her hand.

The woman screamed in pain. She began sprouting the same story and explanation as before.

Seems to hold up then.

I took the red vial and poured it along the wound.

Fear and revulsion overtook her and she vomited to the side.

I put down the red vial and took the white vial from the chest.

I popped the cork and held the mouth of the vial to the woman’s lips. “Drink.” I commanded.

The woman shook her head and pursed her lips tightly.

“Well, if you don’t want to drink, I suppose we could keep playing together.” I smiled at her.

The woman's eyes widened and her mouth slowly opened. I emptied the contents of the white vial down her throat. The woman then passed out.

I returned both vials to the small chest. I glanced over to the hourglass.

Still some time left.

I opened the faucet in the corner of the room and grabbed some soap. I started cleaning up the woman and the blood on the table and the floor.

Afterwards, I washed my own hands and my face, and watched the water and blood flow into the drain on the floor.

I glanced at the empty hourglass.

Time’s up.

I touched one of the jagged rocks to the side and channeled mana into it. The door appeared again and Ronald immediately entered.

I wore my coat again and brought out a pouch filled with gold.

I handed him the pouch. “My compliments to Master Ed. His potions were excellent as always.”

Ronald gave me a small bow. “I would like to remind you, my lady, that the memory loss potion is only effective once. We must put her in the black list now.”

“That’s fine. Thank you as well for your services, Ronald. Please escort her back safely.” I added.

Ronald nodded and I left him to pack up.

I walked briskly back to the house and entered through the hidden door.

The maid was already waiting inside with my change of clothes.

“Did anyone wake?” I asked as I undressed my bloodied gown.

“No, my lady.” She answered.

“Good. Burn it as usual.” I ordered as I tossed her my soiled gown and my coat.

She nodded and I left her to work.

I ascended the stairs and entered my own room.

I slowly got back into the bed and put my arms around my puppy.

He then stirred from my touch. “Vela?”

“Yes, my darling?” I said as I stroked his hair.

“Wow. I must have blacked out. I don’t even remember going to bed.” Chase replied.

“You must have been tired from all the meetings you had yesterday.” I answered softly as I continued to stroke his hair. “How about I prepare your favorite soup for breakfast later?”

“That would be amazing,” he remarked as he hugged me tightly. “What would I do without you?”

I kissed his forehead. “You will never have to find out.”

-End of Chapter 2-