Fourteen
Maddie and Katie sprinted and hid about one hundred yards away from the castle behind a large tree.
“I think we should break up. They’re getting better at this,” Katie said.
Maddie nodded her head, panting. “Aye. I think that’s smart. I’ll go this way and you go the other.”
They nodded and ran.
Maddie ran behind a tree some distance away. She tried to calm her breathing to avoid being discovered and caught. She ran a little farther still. Maddie waited there for what seemed like an eternity.
Where in the world were these children? Was her hiding place so great?
“What?” she asked, shocked.
Someone grabbed her from behind and placed a hand over her mouth. She struggled and then stopped. It felt so familiar she almost vomited. Her stomach churned violently. She knew his smell. He removed his hand from her mouth.
“Henry.”
“Yes, my love. You remember the feel of my strong arms around you, do you not?” His harsh breathing in her ear made her sick.
“Let me go!”
“Has he touched you, Madeleine? Has he felt your body, like I’ve wanted to do?”
She started to shake.
“Are you shaking because you want me?”
She stomped on his foot and screamed.
Henry turned her around to face him. He roughly held her by her jaw. “You are mine, Madeleine, after all these years. Finally.”
She looked at him. He hadn’t changed much. His hair was still gray and he carried a lot of weight in the middle. He was only a little taller than she was. One thing certainly hadn’t changed, she thought disgustedly. He was sweating like a boar, and smelled foul. It took everything in her not to vomit.
“Maddie?”
Maddie painfully looked to her right and saw Katie. Fear entered Katie’s eyes and Maddie’s stomach stirred at the horrible memories that seemed to be flooding back to Katie. She had to be thinking about her attack.
Binouix’s soldiers advanced on Katie.
“Run! Katie, RUN!” Binouix tried to cover her mouth but Maddie bit it. “Leave!”
Binouix took a hold of her throat with his entire hand and slammed her head twice against the tree. She refused to let him know how much he hurt her. Maddie hit Binouix in his most sensitive area and ran from him. Her head throbbed. The pain was fierce! Her pounding heart was all she heard until she heard his laughter.
“I wouldn’t keep running, Madeleine!”
She stopped and slowly turned around, panting. He had Katie. His hand was over her mouth.
“She’s pretty, Madeleine, but not nearly as pretty as you,” he said, leaning his head towards Katie and made a show of inhaling her. “She’s not nearly as good smelling as you, either.” Katie’s eyes were wide with fear and Maddie’s eyes flooded with tears. Then he licked her cheek and Katie groaned into the palm Binouix had over her mouth.
“Let her go, Henry! I’ll go in her place!” Maddie screamed.
Katie shook her head, her breathing still labored.
“Take me, Henry!” Maddie screamed again.
He smiled.
“I have never heard a better offer.” He pushed Katie away from him as soon as Maddie came close enough to grab.
“Maddie, no!”
“Get away, Katie!” Maddie said through clenched teeth as Henry placed his arms around her.
“Take her, too, milord! I would like a treat tonight,” one soldier said.
“Get her, then!” Binouix exclaimed loudly. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained!”
Three soldiers ran after Katie.
Maddie turned and screamed, “Katie! Run! Get away from them. Stay away!”
Katie turned and ran towards the castle. It was far away since Maddie had wandered far off the main path. The closer she ran, the more distant the castle seemed. Her lungs were trying to expand with more air. Her legs burned.
She had to find Connor.
Katie heard a distant cry. Tears welled up in her own eyes.
Maddie! Maddie had sacrificed herself for her. She had to find Connor. As she ran, she stepped in a hole and fell, spraining her ankle.
“Damn it!” Katie said.
Were they still after her? She looked around. Katie grimaced as the pain pounded up and down her leg.
She couldn’t let Maddie down!
Katie tried to get up but fell back down when the pain was unbearable. Frustrated tears washed down her face.
No! She wouldn’t fail Maddie.
Katie used her arms and her one good leg to drag herself back. She had to do this. She was Maddie’s only hope.