Chapter Thirty-Nine
Pemma soaked in a large hot tub of water by the fireplace in Lord Benic’s castle. A storm rumbled in the distance and the wind howled around the building. The old stone walls gave her comfort though. She’d grown up in a place like this, filled with old things and solid furniture. Lord Weis’s manor had been too new and frilly. She always feared she’d break something priceless.
Ewald sat in a well-cushioned chair next to her. He puffed on a pipe and watched her bathe. “I think this is the first time since we’ve arrived to the New World that I’ve seen a real smile on your face.”
Pausing with a sponge in her hand, she thought about it. “I think it’s the first time I’ve felt safe.”
“That’s a bit insulting, Pemma.” He smiled as he spoke, though.
“It’s not meant to be. You can provide only so much protection, especially with slavers on every corner in New Berg and the stories of the West scaring me every day.” She dropped the sponge in the water and leaned back. “We’re going to die if we go.”
There, she’d said it. She wanted to believe in Ewald and his dream, but she’d lost faith in her master.
“I know.” He knelt next to her and retrieved the sponge from the water, running it over her skin. “We’re not going until we have a solid plan.”
“Like an army?”
He chuckled. “I think an army would make it worse. The shifters in the West seem to fear invasion. I don’t blame them. I think we should go west with just our small group and a very good guide. Maybe a couple of guides.” He picked up a towel that had been warming by the fire and held it out for her.
She climbed out of the tub and hurried to his open arms. “I’m sorry about Timothy. I didn’t do it to hurt you.”
He rubbed the towel over her skin and bent to do the same to her legs. “Are you tired of being my companion?”
“No.” She touched his dark hair with her fingertips. It was a lie, but now wasn’t the time to be honest. She first needed to speak with her alphas about a replacement and she’d have to train her as she had been trained. “Are you tired of me?”
“No.” She smelled the lie and it didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would. Ewald and she were never meant to fall in love. His kind lived too long to love her kind and she was too smart to allow her heart to be broken so easily. “I’d never met a hunter female as dominating as Kele. She was a curiosity.” He kissed her bare stomach.
“That’s because she was alpha.” She gave him an indulgent smile. “Like Gram.” Her alpha female and grandmother.
He chuckled. “Now that you mention it. I can see it. Your gram scares me.”
“She scares everyone.” Pemma slipped on a dress Benic’s pack had provided. His shifters seemed all well cared for. No one bore a brand on their hands and they all had kind words for their lord. If anything, they feared the wild shifters in the forest and for Benic’s safety since he’d ridden out after them.
Ewald retrieved his pipe and returned to his chair. “We’ll be fine, Pemma. I promise.”
She sat on his lap and rested her wet head on his shoulder. He didn’t complain. She couldn’t respond. She’d lied enough to him for one night. Maybe she should have some of the hunters give her and the other omegas lessons in fighting. It seemed like it would be a useful skill in the West.
The sound of hooves striking cobblestone in the courtyard drew their attention.
Ewald rose to his feet with her still his arms. He set her down before he strode to the window with her following close behind.
Outside, Lord Benic and his soldiers led some chained males. The stable boys were taking their horses. Large scattered raindrops fell from the sky, striking the people below. Benic stood before his prisoners, hands on hips, as if deciding what to do next.
Ewald hurried from the room.
She lifted the hem of her dress and raced after him. He ran down the hall like a wayward pup and took the stairs two at a time. Her hem got caught under her slippered feet. If not for the banister, she would have gone head over heels. She’d lost sight of Ewald but it didn’t take much to guess where she’d find him.
With a little more grace than a few moments ago, she walked out into the courtyard. The doorway had a small roof and she remained there out of the rain while Ewald and Benic strode toward her.
“What do mean you’re going to execute all of them?” Ewald demanded as the men pushed past her back inside the castle.
She stared at the slavers on their knees with heads hanging in exhaustion. She didn’t see Huan among them. She waved at one of Benic’s soldiers.
He paused with a questioning look on his face.
“Where’s the leader?”
He glanced at the slavers. “The shifters killed him before we got there. Lucky bastard.”
“Lucky?”
“After Lord Benic is finished with these ones, they’ll wish the shifters had killed them.” Chuckling, the soldier who had stopped to answer her question left her wide-eyed.
Ewald’s voice was growing louder. She returned inside to the common room, where Benic sat at a table with a tankard of ale, watching Ewald pace back and forth. “They should be brought back to New Berg for trial. You haven’t the legal right to execute vampires, Benic.”
He sipped his drink, his gaze tracking to her, and he pulled out a chair next to him. “Pemma, I hope my people have showed you my hospitality.”
“They’ve been very kind to us. Thank you.” She sat next to him and gave Ewald a what are you doing look. Benic had been kind enough to house and feed them, including their hunters. Who knew where her packmates were now or what they were up to?
Benic returned his attention to Ewald. “Who do you think will try them? Those slavers will be released within days and heading west to enslave more shifters or worse, they’ll be back poaching on my fucking land.” He glanced at her. “Excuse my language.”
She laughed. “I’m not so easily embarrassed. Please, continue.” She agreed with Lord Benic. Slavery was wrong no matter what religion a person followed. She didn’t want to imagine what debauchery and anguish these so-called people had committed, but she was sure that whatever punishment Benic came up with wouldn’t be enough.
He gave her a tired smile. “Ewald, you’re very young.” It was odd hearing this. Her master was three times her age. “Things don’t work here like they do in the old country. Weis still believes that wild shifters should all be wiped from this world to settle the land in peace.” He paused for a drink, but from the way he stared at Ewald over the rim, she knew he did it to allow this information to sink in. “Is this what you plan to do when you go west? Kill any shifter you encounter or enslave them to be sent east?”
“No.” She knew Ewald’s answer before he even said it. He was many things, but cruel wasn’t one of them. Their pack had practically raised him. “I just…” He sat down hard on a chair and poured himself a tankard of ale then drained it empty. “Will it be so hard to carve a small haven?”
Benic shrugged. “I don’t think anyone has tried. Do you still wish me to send these slavers back to New Berg?”
Ewald stared into his empty tankard, then shook his head.
“Good.” Benic slapped the tabletop with both his hands. “Pemma, I think it best you retreat to the south tower. I’ll have my people move you to rooms there.”
She rose to her feet. “Why?”
“For what I plan to do, I’ll need the space of the courtyard and I expect there to be much screaming throughout the night. I think the south tower is far enough away to insulate you from the noise.”
Her stomach rolled. She pressed her hand to her throat. “Very well.” Her voice sounded faint even to her own ears. “Ewald?”
He seemed to age before her eyes. “Go ahead without me. If I can condemn these vampires to this fate, I should participate in meting out their punishment.”
Benic took her hand and led her to an elderly maid by the stairs. “Rest while you can,” he whispered by her ear. “Ewald will need comforting afterwards, I’m sure.”