Page 38 of Sands of Atonement

“We’re not bringing this matter to Father, are we?” Casimir.

“No.” Ezra.

Footsteps faded.

No one was going to know I was here, only them.

I unraveled my strained fingers and looked around my new cage. After taking a long, deep breath, I took my time inspecting and softly knocking on every nook and cranny around the door until I found a shallow spot next to the threshold.

I scurried over to the large, empty, decorated pots near the window, lifted one made of marble over my head, and smashed it down onto the marbled flooring.

The heavy marble crashed and broke pieces of the flooring.

Perfect.

Taking a thin piece of marble, I walked back to the threshold.

I began drilling the smallest hole with the piece of hard marble, twisting it back and forth with my fingers.

After what felt like hours, and when it felt like my fingers were about to fall off, I was finally able to see through the empty, dark hallway.

But I saw the latch of metal, hanging on the hook, barring the door shut. I pushed the door open to test it.

The door hit the latch.

All I had to do was move that latch to the left, off the hook, and I’d be able to push the door forward.

With the thin, makeshift marble needle I created, I slid it all the way through and pushed left.

I heard the metal latch slide.

I pushed the door forward and⁠—

Freedom.

I stifled my menacing laughter.

Darting my eyes a foot to the left, I was going to drill another hole in the side to lock myself back in.

Because I was crazy like that. No way was I not going to take advantage of this situation.

My family had yet to be avenged for their deaths, and I wouldn’t fail them.

Chapter 10

Eshe

It’d been two days.

And two different meals that came with two different servants. One plate would barely have anything on it, maybe a piece of fruit and a half-eaten chicken thigh. The other would be a full plate of meat, cheese, and fruit.

The servant who would bring me the least amount of food was an aggressive man who would dismiss me with a grunt, and the other was a sweet, plump, older sort of woman who wouldn’t make a sound.

I wasn’t an idiot, but Casimir and Ezra were.

I knew that Ezra was trying to weaken my strength and endurance, but Casimir was still decent enough to feed their “guest.” Eventually, the male servant stopped coming on the second day. I would never know if it was because Ezra indeed wanted me to starve, or if he figured out his attempt to weaken me was useless because his brother had been feeding me plenty.

Neither Casimir nor Ezra had paid me a visit. I was sleeping in my enemies’ palace, and my sanity was slipping by the hour.