The Prince’s Boy: 64

(Continuing the weekly serial by Cecilia Tan! Need to start at the beginning? Click here.)

64: Jorin

I could feel my own heart thundering in my chest, hear the rush in my ears, as Sergetten stepped away. I thought for a moment that he went to open the door to the guards who would surely just run me through this time, rather than give me a chance to escape. I tugged on the bonds around my wrists, dangling me from the end of Sergetten’s bedpost, but it was some strong stuff he’d bound me with, neither rope nor leather. I was on tiptoe and could not get much purchase.

The next voice I heard was the Lord High Mage’s. “I know not what plot might have brought you under the thrall of this traitor, Sergetten,” he said. “But if you surrender him now, you shall have every opportunity to explain yourself.”

The next sound was a sharp bang, and the voices were muffled. He had slammed the window shut, though I knew not if he had used magic or merely his hand. His boot scuffed the stone floor near me.

“Sergetten–” I began.

“Silence, you fool!” He punctuated his command with a lash across my shoulders, sharp as the slash of a knife and all the more painful for being unexpected.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mirrored from Circlet Press: Welcome to Circlet 2.0.

The Prince’s Boy: 64

(Continuing the weekly serial by Cecilia Tan! Need to start at the beginning? Click here.)

64: Jorin

I could feel my own heart thundering in my chest, hear the rush in my ears, as Sergetten stepped away. I thought for a moment that he went to open the door to the guards who would surely just run me through this time, rather than give me a chance to escape. I tugged on the bonds around my wrists, dangling me from the end of Sergetten’s bedpost, but it was some strong stuff he’d bound me with, neither rope nor leather. I was on tiptoe and could not get much purchase.

The next voice I heard was the Lord High Mage’s. “I know not what plot might have brought you under the thrall of this traitor, Sergetten,” he said. “But if you surrender him now, you shall have every opportunity to explain yourself.”

The next sound was a sharp bang, and the voices were muffled. He had slammed the window shut, though I knew not if he had used magic or merely his hand. His boot scuffed the stone floor near me.

“Sergetten–” I began.

“Silence, you fool!” He punctuated his command with a lash across my shoulders, sharp as the slash of a knife and all the more painful for being unexpected.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mirrored from Circlet Press: Welcome to Circlet 2.0.