The Lifeblood of Ill-Fated Women by Kevin James Breaux

Author:Kevin James Breaux
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kevin Breaux

38

Chapter 38

Another knock sounded, this one more hurried than the last. Astrid knew it was Warren but huffed with frustration at his poor timing; she was caught up in the tale and did not want to stop.

“Astrid?”

Head hung low, Astrid drew a deep breath and grunted. Yrsa whispered before Warren knocked a second time, “Do not tell him about us.”

“Why?” Astrid furrowed her brow.

“I made the mistake of trusting someone with the truth once. It only caused me long months of pain and suffering,” Yrsa said as she rubbed her belly.

“Who?”

Warren knocked and called out her name again; Astrid had to steady her anger before she put her fist through the table. On her feet quickly, Astrid stomped her way to the door, snatched the handle in a firm grip, and swung the door open.

“Good, you are here.” Warren walked in and began to circle her. “We need to talk.”

“Yrsa and I were talking.”

Warren reached for her hand, and his look of concern deepened when she moved away from him.

“You sweat like you have been in combat,” Astrid observed. “Have more bandits come?”

“No, Astrid. When they were carting off Gathon’s body, a key fell from his belt. The other guards did not claim it and said it did not belong to the prison or stockade.”

“A chest key, then?” Astrid looked back at Yrsa—she wanted to return to her sister’s story.

“Astrid, listen. I followed the guards back to Gathon’s supply cellar and we opened it.”

“What did you discover?” Yrsa stole the words from Astrid’s mouth.

“There were chests, many filled with coin, but the man had dug out his cellar so deep it took many torches to explore it. Behind a stack of crates, there was a tunnel which led to rooms with cages.”

“Cages?”

“Cages filled with women.”

“What?”

Yrsa stood suddenly and wobbled, trying to balance her pregnant stomach.

“He was keeping slaves?”

“Not keeping them. Apparently, he was trading them. He harbored the women for a few days then delivered them. We found his ledgers. He kept a head count and a list of locations but no names.”

“Slave trading is illegal here, correct?”

“It is.”

“Are they in good health?” Yrsa asked.

“Well enough. Truly a blessing we found them. Had the key not fell—”

“A supply cellar full of corpses would have been found later,” Astrid finished his thought.

“Caged is no way to die.” Yrsa sat back down.

“It appears Gathon and Emmerich were in league, but how deeply and to what purpose? I intend to find out.”

“A worthwhile endeavor,” Astrid agreed, hoping to end the discussion.

“You are a first-rate guardsman, Warren. Your town should be proud of you.” Yrsa bowed her head.

“Oh, I am no guard. I mean, I was for a short time when I first returned from the wars. I simply tend a farm now, Yrsa.”

“A farmer?” Yrsa turned to Astrid. “Our brothers would laugh for weeks knowing you have chosen a farmer to—”

“Yrsa!” Astrid shouted. “Hold your tongue.”

Yrsa shrugged in response.

“Regardless, guard or farmer, citizen or soldier, there’s much to…”

Astrid stopped listening to Warren and spoke over him.

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