Chapter 15
Marion woke up to cold water splashing in her face. Gulping greedily for air, she sat up abruptly and stared wide-eyed, unaware of where she was. The sharp pain in her left shoulder pierced her like a bolt of lightning. She snapped back to reality and remembered what had happened to her. Her head was buzzing and she felt nauseous, even the dim candlelight was cutting into her eyes. A grimace of pain contorted her face, she moaned softly and tried to lie down without leaning on her sore arm. A woman in black, wanting to help her, supported her with an arm behind her back and with her other hand brought a bowl of water to her lips, moistening them slightly. Marion took a few sips and felt the nausea subside as she struggled to open her eyes.
-Where am I?" asked Marion in a weak voice.
-You're in no danger now," the woman said lovingly.
Marion looked at her incredulously, indeed Marion was not bound as if she had been taken prisoner by the Baron's soldiers, the room she was in was poorly lit and it was difficult to judge the surroundings, but it was not a prison, there were no bars or chains. There were no guards to be seen either. But there was someone else in the room, whose oppressive presence Marion felt, and she began to peer into the dark corner by the small window. It was hard to see black on black. But she felt someone standing in a dark corner, watching her intently.
-It was hard for me to imagine that a lady of noble birth could be so treacherous as to invade another's domain with a weapon in her hand. -The voice of a man.
That icy, indifferent voice from her long nightmares she recognized immediately, it could not belong to anyone else in this castle. It was a black sorcerer speaking to her.
-So what made you come here and cause so much trouble for my guards, sending half a dozen of my warriors to their deaths? -the sorcerer continued.
-I'm here to pick up the people I care about," Marion replied, trying to speak calmly and confidently.
-Ah, so it is..." the wizard said after a pause. -Why did you, Lady Marion, find it necessary to do it in such a barbaric way? Couldn't you have just come and negotiated quietly?
Marion was taken aback, she was ready for a battle, but this behavior of the Baron she could not have foreseen.
-Agree? -she blurted out involuntarily. -What kind of deal can you make with a bloodthirsty monster?
-Your insolence does not adorn you, my lady," the Baron continued calmly, without changing the volume or intonation of his voice, he was completely indifferent to the woman's anger and pain. - And for lesser disrespect I have dealt harshly with men who disobeyed me. But I'm willing to ignore that, given your sorry state of mind. You're used to seeing me as an enemy, but I'm not interested in you as a rival. The men you came here for are alive and safe within these walls. And if you behave in the right way, you will soon be able to see them. Their well-being depends largely on your wisdom. -The wizard finished his speech and slowly stepped out into the light.
Staring at Marion with his snake eyes, he made a hand sign to his maid. After leaving the room and closing the door behind them, the servant girl bowed her head to the Baron, awaiting instructions.
-Prepare her and bring her in when I command it, and lest she do more foolish things, bind her hands and gag her.
Saying this, he retreated.