Bring Her Here

Donovan melted into the shadows, unseen by the maids who bustled past. When the archway cleared, he slipped back to his position near the rear of the palace.

The prisoners toiling nearby stiffened when they saw him approach, their tools faltering in hand. None dared to utter a word as he passed by, their unease palpable in the chilled silence that followed him.

"What are the royals thinking?" one of the prisoners murmured under his breath after Donovan left, his voice quivering with fear. "Letting a monster like that roam freely? What if he attacks us, like he did the other prisoner on that day? I don't want to end up dead yet."

"Stop overreacting," another prisoner muttered while chipping a stone. "He hasn't touched anyone since. As long as we leave him alone, he leaves us alone. He made that clear from the start."