After Humanity

Bonus Chapters: Alice's Choice part 5

The next morning I was exhausted. My whole body ached, my head pounded and my stomach felt queasy. As consciousness crept into my mind, pulling me from slumber, I wanted nothing more than to lay back into the pillows and never awake. But of course, that was not an option. I climbed from my bed blinking back the black dots of sleep that threatened to cloud my vision as my head rose too quickly.

    The girl was still asleep, Rachel's light breath moving the sheets softly up and down, her eyes closed, face relaxed in peaceful repose. I chose to leave her that way a moment longer as I went about preparing for the day ahead.

I had no time to take a bath as I wished, but I went to the bathroom and scoured my hands and arms in the hottest water I could tolerate, still desperate to remove as much remnants of dirt and blood as I could.

    Once I had washed and readied myself, I woke the girl, chiding her until she moved through her stupor to awaken fully and dress. I was afraid to let her go anywhere alone and so she had to remain with me. I could not be late to the kitchens. I vowed to let her sleep once we were safely indoors again. I could see her exhaustion. Then again, even my kitchen felt unsafe now. Tainted with Olivia's innocent blood. With her corpse.

    Rachel was slow in moving and I could not help but snap at her, though my conscience pained me to see her jump with each sharp word. But I was still on edge. After what Torvald had put me through, it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. And then there was the conversation I had overheard. How long would it really be before my new master decided that Magnus would not recover? That he would sell the estate to recoup his brother's assets...

    I thought of Magnus, lying in that bed unmoving, the iv drip in his arm, entirely dead to the world. Was there anything left of the man who had saved me? The man who had been my true friend for so long? The one sibla I truly believed would never break a promise to me? I'd begged him to come back to us with all my heart, but I knew the truth, if he could, he would have already. With his unresponsive form, I had my answer, even if I did not wish to accept it. Even if I wanted to believe that he would save me and every one of his slaves one last time.

    "Alice!"

    We'd nearly reached the slave's entrance when I heard my name called from behind me. My body stiffened. The hand I had on Rachel's arm clenched. Torvald.

    "Alice, I would speak with you."

    I wanted to deny him. Hadn't he done enough? Could he not give me even one morning to recover?

    "Send the girl to the kitchens and come with me," Torvald said.

    Rachel looked at me with terror in her eyes. I too felt distinct unease in allowing him to separate us, but from Torvald's tone I could tell there would be no argument. I met his gaze, pleading wordlessly. He wouldn't be so cruel as to hurt Rachel would he? Not after I had done everything he'd asked, obeyed every command without complaint. It was then I saw his expression soften slightly, though not enough that another might have taken notice.

    "This is my order, Alice," he said. "The girl will be perfectly safe while you are gone, as is your other assistant. I give you my word as a man of honor."

    A man of honor. I did know Torvald to be that. Hadn't his discussion with his guest been proof enough? It was honor that was keeping Torvald for selling the estate. Honor that had kept him with us preserve Magnus's holdings through his illness. I nodded my head.

    "Go on, Rachel," I said to the girl, keeping my eyes on Torvald. "I'm certain I will be with you soon enough."

    The girl was clearly still frightened, but there was nothing to be done for that. Torvald had given his word that Kathryn and Rachel would be safe while we spoke, but that did not mean that I would be...