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continued,
ignoring his words. “Ye’re to protect your people just as the old lord did.”
    “I know that.”
    “But ye did’nee and now you’ll pay the price.”
    “What do you mean?” Adam asked. What the hell does she expect
me to do? “Do you need money? Goods? Anything you need will be yours.”
    The old crone shook her head. “Do nee insult me boy by offering
me such things. Ye’ve taken from my child what can never be given back and now
I must do the same to ye.”
    “I—” 
    “Ye will be the last Earl of Winterwood, the last of your line
for many, many years to come. Only when ye have learnt will ye be free.”
    The smoke in the kitchen began to build, Adam looked around for
the source but his vision was blurred and his eyes began to water. What the
hell is she doing? What the hell does she want from me?
    “In time, boy, ye will see, ye all will.”
    With her words pain began to whisper along Adam’s shoulder blade,
a curious pain almost like the heat of the fire. “What the hell are you doing,
old woman?” he asked, batting away at the smoke to no effect.
    “I am sorry for this, boy, I am, but it has to be done.”
    The smoke continued to build, swirling around Adam and he coughed
to try and clear it. His throat was dry and the curious pain continued to
spread along his shoulder.
    “Now ye’ll feel her pain,” Granny Hildegarde said, picking up the
spark emitting pan. “The helplessness, the suffocation, the pleading… ye’ll feel
it all, over and over again.”
    “Wait—” Adam tried to say but his words were interrupted as,
without warning, Granny flung the scalding liquid at him. Adam roared in pain,
fire raging across his skin, the liquid burning him to his very pores.
    “Don’t,” he shouted but Granny ignored him.
    “Burn, me young lord, burn.”
    “What are you…” The words left his mouth in a slur as the heat
from the liquid began to travel to his shoulder, to the very spot that had
burned before. He could feel it twist and curve and the pain was unbearable.
    A sigh filled the room, a regretful, solemn sigh and it did not
come from Adam. He felt his legs begin to weaken, like he’d drunk too much
brandy. He staggered back trying to grab the counter for support but his hands
were like jelly, numb almost. 
    “Feel it all, me Lord,” she said. “Feel it brand ye.”
    She’s wrong, I can’t feel anything anymore Adam thought, and then
blackness descended and he thought no more.
     
     

 
    Chapter
Seven
     
     
    The ground was frosted as far as Eva could see and she breathed
in deep lungfuls of clean fresh air. She’d wrapped up warm because whilst the
house was hot, almost to stifling in some places, like the kitchen, outside was
cold enough to raise goose bumps.
    Eva flexed her exposed fingers around her sketch pad and stamped
her feet to get the blood flowing. It was only just light and she’d woken as
early as possible to explore. It hadn’t been easy emerging from her new bed,
which was devastatingly comfortable but Eva didn’t know when she would get
another opportunity. She told herself that she wanted to look over everything,
the turrets, the gardens—all of it. Get her bearings so to speak, but that was
a lie. Deep down Eva knew what she really wanted to explore and he was standing
right in front of her.
    The ground crunched underfoot as she walked towards him and her
breath made little clouds in the morning air. Damn it was cold.
    The fountain looked even whiter than usual because of the frost
and Eva was struck again by its beauty. She circled around it, looking closely
at the various inscriptions. They were in a language she didn’t recognize, so
she had no idea what they meant, but the script was flowing and elegant and it
was enough to appreciate it for itself. Eva wondered absently if she would be
able to make some rubbings.
    The water in the fountain was, unsurprisingly frozen solid, and
she couldn’t tell where it would spurt from in the