Rabid For Her Revenge
NINETEEN

I took the nightingale to my room, whisking her inside. I closed the door, ushering the female to the ottoman by the chair in the corner. “Sit and let’s have a look at you.”

She seemed frightened of me, her hands quivering as she pushed back her skirts to seat herself.

I stared down at her for some time, watching her swallow nervously several times and repeatedly brushing back her hair that was already tucked behind her ears. Her brown hair was fastened back with a pearl studded headband that gleamed brightly in contrast to her washed out blue-green eyes and sallow skin.

I had noticed earlier how tired and haggard she looked. The blush was too colorful on her cheeks and her concealer was laid on too thickly, patchy in some places. She moved like an old lady too. She was stiff when she wasn’t shifting her weight this way and that, altering her posture in a way that would bring her more comfort.

I knew better though. She wasn’t shifting to gain comfort but to lessen the pain and that was a distinction that made all the difference to me.

The fact that she was scared of me was alright for now. She was listening to me because of that fear or maybe she was just conditioned to obey.

Exhaling out a long breath, I slowly lowered myself down on my knees and pulled off her sandals. “Let’s get that dress off of you. I’m sure there’s something in my closet that will fit.”

She leaned away from me, putting out one hand to wave frantically. “No, really my lady. It’s fine. Just a little stain.”

I ignored her protests and shuffled on my knees over to where I could access the zip on the back of her dress more easily. “I must make sure you haven’t been burned.”

Once again, she moved herself out of reach, leaning so far over just a little push would have her falling off the ottoman.

I huffed and sat back on my heels, my hands falling with a light slap on my thighs. “Come on now,” I scolded her for her childish antics, “we both have the same parts there’s nothing to be embarrassed of.” I gestured to her body with an upward flick of my hand. “Off with it.”

I gave her a second to do it herself and then moved again when she decided she wouldn’t. My fingertips brushed against the pink fabric, the zip held between my fingers and ready to move downwards when her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist tightly.

Wide and terrified eyes stared at me. The beginnings of tears could be seen in the corners of those ashamed eyes as she whispered hoarsely, “Not you my lady, anyone but you.”

Something deep inside me felt for the meek and timid female, almost allowing her to keep what little dignity she had left. At the same time though, I felt an immense amount of anger. At the male who had done this to her, creating this shameful secret she had to hide and also at the female for enduring it silently for years. It didn’t take much for my heart to harden.

My eyes were filled with enough determination that perhaps my resolve would also be shared with her as I steadily said, “That’s exactly why it has to be me.”

She understood then that her secret had long since been revealed to me. “You already knew,” she breathed. There was a moment of silence before she choked on a miserable chuckle. She lifted a hand to cover her eyes as she laughed bitterly. “Of course, you already knew.”

Once again, I fell back onto my heels, allowing her the time she needed to gather her bearings. She cleared her throat when she was ready, her hand reaching behind her back to unzip her dress the rest of the way.

The dress pooled around her waist revealing the sickly yellow and green bruises underneath the fresh purple and black ones. They only marred her breasts and waist, but I had no doubt they also littered her thighs.

There weren’t just bruises either. Scabbed over scratches were present along with bite marks. The sight made the ones on my own neck tingle.

The female was looking at the wounds I had that were like her own with distant and longing eyes. “You wear yours so openly,” she murmured. “You are so strong.” She hurriedly looked away once she realized some tears had escape and went to wipe them away. With her back facing me she croaked, “We look up to you, you know? You can talk like them and stand against them. To show you such a shameful weakness, it’s…” she struggled to properly voice whatever feeling she was trying to convey. “It’s–”

“It’s why I chose you,” I admitted, coaxing her to stand as I got to my feet. “I saw that you have a weakness you are desperate to overcome. You cannot do it alone, so I have decided to help you.”

“How can you help me?” She asked, stepping out of her dress. “I am too weak to do anything.”

I fingered through my closet looking for the dress I had prepared in advance for her. Pulling the purple sundress from its hanger, I brought it over to the female. “Lift your arms,” I instructed before draping the fabric over her head.

The knee length dress suited her frame nicely and was long enough to conceal the bruises on her thighs. Nodding to myself in satisfaction I took a step back. “I have a gift for you but first, tell me your name.”

The timid female parted her chapped lips and whispered, “It’s Cora.”

“Hmmm, Cora?” The name did not suit her, it was a hard name, not soft like the rest of her was. But it was my hope to break that soft shell and expose the snake inside. “What I am going to give you does not come for free. You must replace a way to pay me back for it.” How she chose to do so did not matter, only that she one day would. “Of course, you are also allowed to tell no one who you’ve received such a gift from. If you understand then say so.”

Cora’s washed-out eyes were clearer now as she nodded in affirmation. “I understand.”

“Very good.” Stepping up to her, I grabbed the decoration I had added to the dress. “This brooch has a little secret to it.” I unpinned it and pushed the two tiny studs on the top and bottom of the jewel. The gemstone fell from the ornate gold piece into my hand, leaving behind an engraved flower. “This jewel is a vial,” I told her simply, “inside it is the answer that will solve your problem.” I shook it invitingly when I noticed the way her eyes were glued to it. “I have additional instructions that you must remember before I allow you to have this.”

Cora broke her gaze away from the jewel. “Okay.”

A wicked smile twisted up at the corners of my mouth. She was eager and that boded well for me. With my devilish grin I recited for her my rhyme. “Only given in batches of three, to those who wallow in misery. Choose them wisely and tell them this rhyme, instruct them to wait till the perfect time. When busy as a bee or snoozing z’s, just one shot is all you’ll need. Pass on this gift spread it far and wide, give it to those who don’t want to hide. Do not you dare to hesitate because then you’ll meet a horrible fate. If you can’t then that’s fine too, pick yourself if you so choose. The time is now so don’t wait long it’s time to sing a mourning song.”

I repeated it twice more for her making sure it had cemented into her memory.

Once I could see that she had it down I gave her one final chance to back out before it was too late. “Do you understand completely what you are agreeing to by accepting this gift?”

There was set determination in Cora’s blue-green eyes. “Yes.”

“Very well,” I hummed and popped the jeweled back into place on the brooch. “The rest is up to you.”

My fingers had not even finished securing the gem when the door behind me burst open. Without bothering to hide my grin, I turned around to face my gold finch.

She stood at the threshold of my room like a storm, eyes blazing and intentions clear. Lifting her chin, she held out a flat hand. “Give one to me as well.”

“Oh my,” I gasped placing a hand to my mouth as if aghast by her sudden entrance. I then turned to Cora who was much more shocked to see the other female there than I was. “It seems we have an intruder.”

Cora’s large eyes conveyed their worry clearly. She was concerned we had been found out and would be exposed before she’d ever even had a chance.

I patted her shoulder soothingly. I had known since we had left the gardens that the gold finch had followed us, and I had purposely left the door open a crack so that she could better hear us. “It is considered rude to eavesdrop,” I purred.

The dark-skinned woman lifted a perfectly sculpted brow. “Can you really call it eavesdropping when it’s obvious you anticipated me listening in?”

Cocking my head, I batted my lashes innocently. “Are you insinuating that I planned for you to follow us and listen at the door?”

She took a step inside my room, crossing her arms. “Yes.”

I clapped my hands together. “Well, you’re quite right then.”

The female had no patience for my teasing. “I want one as well.”

“Name first, dear,” I chirped.

“Gladys.”

Unlike Cora, this female definitely suited her name. Such a stoic face and rigid posture screamed strength. “A pleasure Gladys.” Going back to my jewelry box I dug around for the perfect adornment. “Do you need me to repeat any of the rules or are you clear?”

“No need, I understand.”

I brought out a necklace with a large yellow sapphire. Leaving the wooden jewelry box open I gestured to it. “You may each choose two more from the box. Best of luck ladies, inform me when you need refills.”

My two initiates clutched onto their chosen pieces as if they had finally grasped ahold of their lifelines.

This was going to work brilliantly, which proved true in the following weeks.