Chapter Nine
Winter 501
As the days passed and Malegant’s abuse continued, I began to dread the dark because I knew he would come. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be out of his mind with drink, which only served to hamper his performance and prolong my torment. Sometimes when he couldn’t satisfy himself sexually, he would beat me until my eyes were bloody and my body shredded by his fingernails and teeth.
Imogen helped me visit the latrine and conduct my business—a humbling experience to be unable to perform such basics without aid—then lifted me back into bed, stroking my hair and holding me as I sobbed and shook. She never spoke, only communicated with her eyes and a few simple gestures. I assumed she had been born mute, but I did not have the heart to ask, nor did I know how she would
