Dark Diary by P. Anastasia Read Free Book Online Page A

bedside. I dipped my cupped hands into it and splashed the water onto my face. The air was already hot and sticky—a sign the day was going to be long and the sun unforgiving.
    I reached across the table for my tunic and paused at the sound of footsteps outside my door. Muffled voices followed. I pried open the door to investigate and was startled by a swift lunge at my throat.
    I choked and gasped as two large, heavily-built men grabbed ahold of my arms and jerked me outside and into the nearby field. I had barely caught my breath before the stench of their foul body odor wrinkled my nose. I didn’t recognize their faces, but the scent of alcohol lacing their skin had me assuming they were friends of Lord Shallon.
    “Where are you taking me!?” I called out, fighting to free myself. “What have I done?” Neither man answered.
    I trusted Kathryn to keep silent, but our secret was beginning to wear heavily on my conscience.
    Had she told him something about us?
    I couldn’t keep my footing as I was dragged forcefully across the property, over a rocky stretch of dirt and fallen branches. Mounds of stones and twigs grazed my bare feet, leaving them scraped and bloodied from the treacherous journey.
    We paused. I brought my head up and stopped breathing.
    My… God…
    They released me and I fell to my knees upon a dusty p ile of sand and rocks. On each side of me stood a tall wooden pole. There was about six feet between them and brown traces of old blood stained the ropes that dangled ominously from each side. I had imagined some of the torturous things Lord Shallon had done to those who had discredited him, but this petrified me.
    “Please! Tell me what I have done wrong!” I flinched as dry, crusty threads dug into my flesh. They wrapped the ends of the rope in tight knots around my wrists. My arms rose up and out to the sides as they pulled the ropes tautly around the poles until I was unable to move in either in direction. My arms burned from the pressure of my shoulders being tempted from their sockets and I clenched my jaw.
    A hearty laugh came from the distance.
    “Well, well, well…” Kathryn’s father croaked. “I knew someday you would be trouble, boy.” His deep, sadistic voice sent shivers up my spine, numbing the sting of the shredded ropes around my wrists.
    “What have I done, my Lord?” If I was to be punished, I at least wanted to know the reason. “Tell me. Please!”
    The piercing crack of a leather whip shocked my ears and I craned my neck in the direction of the sound.
    Lord Shallon came out from behind me, his hands drawn out to the sides with thick straps of a whip stretched tight between them.
    “So… you think you can pick up anything you want and take it with you,” he growled. “Not in my place. Not on my land. Here… my servants obey me.” He snapped the whip.
    “I took nothing!” I cried hoarsely. Sweat drizzled from my forehead into my eyes and fear strangled the air from my lungs as panic set in.
    He disappeared from sight and I braced myself.
    CRACK!
    The strike rattled my spine and sent me reeling forward. I gritted my teeth, but it did nothing to dull the pain of the rigid strap slicing into my bare back.
    “Please, my Lord, I swear it!”
    CRACK!
    The breath was knocked from me. I coughed hard. My entire body shook from the deep ache ripping across my skin.
    CRACK!
    Again… and again. Each successive strike intensified the hellish heat of the leather tearing into my flesh; each blow was stronger than the previous one.
    CRACK!
    I howled in pain and lunged forward, my body hanging by bloodied, tattered ropes as my eyes watered. My mouth became dry and I could barely swallow. Fresh blood drizzled from the wounds and my surroundings blurred, shifting in and out of focus. The searing fire pumped through me like poison, flooding and stinging every inch of me.
    He snapped the whip back and I was tempted to bite my tongue to prevent myself from crying out again.
    “Father,