Chapter 2
I kicked back a snake that was slithering by my feet, trying to escape. "Nope."
Elara slumped. "Really? You're so stingy."
"Go ask my master. He's the only one who gets to decide," I said.
Elara looked hesitant, uncertainty flickering across her face.
"But he kind of gives me the chills. He's a little intimidating," she said, waving it off.
"Forget it. Can you take me to see him instead?" she asked me.
When I brought Elara in, my master was in the middle of his meal.
Noticing Elara, he slowly dabbed his mouth with a handkerchief, watching her with a spark of interest.
"Want to join me?" he asked.
Elara warily stepped back, ducking behind me, and held up the snakes in her hands for everyone to see.
"I'm good, thanks. I just wanted to ask if you could let me have these two snakes." Elara asked.
Only then did my master shift his gaze to me, his annoyance plain as day.
I tactfully moved to stand behind him.
Elara had nowhere left to hide.
She glared at me, gritted her teeth, and stayed put.
My master rapped his knuckles lightly on the table.
"Share this meal with me, and those two snakes are yours.
"You can also take your pick of any snake in Serpent's Maw Cavern," he said.
Elara looked like she'd rather be anywhere else, but in the end, she stuffed the snakes into her bag, dragged herself to the table, and sat down, still sulking.
She didn't bother with the dishes, just kept her head down, shoveling food into her mouth.
My master watched her eat, his lips curving into a faint smile.
"Scarlett, serve Elara some more food," he ordered.
Elara choked on her food, coughing and waving her hands vigorously.
"No, no, I can get it myself!" she said.
But nobody paid any attention to her refusal.
The maid handed me a clean fork.
I glanced over the table, twelve dishes in all, eight meat platters and four vegetarian ones.
I served Elara a piece of braised meat from the plate furthest away, placing it carefully in her plate.
Elara paused, staring at her plate for a second, then took a bite.
I picked out a piece of crispy duck and served it to her as well. Elara ate that too.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Maybe I was serving her too quickly, because when Elara took a bite of the spiced chicken, she choked and started coughing hard.
I quickly poured her a cup of water.
Elara clutched her throat and drank eagerly from the cup I held out, finally catching her breath.
My master's expression was unreadable, but there was a quiet anger simmering beneath his calm voice.
"Scarlett, is this how our Cult treats its guests?
"Go outside. Prostrate yourself. Two hours," he ordered.
"Yes, Master," I nodded.
Elara grabbed the hem of my robe, refusing to let me leave.
She lifted her chin and shot back at my master.
"Are you nuts? I choked on my own. What's that got to do with her? If the guest isn't having a good time, it's her fault."
Elara snapped right back, already showing the kind of feisty attitude that would make her and my master spar like a couple of rivals later on.
"Who says I'm not happy? I'm freaking ecstatic!" she added.
My master didn't bother arguing with her. Instead, his eyes settled on me, dark and unreadable.
"Scarlett, tell me, did you do anything wrong?" he interrogated.
I pried Elara's hand off my sleeve.
"I was wrong, Master," I said, then headed outside to prostrate myself in the courtyard.
Two hours, long enough to feel endless, short enough to be torture.
But after just an hour, my body was already aching.
I heard a soft rustle behind me.
Elara crouched down next to me.
She held out a cloth with a few honeyed cakes laid out on top.
"Are you hungry? Want some?" Elara asked.
I shook my head. "Not hungry."
Elara just plopped down cross-legged on the ground, popping honeyed cakes into her mouth.
"Not to talk behind his back or anything, but your master..." she said.
She tapped her temple, giving me a conspiratorial look,
"There's definitely something a little off up here," she added.
I'd never let anyone defy my master.
"Don't be ridiculous. The only thing wrong with my master is his leg," I retorted.
Elara shot me an annoyed glare.
"Who's the miracle healer here, you or me? I've only been stuck in this Cult for four or five days, and he's already punished you three times!" she said, dissatisfaction in her tone.
"What are you even getting out of this? A real master would actually care about his people, not just beat you, yell at you, and work you to the bone!" she went on.
"And honestly, your master's leg looks hopeless. Why not just send me back to Valewood Haven? You could come with me and stay there," she proposed.
"Everyone in Valewood Haven is all about love and harmony. Seriously, nobody ever gets pushed around," she described.
"We're like one big happy family, always watching out for each other, all kinds of love going around. You'd never get bullied," she added.
But I just shot her down without a second thought.
"No way," I replied.
Hearing that, Elara's expression shattered.
"Come on, why not? Are you a masochist or something?" she pressed.
She stuffed the rest of the honeyed cakes back into her bag and hurried to grab my hand.