Solstice at Stonewylde (36 page)

‘I’ll ask you again, and you’d better tell me the truth this time. Did he kiss you?’

‘Yes,’ she whispered, unable to meet his eye.

Magus took a deep breath.

‘Look at me, Sylvie. Look at me! That’s better. Now tell me: when he kissed you, did you enjoy it?’

She stared at him like a rabbit caught in headlights, trembling and white-faced.

‘Yes,’ she whispered once more.

He seized her upper arms again very hard, deliberately squeezing and pinching her soft flesh in a vice-like grip. She cried out in pain but didn’t dare try to pull away from him. Magus’ merciless black gaze locked into her pleading grey eyes as his fingers dug viciously into her skin.

‘You’ll never kiss him again,’ he said, very softly. ‘You’ve let me down, Sylvie. You’ve disappointed me and I won’t forget this. I do hope you told him you’d be spending the Moon Fullness with me.’

‘Yes,’ she gasped. Her upper arms were agony and she whimpered in distress. With a final sharp dig, he let her go.

‘Good! Now, my moongazy girl, I shall give you your present, not that you deserve it. I should be punishing you for disobeying me, not giving you gifts. But this is the Dark Moon and I wanted you to have it tonight.’

Magus reached down and picked up a large square jewellery box, with an exclusive Bond Street jeweller’s name and logo embossed onto the velvet in gold leaf. Sylvie sat hunched in fear, her arms on fire with pain, trying desperately not to cry. Smiling charmingly as if he’d not been angry with her just seconds before, as if he’d never hurt her at all, Magus carefully opened the box to reveal a necklet such as she’d never seen before. It sparkled in the firelight revealing a fire of its own that dazzled the eye. The high choker was studded with hundreds of diamonds, each one glittering with prismatic light. There were concealed hinges in the centre and it lay slightly open, with four long clasps that slid into holes on the other side to fasten it. A tiny gold key on a chain nestled in the velvet. Magus picked up the collar with delicate fingers and opened it fully.

‘Sit up, girl,’ he commanded. ‘Lift your hair off your neck.’

He reached across and fitted it carefully round her throat, then
snapped it shut. She heard the clasps sliding in and clicking into the holes, and he took the key and locked it. The thick collar was a snug fit around her slim neck, twinkling beautifully as it caught the light.

‘Now let your hair go … oh yes, that is exquisite! Do you like it, Sylvie?’

‘Yes, thank you very much,’ she croaked, still fighting back the tears.

‘That’s good. Because now I’ve locked it you won’t be able to take it off again unless I choose to unlock it, which I certainly don’t intend to do.’ He put the chain round his neck and slid the key under his shirt. ‘I’ve commissioned two wrist bands for you as well, to match your collar. You’ll sparkle like a princess and you’ll never forget that you belong to me. What do you think of that, Sylvie?’

She shook her head in confusion, still unable to believe what he’d just done to her.

‘I don’t … I mean, thank you, Magus. Thank you.’

‘Poor child, you sound so dry. You may have just one more drink and then you can lie down and go to sleep.’

He poured her another glass and watched as she drank it. Her head was really spinning now, the room going in and out of focus. Her stomach was hollow with hunger and the throbbing pain in her upper arms was excruciating. He gazed at her with heavy eyes that gleamed darkly.

‘Are you feeling alright, Sylvie? There, lie down here and let me stroke your hair, just how you like it. Go to sleep now, there’s a good girl.’

He ran his fingertips down the swelling bruises that had appeared in ugly blotches and lumps on her delicate white skin.

‘You do bruise easily, don’t you? I didn’t mean to mark you but you must understand what happens if you disobey me. You were told you couldn’t carry on with that boy and yet you deliberately defied me. You need to learn that I get angry, Sylvie, very angry, if people disobey me. Now go to sleep, my darling.’

She was awoken by a kiss on each eyelid and smiled, still dreaming of Yul who’d haunted her all night. But she found herself staring into black eyes that dragged her soul into a maelstrom of darkness and she recoiled in shock, pulling away from him abruptly.

‘Good morning, my dearest girl. Feeling better today, I hope?’

Sylvie struggled to sit up, the black pashmina he covered her with every night falling off and her blond hair tumbling about her in a tangled mass. She felt terrible; her head pounded and stomach ached, and her throat was as dry as bark.

‘Good morning,’ she managed, blinking at him in the bright morning sunlight. It was far too early for her.

‘Go and get dressed,’ he said. ‘I’ll start breakfast without you – I’ve been up for ages and I’m hungry.’

She sat up fully, holding her head in her hands. The heavy diamond collar felt strange round her neck and had rubbed the tender skin sore.

‘Hurry up, Sylvie! The girls have gone down to the Barn already and I’ll give you a lift again if you get a move on. Make sure you cover up those horrible arms – I don’t want everyone seeing how angry you made me.’

When she returned to the table feeling fresher and more awake, there was hardly anything left to eat. Sylvie was very hungry having eaten virtually nothing the day before.

‘Can I ring for some more?’ she asked, gulping down coffee and the one remaining croissant. Magus looked up from the newspaper he was reading, the harsh sunlight etching shadows and hollows on his handsome face.

‘No there isn’t time now. You should be down at the Barn already – it’s your own fault for over-sleeping.’

She hung her head, feeling vulnerable and tearful at his complete change of personality and attitude towards her. How had she ever thought him so kind and amusing? So considerate and charming?

‘Don’t sulk! Look, there’s plenty of coffee left and I’ve just
remembered – I’ve got some cakes here. If you’re so hungry, have one of these.’

He passed her over a cake tin and she looked at the speckled cakes inside.

‘But aren’t these the special ceremony cakes?’ she asked, remembering what had happened that night to Yul up at Mooncliffe.

‘No, they’re just some saffron cakes that Marigold makes for me. They’re delicious, but if you don’t want one …’

‘Yes, I do, please. I’m starving.’

He put two on her plate and watched as she ate them quickly, washed down with coffee. He smiled, folding the newspaper, and got up from the table.

‘Enough? Right then, let’s get you down to the Barn. Your collar looks beautiful, Sylvie. It’s catching the sunlight and sparkling everywhere.’

She touched the heavy band around her neck and found she couldn’t look him in the eye. He was acting as though nothing had happened last night; as if he hadn’t hurt her at all. If he’d only say sorry for losing his temper or show some remorse for his cruelty it’d be different. But the most frightening thing, Sylvie realised with a jolt, was that Magus hadn’t actually lost his temper. His viciousness had been controlled – almost calculated. She wanted to confront him about it, to protest at the outrageous way he’d treated her, but she simply didn’t dare.

‘It was very generous of you, Magus. Thank you.’

‘You know I like to buy you gifts – just make sure you deserve them. No more disobedience today or you really will be punished tonight. If the boy’s out there at the end of the day, ignore him and come straight home to me. Don’t even speak to him – do you understand?’

‘Yes.’

Sylvie stood up, desperate to escape the luxurious room that was rapidly transforming into a cage. Magus came around the table and took hold of her shoulders, looking deep, deep into her frightened grey eyes. She was unable to look away. There was
something different about him today, a dark fire that she hadn’t noticed before.

‘You haven’t apologised for making me so angry with you last night, Sylvie.’

His hands slid deliberately from her shoulders to her slim upper arms. He held them lightly at first, exerting a subtle pressure on the swollen, bruised skin. Then slowly, deliberately, he squeezed. Sylvie flinched and her eyes widened as the pressure increased. She saw his black eyes, fixed on hers, register her pain. Something flared inside him as she flinched – she saw it clearly. Something deep within his soul surged at her suffering, and in that split second he lost her for ever. She could never forgive that terrible flicker of pleasure. She gasped sharply and then whimpered, and Magus smiled calmly at her.

‘Well?’

She wanted to cry.

‘I’m very sorry,’ she gabbled in a strangled voice, wanting only for the pain to end. ‘I’m sorry I made you angry …
please stop
!’

‘That’s better,’ he said smoothly, releasing her arms. ‘Make sure you behave more appropriately today – I won’t be so lenient if you disobey me again.’

The morning was a complete blur of sounds and images. Everything was strangely surreal and many of the women appeared weird and distorted, their voices coming from far away, but when she looked twice they returned to normal. The Hallfolk girls were all over her again and very excited by her diamond collar, which attracted a great deal of admiration. Holly was even more upset than the day before; today she had a red mark across her face with four points bright against her cheek. Every time Sylvie looked, the mark pulsated like a blood-red jelly fish and Sylvie knew something was wrong. It must be the cake Magus had given her – why else would she be floating like a ghost above the ground?

‘What happened to your face, Holly?’ she asked in a voice that wasn’t hers. Holly stared silently at the floor.

‘It was Magus,’ piped Rainbow. ‘He told her off again this morning, and when she tried to say something back he slapped her hard. He was really horrible! We don’t envy you, Sylvie, being alone with him up in his rooms day and night. We used to think you were so lucky but not any more. Magus is a monster, isn’t he?’

‘Ssh!’ hissed Dawn, looking worried. ‘Shut up, Rainbow – Holly’s fine.’

‘Yes, I am,’ said Holly quickly, putting her hand to her cheek. ‘Absolutely fine.’

As mid-day approached, Sylvie wondered how she could get outside to see Yul without anyone noticing. The effects of the cake were beginning to wear off but everything still appeared slightly bizarre and dreamlike. Hazel came over to Sylvie, as she lay on the cushions gazing up at the rafters in a daze, while the girls chattered around her. The doctor loomed overhead and Sylvie stared up into her face. Time slipped and she imagined she was back in her London hospital bed with the intern doing her rounds.

‘Good morning, doctor. How are you today?’

Hazel crouched down and scanned Sylvie’s face, her expression concerned. She put her hand on Sylvie’s forehead, then took one of her wrists and felt the pulse.

‘What’s happened to you, Sylvie? What’s been going on?’

‘I’ve been very silly,’ she muttered. ‘I got it all wrong and I’ve made a big, big mistake.’

‘Are you eating? What’s he given you? Your pupils are so dilated! Sylvie? Sylvie can you understand me?’

She nodded weakly, her tongue feeling heavy in her mouth.

‘I’m alright. I’m sorry Magus doesn’t want you any more, Hazel. I saw your eyes the other day – you’re hurting badly.’

Hazel looked away.

‘We’ve all made a big mistake, I think,’ she said quietly, ‘and learnt our lesson. But I’m worried about you, Sylvie. Tell me what he’s been doing to you.’

‘It’s alright, the Solstice will be here soon.’

‘What? Sylvie? You’re hallucinating, aren’t you?’

The doctor stood up, uncertain what to do for the best. She knew the girl had been drugged, and she’d seen her drunk the other day. But what could she do? Magus wouldn’t permit a challenge from anyone, not even the doctor.

‘It’s okay, Hazel, really. Don’t worry about me.’

Shaking her head, Hazel glanced down in consternation at the prone girl.

‘I’ll go and see your mother tonight and we’ll sort something out. You can’t carry on like this, Sylvie, and I’m not sure if Miranda understands what’s going on. You shouldn’t be alone with him in his apartments – we’ve got to stop this going any further.’

The time came for lunch to be served and Sylvie saw an opportunity to get out while everyone queued for food. She was frustrated at missing lunch when she was so hungry but it couldn’t be helped – she had to see Yul. While the girls went over to the food tables she went to the lavatories and then slipped out through a side door.

It was a cold December day but she hadn’t put on her cloak, knowing she was less obvious without it. The cold air revived her a little although she still felt oddly disassociated from reality. She walked around the Green quickly on unsteady legs, keeping close to the trees so as to be unobtrusive, until she reached the yew. The branches hung down so low and thickly it was impossible to see underneath to the trunk. But as she ducked under a bough she saw Yul’s boots and her heart jumped with relief.

It was wonderful to see his face again as she hadn’t seen him clearly at all last night. His hair was longer, hanging down in curls almost to his shoulders, and he looked older somehow. His eyes were clear and bright as they found hers. She read the anguish in his look, the fear of being hurt all over again, and she stumbled towards him as he tentatively held out his arms. She fell into them, feeling his heart beating wildly against her as she clung to him.