24

Lila struggled against the guards as they presented her to Oscar. She’d had enough exposure to him during her time in the castle both with Jasper and now to realize the cruel streak he possessed. Even in her panicked state, it was impossible to miss the glint of excitement in his eyes as he listened to the guards pass on his king and maker’s instructions.

After ordering them to tie her down on a nearby cot, he walked to the opposite side of the long and narrow room and disappeared through a door. Her head spun as she did her best to take in her surroundings. There were a dozen cots holding naked, handless, and legless females. Most of them sported bulging bellies from the life that grew in them. Had she not been so traumatized upon witnessing the mutilation that occurred to her fellow witches, she would have been mortified about the fact that they were afforded absolutely no modesty. It was as if they were nothing more than livestock to be handled and used in acco