Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [49]
"You have visitors," said Beetlestone. The captain leaned down and unlocked the chains that held Liam to the stone wall. "Get up."
Liam rolled to one side and lifted himself off the ground. It was harder than he imagined it would be. His legs were sluggish, and his joints complained at the effort.
"How long have I been down here?" asked Liam, struggling.
"More than a tenday," said Beetlestone. The captain grabbed Liam under the arms and helped him get to his feet.
Liam wobbled a bit, his legs tingling and numb.
"Here," said Beetlestone, handing Liam a small package wrapped in a handkerchief.
Liam, transferring his weight back and forth between his legs in an attempt to get feeling back in them, grabbed hold of the package and unwrapped it. Inside, he found a whole loaf of country bread. He didn't waste any time in tearing into the crusty loaf and shoving large bites into his mouth. The hunger pangs were just another constant reminder of how messed up Liam's life had become. He filed them next to his sorrow and his aching body. But now that he had food, his empty stomach became all he could think about. He devoured the bread in great bites.
"Slow down," warned Beetlestone. "If you keep eating at that rate, it'll come right back up."
His mouth full, Liam stopped chewing and took in a big breath through his nose. He finished the bite and swallowed. "So, who wants to see me?"
"You'll find out soon enough," said Beetlestone. "Come on."
A cold chill ran down Liam's spine. This couldn't be good.
His loaf in one hand, Liam followed Beetlestone out of the cell and down the hall. The guard captain led him into a large room at the far end.
Obviously Purdun didn't want whoever it was to see how they had been keeping Liam. Though this new room was still a cell, it was much larger and cleaner than the one Liam had just been in, and there were barred windows high up in the walls that let in fresh air. Liam took in a lungful of the stuff. It felt so good.
In the middle of the room, hanging from the ceiling, were at least a dozen sets of shackles. Unlike the chains in his last cell, these didn't allow the prisoners to sit on the ground. Beetlestone gently nudged Liam toward the hanging shackles.
"Left," he said, grabbing at Liam's wrist.
Liam complied, too tired to fight back.
"So, what do you think of our dungeon now?" quipped the captain.
Though the remark was meant to sting, Liam could tell Beetlestone didn't really put his heart in it. His voice was somehow sad, almost apologetic.
When Liam was securely fastened to the ceiling, the captain and his two guards exited the room, leaving the wooden door wide open. Once they were gone, Liam gave the chains a hard tug. They rattled against each other, swaying back and forth, but they held him fast. Letting the chains hold his weight, he leaned forward, holding his arms out to his sides. Up on his tiptoes, he twisted to one side then the other, feeling a little bit like a child on a playground. His mind had wandered for days on end, and now he finally had some light and something to play with. If he was going to be held against his will, at least he could entertain himself.
Standing up straight, he broke another piece off the loaf of bread and stuffed it in his mouth. Though it wasn't very pleasing, it did satisfy his grumbling stomach.
From down the hall Liam heard footsteps. Then two people appeared in the door.
"Gods. Look at you, Liam."
Liam lowered his head. He had expected some sort of interrogator, someone who would try to coax information out of him now that he'd had some time to suffer in the dungeon. He didn't expect this.
"Hello, Mother."
Angeline came running into the room only to stop several steps before her son. "Are you all right?"
Liam looked at himself. His clothes were filthy. He smelled, and he was slouched from having spent the last few days sleeping