From Slave To Queen (by Karyn Anderson) novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Athena stopped in her tracks, and Aliza gasped, too scared to even breathe.

She stole a quick glance at Athena and saw the dark look on her face. Athena subtly motioned for her to check the situation.

Aliza gathered her courage and stepped forward, snapping, “How dare you, lowly maid! Have you finished your work? Coming here to gossip? Do you want to be punished? Get out of here, now!”

She motioned for the young maid to leave, but Gwen stepped in front of them, blocking the way.

The two maids behind the rockery hadn’t expected to be caught and immediately bowed in terror.

“Aliza, please, please spare us…”

Athena slowly walked up to them, her expression cold and commanding. “Which courtyard are you from?”

The young maids were shaking with fear, only able to beg for mercy. “Lady Athena, please forgive us! We won’t do it again, we promise, we won’t!”

“Can’t understand what I’m saying?” Athena’s voice turned sharp, her patience running thin.

Gwen stepped forward and slapped one of the maids across the face. “Speak!”

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The maid, blood trickling from her mouth and nose, immediately fell silent and, trembling, said, “I–I’m Rose Mansfield from Ivory Grove, Lady

Athena…”

Athena nodded, but her tone shifted, becoming ice–cold. “Take her away and give her thirty more lashes.”

The two maids‘ eyes widened in shock. It was only then that they realized Athena who had just returned to the estate was far from the docile, easygoing person they had assumed.

A simple mistake of gossiping had cost Rose thirty lashes.

“Lady Athena, please, have mercy! Please!” Rose hastily bowed, begging for forgiveness, but Athena remained unmoved. “Shut her mouth and begin.”

The courtyard was too close to Margaret’s quarters,

to

*

avoid disturbing her, they quickly muffled Rose’s cries.

In no time, Rose was strapped to the execution bench, the sound of the wooden rod hitting her flesh echoing through the air.

Her sobs soon faded, lost in the wind. By the time the thirty lashes were done, her back was left a bloody, mangled mess.

Athena’s ruthless actions sent a chill through the servants in the courtyard. They were now as nervous as frightened birds, dreading that they might

be the next ones to suffer.

A moment later, the beating stopped.

One of the servants, shaking, approached Athena. “Lady Athena, Rose has passed out.”

Athena’s gaze swept over Rose’s bloodied back, her eyes glinting with cold resolve. “Take her with you. Follow me.”

Gwen started to follow them, but Athena stopped her. “Don’t let Grandmother know about this.”

“Yes, I understand,” Gwen replied.

Margaret couldn’t be disturbed, and Gwen turned back toward Starling House, worry evident on her face.

Athena walked ahead, and the two young servants exchanged a look before hurriedly dragging the barely conscious Rose behind her.

Eloise was the first to appear. Upon seeing the blood covering Rose, she gasped in shock.

“Athena, what is this? Why go to such extremes? Why couldn’t you settle this with words instead of resorting to violence? I thought after three years in the military, you would have changed your ways…” she said.

A nervous laugh escaped her as she quickly tried to amend her words. “Athena, I didn’t mean it that way. Please don’t misunderstand me.”

Nicolas, however, remained composed, asking in a measured tone, “What’s so serious that you had to go this far?”

Though he appeared calm, Athena could feel the anger he was suppressing.

As she was standing tall, her expression distant and composed, Athena turned her attention to everyone in the courtyard. Her voice was quiet but firm as she asked Rose, “Tell me–what exactly did you say just now?”

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