Kingdom of Ash

of water when they forced it down her throat.
Then they’d let her starve—starve until she
broke and devoured whatever they put in front
of her, iron or no.
She did not often think about that time.
That weakness. How excited Cairn had grown
to see her eating, and how much he raged
when it still did not yield what he wanted.
Cairn loaded the other brazier before
snapping his fingers at Fenrys. “You may see
to your needs in the hall and return here
immediately.”
As if a ghost hoisted him up, the enormous
wolf padded out.
Maeve had considered even that, granting
Cairn power to order when Fenrys ate and
drank, when he pissed. She knew Cairn
deliberately forgot sometimes. The canine
whines of pain had reached her, even in the
box.