Baiting the Patron's Daughter

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“People confide in me because I don’t matter. Just like you do.”

The ruthless honesty stopped the Patron’s Daughter in her tracks. She turned back to face me, and her expression was best described as frozen.

“Everybody needs to confess,” I continued. “Since I’m no danger to anybody, I know things and I know people.”

I had her.

This was that moment of weakness I had been waiting for. What I hadn’t expected was the delicious friction of power that hit me like a bolt of lightning.

“All right,” the Patron’s Daughter said. “Tell me more.”

From here on, I was to use the script the Sorcerer had me memorize and recite line for line. I had my doubts about it, but the Sorcerer was adamant on what I had to say.

“There’s a cabin deeper in the woods-”

“Nobody goes into the Ancient Grove,” she interrupted. “Everybody knows that.”

“We’re in the Ancient Grove right now.”

“We’re at the edge. That’s not the same thing.”

“We’re deep enough that nobody can see us here,” I countered. “So what difference does it make if we go a little further in?”

She paused.

Before she could argue further, I pressed my point and returned to the Sorcerer’s script.

“As I said, there’s a cabin in the woods and the man who lives there swears he can see inside a person’s soul and know their true desires.”

“And then what?”

“I don’t know, but he swears he can bring people what they truly want.”

She frowned.

“That is ridiculous!”

I swore inwardly.

I had known the Sorcerer’s bait was weak when he had told me what to say. I protested that it wouldn’t work.

The Patron’s Daughter was dense, but I would have been surprised if she were to be that easily duped.

But the Sorcerer insisted I follow this script, even if the prey resisted. So I shrugged as the Sorcerer told me to, and kept my tone casual.

“Well, that’s what I heard. I also heard he only takes visitors on the eve before the holy day of rest.”

“And what does he want in exchange?”

“I don’t know.”

The Patron’s Daughter shook her head and huffed her disdain.

“I’m only trying to help,” I said lightly. “I know where the cabin is. I can take you there in a few days if you want.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Suit yourself,” I said, and shrugged again. “Let me know if you change you mind.”

The savory taste of invincibility disappeared, leaving bitterness in my mouth and my body filled with anguish when the Patron’s Daughter flipped her long, raven hair and walked off.

I cursed the Sorcerer and his paltry script. I actually had the Patron’s Daughter where I had wanted her, and because of the Sorcerer, I had blown it.

As planned, I still went to the cabin to meet him.

When I walked in, I was struck with how barren this cabin was, one room with sparse furnishings. Perhaps a monk would have been at ease here, but this could hardly be the perfect setting to seduce the Patron’s Daughter.

I scowled at the Sorcerer, who beamed at me.

“Excellent work!” he said. “You could not have done that any better.”

“Are you crazy? She said no.”

“Of course, she did. Everybody resists at first. But she’ll say yes, probably by the end of the week.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Addie, how many times have I been right when you doubted me?”

I said nothing, but the Sorcerer had called it every time.

“Trust me,” the Sorcerer cajoled, his tone almost soothing. “You hooked her. She won’t stop thinking about what you said. She’ll even start obsessing over it. Keep up your melancholy walks in the woods.”

As always, the Sorcerer was right.

A couple of days later, I saw the Patron’s Daughter as soon as I came into the trees. She paced back and forth, clearly waiting for me. The dark circles under her eyes marred the perfection of her face. 

“What took you so long?” she demanded.

“I didn’t know I was meeting you for a walk. Last time I saw you, you seemed angry-”

“Will I need to bring coins or jewels?” she interrupted.

“Excuse me?”

I felt like an idiot. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t considered payment.

Of course, I knew what the Sorcerer wanted.

But the Patron’s Daughter didn’t, and it would make sense that some reward would be expected to realize one’s true desires.

“To pay him!” she snapped. “What does he expect?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, thinking fast. “But that’s not a bad idea. Maybe you should bring both.”

We agreed to meet at the edge of the Ancient Grove when the moon would be high in the sky, and even the servants would be in a dead sleep.

I always remembered the expression on her face as we made our plan. There was absolutely no suspicion in her.

Our only risk was getting caught. If our absences were discovered, the Patron’s Daughter would definitely face disgrace, and probably ruin.

But if anything went wrong, I would be doomed.

This excerpt is from my WIP, The Shepherd and the Courtesan. If you’d like to read the previous excerpt on the backstory of the Courtesan, click HERE.