My heart flutters with panic. “Both of the slaves had to be punished. It’s the law of my house.”

I grind my teeth to cling to the slither of control I still have. “Just let me have my slaves.”

Cameron nods. “They have been taken to your vehicle. I just thought it would be in good form to advise you of their condition.”

I get up quickly and don’t even check if Adam is following. I don’t bother with the act anymore and as I head down the stairs I break out into a run. I can’t see anyone in the car as I approach it. I yank the back door open and the air is torn from my lungs. There is only blood. They are covered in blood! Dark chunks of either flesh or blood are all I can see.

I feel hands on my shoulders and Adam directs my body until I’m seated on the passenger side. He closes all the doors and then jogs around the car. We don’t even bother with safety belts as we speed away from the hell hole.

Warm tears spill over my cheeks. I can’t bring myself to turn around in my seat. If I see them beaten and bloody again I’ll lose it, knowing I can’t help them until we’re home.

After we’ve left San Antonio where Cameron’s business operates from, we make our way to Houston. We stick to the main roads and busy cities. The more people the easier for us. We only deviate from the road once and that’s to stop in a small town near Jackson, Mississippi. We always change cars, dumping the one we used to free the slaves. The car waiting for us is an old station wagon.

We carry all the bags over to the station wagon before we go to get Jack and Sophia. Adam opens the door and he doesn’t waste time hauling Sophia out from the car.

“Be careful!” I snap at him. “She’s hurting,” a sob chokes my words, making them thick.

“She’s out cold!” Adam snaps back at me. “The sooner we have them home the sooner we can ease their pain. I’m not going to waste time!”

He’s as angry as I am. I watch as he places Sophia on the back seat.

“We should leave the bags,” I say. “Then we can put Jack in the back and they don’t have to share the backseat.”

Adam looks at the backseat and then the open space where our bags are. “You’re right.”

He quickly removes the bags again and tosses them back in the car. “Make sure there is nothing in the bags that can help anyone track us down!”

While I quickly search the bags and then the car, Adam carries Jack to the station wagon. Sweat is beading on Adam’s forehead and his shirt is soaked through with blood once he has them both settled in. While Adam searches Jack and Sophia for any tracking devices, I grab a clean shirt and hold it ready for Adam.

He finds the tracking devices on their hips and I look away as he takes out a sharp pocket knife. I can never watch as he cuts the devices out, but I know it’s necessary to ensure our safety.

Once he’s finished he drags the bloody shirt over his head and uses it to wipe his hands clean before he throws the shirt and tracking devices in the old car. He takes the clean shirt from me and quickly pulls it over his head.

I get in the station wagon and drive a distance away. Adam sets the old car alight, burning all the evidence and then he covers our tracks before he jumps in the passenger side.

Adam closes his eyes and rests his head back against the chair while I get us back on the interstate. The road is long and hard. We don’t stop unless it’s for gas. We drive for over twenty four hours before we reach home.

I’m worried because Jack and Sophia have not woken yet. I hope they’ll pull through!

It’s well after breakfast as we drive through the gates. I feel a slither of relief when I spot Landon and Kyle on horseback. They patrol the entrance. Both tip their hats to us as we drive by.

I bring the station wagon to a standstill in front of the manor. It’s so good to see Miss Ella that tears flood my eyes. I jump from the car and run to her. She wraps me in a motherly embrace. “It’s okay, Darling. You’re home.” She lets go and starts to walk to the car. “Did you save anyone?”

Adam opens the back door of the station wagon and that sets Tristan in motion. As he looks into the car his eyes widen with the same horror I’ve been carrying in my heart. “Are they alive?” Tristan whispers.

“Yes,” I snap, pushing past him. “You can help Adam. Carry Jack to the room.” I look around and spot Ian coming around the side of the house. “Ian!” I call and getting his attention I wave him over. “Come help me.” I look at Adam. “We’ll put them in the same room. I don’t think they should be separated.”

There’s an urgency in the air as we all work together to get them into the room. Miss Ella has quickly yanked the bedding off, leaving only the sheets. When both Jack and Sophia are each on a bed we run to get our medical supplies.

Ian leaves the four of us to do our thing. Miss Ella brings two buckets of water and I quickly wet a cloth. I start to clean the blood from Sophia, while Adam cleans Jack.

There are thick smears of semen all over her body and it yanks a chunk of my heart out just thinking what she must’ve been through.

We have to change the water four times before most of the blood is washed off. It’s just horrible! I start to cry silently when I see all her wounds now that the blood is coming off.

We spend most of the day cleaning Sophia and Jack. Adam has medical training and I leave it to him to stitch the gash on Sophia’s leg. When Adam is done with Jack and Sophia, Miss Ella and I get clean sheets for the beds.

I pull Jack up gently, careful of where I’m touching him. Miss Ella slides the sheet under his back. I let him down slowly and then pick up his legs so Miss Ella can pull the sheet all the way over the mattress. I cover him with a light sheet, knowing anything heavier will just hurt.

We do the same with Sophia and then Miss Ella talks for the first time, “I’m going to go make some chicken soup. The children will need food when they wake up.” She rushes from the room and I know that she needs time to herself in the kitchen to deal with what just happened.

Adam takes hold of my hand and he pulls me against his body. We hold each other a long while before he whispers, “Go clean yourself up. I’ll take the first shift.”

I nod and leave in a hurry. I go straight to my room. I strip the clothes from my body and get under a hot shower. I let the water pelt me. I wish it could wash the horror from my soul.

I scrub myself a few times, until my skin is glowing red. I move faster and faster, an urgency to get back to them building within me.

As I dry my body, hot tears sneak out. I’m hurting for Jack and Sophia. How could those monsters be so cruel?

I dress in some shorts and a t-shirt. I never wear shoes when we’re home. I tie my wet hair in a low ponytail and then run back to the room. As I walk into the room I can feel the heat. “Adam,” I touch his shoulder, “go shower. I’ll sit with them.”

As Adam leaves the room I go to set the AC colder. Miss Ella must’ve brought clean water again. I dip a finger in the bucket and feel that it’s cool. I rinse a clean cloth and start with Sophia, wiping her down again. We’ve dealt with cases like this before. We’ve had one death where the girl was too far gone.

I start to wipe softly over Jack’s chest and then moving the sheet away, I keep wiping him down. Now that all the blood is off I can see his wounds clearly. The part that’s been beaten the worst is his legs. They even whipped his groin area! Tears well in my eyes. I remember how gorgeous they looked on Thursday night, now they’re nothing but welts and bruises.

Adam returns quickly, bringing an extra chair to the room. “I told Mama to phone Doc. We’re going to need antibiotics.”

I can only nod. Doc is our town’s general practitioner. He’s older than the huge tree we have out front. He helps us where he can and that’s all that matters.