“Thank you.” Agathe could barely hide her anxiety. “We’ll wait over there.” She took Madlen’s arm and pulled her away from the hustle and bustle. The women stayed and watched as Fronicka spoke with Jacques. Suddenly, Madlen felt someone touch her shoulder and she winced.
“Well, where do you think you’re going, my beloved wife?”
Madlen turned around, and Agathe yelped in terror.
Johannes gave Madlen an ice-cold stare. She was unable to speak. Her heart pounded wildly, and she thought she might faint straight away.
“Please, Johannes,” Agathe stammered, but he didn’t even look at her. Instead, he held Madlen’s shoulders so tightly that her eyes watered. “Did you really think that I wouldn’t be able to find you? Did you really believe that?” His brow furrowed, and his mouth twisted contemptuously.
“I . . . I want to explain everything to you. I . . .”
“Spare me your explanations. I know exactly who you are. I fell into your trap. But believe me, I won’t make the same mistake again.”
“Please, Johannes. I beg of you.”
“I loved you,” he roared suddenly, and Madlen nearly crumpled. “I loved you so much, and you used me. You’re going to burn, you she-devil, and if not that, I will relish the moment when you go to the gallows and I hear your neck break.”
At this very moment, a massive cudgel smashed down on the nobleman’s head. Johannes lurched and turned around as his knees buckled; he struggled to keep from falling to the ground. “Andreas?”
The man smashed him again and Johannes collapsed. Madlen screeched.
“Shh . . . you want everybody to hear you?”
Madlen couldn’t believe her eyes. “Kilian?” She sobbed. “What? How?”
“I’ll explain everything later, once we’re sure that we’re a safe distance away from here.” Four brutes stormed up to Kilian and grabbed the women; a violent tumult ensued. Suddenly, a frighteningly familiar face loomed out of nowhere; Madlen’s blood froze in her veins.
“Well, now, who do we have here?” Matthias Trauenstein bared his teeth.
“Help! Help!” Agathe shouted. She caught a punch to the face and dropped to the ground like a ton of bricks. Madlen began to scream as Kilian tried desperately to shake off his attackers.
“No!” screamed Madlen desperately.
“Leave her alone,” Kilian shouted. On a signal from Matthias Trauenstein, two henchmen held him as the others pummeled him mercilessly. He absorbed the blows until a solid punch to the chin left him lying lifeless on the ground. Madlen screamed in anguish, but Matthias only laughed.
Some people craned their necks to see what was going on. Fronicka looked back worriedly, trying to see what had happened.
“Come on. Get out of here!” Matthias signaled the men to leave Kilian.
Madlen hung powerlessly between the two henchmen, stumbling as they dragged her away. She couldn’t see anything through her tears.
“If you make even one more sound, I’ll slit their throats.” Matthias cocked his head back toward Agathe and Kilian. Madlen choked back a sob. She felt sick and thought she might throw up at any second. The brutes held her under her arms so tightly that her feet barely touched the ground. She heard Fronicka’s voice calling as if from far, far away. Madlen lost all strength to fight back. Her final hours here on earth had come to pass, and she knew it. The child in her womb would never see the light of day.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“This is all your fault!” Johannes held the wet cloth on the huge bump on the back of his head. He glared at Kilian, who was slumped in the chair in front of him looking at the floor, his face pummeled to a black-and-blue pulp. “I would have brought them before the archbishop, but this Trauenstein will kill her.”
Agathe wasn’t capable of speech as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I should have known that something in your face was familiar to me,” Johannes continued. “Her brother, naturally. The same eyes; I should have seen it.” He snorted with rage. “But I did not know that my faithful wife had a brother. Maria never told me.”
“Madlen,” Kilian clarified. “Her name is Madlen, not Maria. And shit on your archbishop. My sister has never done anything to anyone.” He spit out.
Johannes was foaming. “What makes you think a wretch like you can talk to me like that?”
“Stop immediately!” Fronicka shouted. “You two have to behave when you’re in my house, otherwise I’ll kick you both out onto the street.”
Johannes and Kilian mumbled something unintelligible, then fell silent.