Snuff

KATYA'S ORDEAL Entering the main hall, Katya looked around in wonder. The room was a riot of Bokhara carpets and cushions, hangings of silk and muslin, loops of chain and rope. At irregular intervals along the walls preserved heads hung by their hair. There were nameplates beneath them; Alexandra’s and Rosa’s heads were there and a beautiful blonde head in the centre of the facing wall was labelled “Elena”. She turned to Grigori to ask about this, but then remembered her place. “Lie here” he told her, indicating the great refectory table. It was lit by bleeding women who hung from...

Edith was just 12 years old when the new king's soldiers attacked her family's hamlet.  It was in reprisal for their support for a pretender to the throne when the old king died childless. She had wandered into the edge of the wood gathering fruit when the soldiers came. She crouched terrified in the thicket of brambles where the blackberries abounded, watching as the soldiers forced everyone into her parents' wood and thatch cottage at sword-point then set it alight. As the flames rapidly spread up the walls and across the roof she covered her ears to shut out the high...