Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
I have half a mind to command Ramanu to stay, to deal with their witch later, but that’s not an acceptable command. They haven’t made a bargain in ages, and the amount of time they’ve spent watching the witch nearly rivals mine with Eve. It’s important to them, and I’d be a shit leader if I prioritized my fear over their potential happiness.
They consider for long enough to make me restless, before finally saying, “I think Nuin and Ziven are safe options. Both have their reasons for preferring your leadership to someone like Brosh. They also have no direct connection with anyone in your family, which is a small miracle. They won’t be conflicted if they find him.”
“Talk to them and set up the search.”
“Will do.” Ramanu sighs. “Eve isn’t going to play nice at dinner. You know that, right? She’s going to put on a show for Rusalka and Belladonna.”
I hate that they’re right. I give a sigh of my own. “Well, maybe it will teach Belladonna a thing or two about advocating for herself.”
Ramanu smirks and starts for the door. “Or maybe she’ll see a kindred martyr when she looks at you.” They waltz out of the room before I can work up a response to that.
Dinner starts to go wrong the moment I sit down. It’s clear enough that Rusalka and Belladonna are getting along swimmingly. I made the right choice in sending her to them. That’s small enough comfort when Eve sashays into the room, brimming with fury in a way I’ve never seen from her before.
She looks beautiful in her anger, dressed to kill in black, each step dripping acid and aimed directly at me.
I clear my throat as she downs half her wine in a single swallow. “This is Eve. Eve, this is Rusalka and Belladonna.”
“I remember you.” Eve looks at Belladonna, some of the tightness fading from her expression. “You were part of the auction.”
“Yes.” Belladonna leans forward, curiosity alighting her expression. There’s none of the wounded woman whom I first made a deal with present, which would be more of a relief if I weren’t so acutely aware of Eve’s anger. Belladonna smiles. “It’s been an interesting experience.”
“Interesting. That’s one way to put it.” Eve downs the rest of her glass. She’s drinking too fast, as if she’s fleeing something . . . or working up the destructive courage for a fight. I can feel Rusalka’s eyes on me, but I can’t pull my attention away from my woman.
At least until Belladonna crosses her arms over her chest, a small frown appearing between her brows. “You’re not happy here.”
“Ding, ding, ding.” Eve raises her glass in a mock toast.
I grab the wine bottle before she can refill it. A lost cause as such things go; she just shrugs and grabs my glass instead. I try to catch her wrist, but she evades me and snags it.
Belladonna frowns harder. “If you’re being mistreated—”
“Mind your tongue,” I growl. I’m still too focused on Eve to moderate my tone. A mistake.
“I don’t care if you made the initial deal that got her here,” Rusalka snaps. “If you use that tone again, I’ll rip out your tongue.”
Eve laughs bitterly. “Down, Daddy.” She turns to address Belladonna, and some of the venom in her tone eases. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. I’m safe.” She practically spits the word. “What reason do I have to be angry?”
All the reason in the world, and we both know it. I sigh. “Eve . . .”
“I think I’ve had enough. Good night.” She rises unsteadily to her feet, sweeping up Belladonna’s wine as she does, and wobbles out of the room.
I don’t know where she’s headed, but I can’t let her go alone. I shove to my feet. “I apologize. This isn’t how I’d hoped things would go. I have to see to Eve.”
“Wait.” The sharp command doesn’t come from Rusalka, like I would expect. It comes from Belladonna.
I force myself to pause and give her my attention even though every instinct is demanding I charge out of the room. “Yes?”
She swallows visibly. “I know you said time moves differently, but . . . my sister?”
Frustration blooms like a poison flower inside me. I have to work to lock down my expression. It’s not Belladonna’s fault that her family is awful to the point that I’m tempted to wipe them off the face of the earth. She made the deal to save her sister, and I’d be a monster to shove my anger at this woman, who’s looking at me with hope in her eyes.
I swallow down another sigh. “She was gifted with an anonymous medical scholarship to cover her treatment the moment you signed the deal.” I can’t quite keep a sneer off my face. “Your parents believe it’s a reward for her faith that your god would provide.”