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)
The little brat.
I have to turn away, have to take deep breaths and focus on the sound of my cousin’s voice braying with laughter behind me in order to get my body under control again. It takes a bare minute, but by the time I turn around again, Eve is in the midst of the villagers, chatting easily and smiling as if she’s having a great time.
“I like her.”
I jolt. I hadn’t noticed Alice closing the distance. “I do too.”
My cousin loops her arm through mine. “Let’s get the tour out of the way. Be prepared to ooh and aah over our fields!” She seems to notice that my steps are slow and raises her brows. “I know you’ve had some trouble, but she’s safe here. Every single one of my people would toss themselves on a sword for you, and we don’t undervalue the humans who are in our territory.”
There are only half a dozen or so currently in this village, two of whom are linked to Alice through contracts. “I know.” It’s still hard to walk away from Eve—and that has little to do with the ever-present danger and more to do with the fact she was flirting with me. Not in order to escape. Not out of spite. She teased me just because she could. How can I see that as anything but progress?
True to her word, Alice keeps the tour of the nearby fields short. It’s an effort to stay focused, but I’m here for a reason. I frown as we finish with the last one and turn back toward the village proper. “You’ve expanded quite a bit since last year.”
“We have.” She shrugs. “The land is doing well, and our numbers have grown. We gained three new families in the last six months alone. Not everyone is cut out for city life; they’ve slipped right into our rhythm without much friction at all.”
“Will you need supplemental help come harvest time?”
She chuckles. “We always need supplemental help during harvest time.”
I don’t know how leadership sits so easily on her shoulders. I suspect it has to do with a difference in personalities. From the moment she was born, Alice has moved through the world in a completely different way than I do. “I’ll make sure to put the word out. There are plenty of young adults who can afford to spend a season with you. The city will supplement their wages, of course.”
“Of course,” Alice says dryly. “It’s not necessary, though. We can afford the cost. Our coffers are full, thanks to your trading policies.”
“That’s why I said supplement.” I nudge her with my shoulder. “You have a lot to take pride in here, Alice. You’ve done a good job. But the city is prosperous enough to help, and so it should.”
She’s silent nearly all the way back, only speaking when she pulls me to a stop as we reach the first house. “You’re doing good work, Azazel. I know it’s a thankless task to run this territory, especially with so many of the old guard rumbling about the changes, but the changes are good. So many people who were barely getting by before are prospering. That’s important.”
I clear my throat. “Uh, thanks.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll stop praising you now.” She shakes her head and moves forward again. “I hear the music starting up. You’d better make sure you dance with your girl.” She shoots a grin over her shoulder. “Otherwise, I might beat you to the chance.”
CHAPTER 15
EVE
Once, Pope took the lot of us to some kind of harvest festival, and we had one hell of a good time with the spiked cider and apple picking. This is a lot like that . . . and also not.
It seems like the entire village has come out in celebration. There’s a four-person band striking up a tune. The food smells amazing. Children dart through the gathered people, giggling and shouting with glee. Teenagers make eyes at one another from their respective friend groups. This isn’t a party with an eye for tourists; this is for this community, a social event that it seems like everyone pitched in to make happen. Now they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
“Eve.”
Two couples begin to dance. Then three. Then four. The people gathered quickly move back to create an open space for them to spin one another around. My heart lurches at the joy on the dancers’ faces.
“Eve.”
I can’t quite tear my gaze away. Not even for Azazel. “What?”
“Would you like to dance?”
I know what I should say, but I can’t quite dredge up the anger that’s been brimming beneath my skin since the moment I woke up in this realm and realized what he’d done. It’s not that I forgive him—I don’t know what it will take to get there, or if it’s even possible. It’s more that I’m starting to fully understand the kind of man Azazel is . . . to recognize in him the client I shared meals and conversations with over the years. The stories he told me may have been edited, but they seem to hold a core truth.