Chapter 19
Rumor
Daimons or lords.
Mighty or mortal.
Men were men.
And slept like death after sex.
I didn’t arise suspicion when I quietly slipped back into my dress and tiptoed down the hall.
A breath of relief only escaped my lips when I made it down the stone steps outside.
Even still, my senses alerted me to every twig break or ordinary crow caw.
Spade was lurking around the castle, I could feel it.
Riot would soon awaken to great offense with me missing from his bed. That is, if his hangover let him feel anything other than a wretched headache.
A mature person would have gathered them and had a reasonable, rational conversation. Ask my questions, devise a plan, rescue my sister from wherever she’d wandered off to now… but I didn’t feel like being sane.
Not right then.
The Blackthorne Boys were all-consuming. In my time since meeting them, they’d occupied far too much space in my mind. Now, I’d just toyed with their hearts and had no idea which of them I truly wanted. So, rather than face that, and them—I ran away like a frightened little pigeon.
Standing up to withers? Sure, no problem.
Facing my growing and confusing emotions and feelings for Spade and Riot? No, thank you.
Smoke curled from my cottage.
My chest tightened. For a moment, I’d forgotten that my sister was gone. For that brief breath, Prism was inside, safe, knitting in her chair by the fire, and all was well.
How very far from those days we were now.
The young, red-headed witch must have still been inside waiting for Empath.
At least she was okay in my absence. I vowed to ask her if she needed any clothing or thicker gloves when I got inside.
All alone, cursed with a dreadful new magical ability, killing her brother, tossed at me by Willowspire’s coven leader. The poor girl was probably terrified.
What was her name again? Tinsel? No, Trickster. No, Trinket.
Trinket.
I shoved through the front door with a sigh. “Sorry I was gone so long. I didn’t mean to disappear on you.”
The figure of a stalky man stood at the kitchen sink. He turned, revealing a face that chilled my bones and ignited rage all at once. Adder Viper crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “Hello, wife. It’s quite all right, but I’ll be sure not to lose sight of you again.”