Chapter Twenty-Three
I WOKE UP STARVING.
The adrenaline and stress of yesterday had left me with a hollowed-out feeling. Whisper also hadn’t come to visit me in the night, which made me fear that Lucien still wasn’t well.
The urge to check on him caught me by surprise.
What did it matter to me that he was hurting?
He was a stranger. An enemy.
He was the reason I was in this mess.
Not really though...
He wasn’t the one who’d tested my blood and thrown me in here.
In a way, we were allies and all the men outside Cinderkeep were the true villains.
I sighed, unable to even convince myself that I wasn’t in humongous trouble where he was concerned.
My gaze went to the gravel-rash that’d long since healed on my palm.
The men who’d trapped me here under false pretences had stolen my DNA to see if I was compatible with him.
At the time, I hadn’t understood, and I still had far too many unanswered questions, but.
..if his blood was different from other humans, I supposed it made sense that they’d need to find someone with a similar make-up?
But what does it mean that they chose me?
Were we similar?
We seemed to share an unnatural habit of passing out at random times but that only meant we sucked at life in general, not that we were special.
My stomach growled again, forcing me from my bed and into the white-tiled shower.
Once I’d dressed in a cream floaty dress that didn’t dare cling to me too tightly, I went straight to the wine cupboard.
When the pantry and fridge had been restocked the other day, the wine hadn’t been replaced, and even though I knew the shelves were bare, I still had to check.
My plans for the day—after submitting to awful servitude yesterday—included lying in the garden, soaking up the wonderful sunshine, and taking a long, restorative nap once I’d devoured a picnic for one.
But...no wine meant my nap might not be as deep and as long as I hoped.
Fine.
Closing the cupboard, I glanced around for my flip-flops then decided to take a page out from the master of this Cinderkeep’s playbook and go barefoot instead.
I knew where there was wine.
In his kitchen.
There were multiple bottles of every kind.
So what I was about to commit daylight robbery? So what I might be using the excuse of wine-hunting to check on him? So what I was worried about him and felt responsible?
Striding from my pavilion, I squinted against the bright sun and made my way through the impressive estate. Staying on the thick, carpet-like grass, I made my way to the black stone palace in the distance.
All around me, birds flitted and sang, bumblebees darted and buzzed, and the many little streams running like veins from one central heart babbled and bubbled. If I was a painter, I might be inspired to capture such countryside perfection.
But painting required far too much concentration.
I wasn’t lying when I said I was lazy.
Yes, I had to avoid all kinds of stress, but I genuinely enjoyed just watching the world go by rather than participating in it.
The moment I had some medication in the form of apple-blossom wine, I would spend the rest of the day giving my poor hands time to heal from their blisters. However, the moment I rounded a hedge of camellias, all those plans popped like bubbles.
Slamming to a stop, my toes dug into the grass.
Most of the women—at least the ones still alive—lounged in a sun-drenched garden like smug cats. Some sat beneath the shade of an intricately carved sala, while others lay on plaid blankets in full light.
Platters of fruit and cheese waited to be devoured. One blonde girl poured glasses of icy liquid, the pitcher dripping in the morning summer heat.
My mouth watered.
They all went deathly silent the second they saw me.
“Well, well,” a nameless girl purred. “You were telling the truth, Evelyn. She is still alive.”
“Didn’t think you’d survive past the first hour,” another added, smirking over her glass. “After seeing how you turned catatonic in the ballroom that first day, every breath you take is through sheer dumb luck.”
Laughter rippled.
I crossed my arms and tried to look tougher than I was. “Morning to you too.”
“Morning?” one scoffed. “It’s practically noon.”
The chorus of giggles stung like nettles.
Shifting to leave, my gaze caught on a girl with mousy brown hair, naturally pink lips, and stunningly blue eyes.
She didn’t join in the others laughing, sitting on the outskirts, knees tucked up and arms wrapped around herself.
Her no-nonsense jeans and white t-shirt said she might fall into the same category I did: mistake.
Giving her a quick smile, I padded away from the group only—
The girl shot to her feet.
The others hurled their hate in her direction instead of mine.
“Remind us again how you’re still alive?” A couple of girls giggled. “You’re such a waste of space, Laura.”
“You’re still wearing the same clothes as when you were thrown in here. Have you been living under a bush?” More laughter.
“I’m guessing you smell so bad now, even the panther refuses to eat you.”
Laura blushed, her shoulders rounding as she hugged herself.
She looked on the verge of tears. Afraid and alone and I couldn’t help myself.
“Hey.” Marching into their midst, I scowled. “You can be mean to me but not to others who ended up here by accident.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I heard Rina killed one of you ‘accidents’ a few nights ago. Can’t have you distracting Lucien Ashfall, now can we?” More snickers.
“Wait...” I swallowed hard. “You killed a girl?”
“So what?” A curvy woman smirked. “We came here for a reason, and we won’t let any of you lottery cards ruin it.”
“So what your blood got you in?” another girl with a thick brown ponytail muttered. “No matter where they found you, the idea that a bumbling, clueless idiot will attract Lucien is ridiculous. No, it’s worse than ridiculous, it’s downright insulting.”
“You’re all nasty pieces of work.” I glowered at them even as my headache turned borderline. “I suddenly have no sympathy for you if Lucien decides to remove the trash.”
The cattier girls sat upright and almost hissed. “Careful, accident. Your blood might be compatible, but it can still be drained.”
“Leave us alone.” Grabbing Laura’s hand, I dragged her away from the hate-filled picnic.
The girl trotted beside me, wincing as the others whispered, not-so-quietly, about how we were taking up valuable resources and if Lucien didn’t kill us soon, perhaps it would fall to them to do something about it.
Goosebumps shot down my spine at the thought.
I probably shouldn’t have engaged with them.
I wouldn’t last long if the girls all turned on one another. I’d be slaughtered in my sleep and wouldn’t even know I’d been killed.
“Thank you,” Laura said softly as I let her go but kept walking. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.” I gave her a smile, nausea from standing up for her making me pay a little. “But I couldn’t leave you there to be hounded. I don’t do well with bullies.” The faster the adrenaline of what I’d done wore off, the stronger my headache became.
God, couldn’t I be free from pain just for a little while?
Rubbing my temples, I grimaced.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Hiding my discomfort and hoping it would fade instead of getting worse, I slowed my fast pace. “You were caught up in this too?”
“Yep.” She sighed heavily, rubbing her arms even though the sun was surprisingly warm.
“I was in London visiting the flea markets to furnish the studio apartment I’ve just moved into.
My ex dumped me after emptying my bank accounts and.
..I’ve been feeling rather sorry for myself.
So when a guy approached with an invitation and dangled the opportunity to enjoy a free spa weekend, I took it. Stupidly.”
“Hey, if you’re stupid, then I’m an idiot.” I smiled. “You just hoped this place would be something that could cure your grief and make you feel a bit better. Me? I was just greedy.”
She met my smile with her own. “I’m Laura Milay.”
“Rook Snowden.”
Her eyebrows rose. “That’s an interesting name.”
It’s better than my pseudonym.
I nodded. “My parents wanted something different.”
“Is it related to anything?” Her nose wrinkled. “The crow perhaps?”
“Who knows?” I shrugged with a smile.
I’d grown used to the way people reacted to hearing my name for the first time. Sure, I had jet black hair and matching dark eyes, but either naming me after an ominous bird or a castle-like chess piece, didn’t really make much sense.
Unlike Lucien...that’s a nice name.
I froze.
Wait. Where the hell did that thought come from?
“Where are you going?” Laura asked, her face hopeful. “Do you want some company?”
My cheeks pinked. I could lie but I sucked at it, and this was the first time I’d felt a sense of togetherness with someone in here—not including the monster in the middle of this nightmare’s web.
I didn’t want to ruin whatever friendship could exist before it could begin. Besides, if she was another mistake like me, didn’t that mean we had an obligation to stick together? That I owed it to her to ask Lucien to save her life, just like he was saving mine?
Perhaps he needs a second maid?
His house was certainly big enough.
“If you’re alright on your own,” I said. “I’m going to steal some wine from the main house. Once I’m back, we could meet somewhere and share a drink if you wanted?”
What I really wanted was some alone time and a nap, but she looked so miserable and afraid and...safety in numbers.
“The main house?” She wrinkled her nose. “You’re that familiar with the Ashfall castle to call it a house?”
“Not really.” I laughed.
“Do you know anything about him? About why we were brought here?”
I kept walking toward the hulking palace in the distance. She followed me, leaving behind the other gossiping women. “I’m beginning to learn a little, but I still have many, many questions.”
“You can ask me if you want.”
I caught her eyes. “I thought you said you were here by bad luck.”