Chapter 29 #3
I looked up, surprised by his vehemence.
“The war is not won, but the battle is,” he said. “Even soldiers deserve rest and cheer, Giselle. Won’t you give that to yourself, so you can keep fighting?”
Tears pricked my eyes unexpectedly. “You’re just full of wisdom these days, aren’t you?” I mumbled, embarrassed when my voice wavered.
“One of my lesser known qualities,” he acquiesced.
I took a deep breath. Maddox was right. It was better to be optimistic. But I couldn’t bring myself to feel an ounce of happiness. Disregarding the problem of humans and witches, I still had nothing good to celebrate in my personal life.
Maddox seemed to sense this. “What else is wrong?”
“The day I left with Edmund...” I swallowed, the shame still fresh. I couldn’t believe I was going to tell Maddox about this. “He made an offer.”
***
I DIDN’T EXPECT TO be following Maddox all the way to The Conch. We rode there together on a cheap horse chaise. I was sure the driver was drunk by how many lurches and sharp turns there were during the ride, but that was the least of my concerns.
When the towering hotel came into view, Maddox got out and marched right past the mermaid fountain in the lavish courtyard, his steps so brisk that I had to trot to keep up.
“You don’t have to do this,” I beseeched.
“I just want to talk,” Maddox said calmly.
“I can talk to him on my own!”
In reality, I had planned on just ignoring Edmund and stewing in my own shame and indignation in peace. The murderous intent in Maddox’s eyes, however, told me that we wouldn’t leave the confrontation on peaceful terms.
The receptionist seemed surprised at our abrupt entrance, but when his gaze alighted on me, recognition crossed his face. “Miss Giselle Phula. Mr. de Clare told me to expect you,” he said pleasantly. “Do you need someone to show you to his apartment?”
I shook my head. It was hard to forget that Edmund lived at the very top floor in the most luxurious of penthouse suites. The receptionist let us through. Maddox began climbing the flights of marble steps, the heavy thumps of his boots echoing in the cavernous atrium.
I hiked my skirts up, taking two stairs at a time. The exercise burned my thighs, but Maddox was relentless. He was almost half a flight ahead of me, even though he had no idea where we were going.
“Wait!” I panted, grabbing onto the ornate gilded banisters.
He crossed his arms and waited for me to catch up, a scowl on his face. “I knew something was off with that man. The audacity to ask you to do something like that! He wants to use you like a tool!”
“Let me handle it first. Promise you won’t do anything rash,” I said between breaths. I was more than touched that Maddox felt the offense on my behalf, but the last thing I wanted was for us to be roughly escorted out of the premises for violent misdemeanor.
“But he—”
I shot him a glare. “Just promise.”
We finally reached the top floor after five flights of stairs.
The seafoam green wallpaper was lit moodily by soft golden sconces.
Begrudgingly, Maddox planted himself at the end of the hall as I continued on with burning legs and a cramp on my side.
Edmund’s door was at the very end, a gold knocker the shape of a seashell gleaming before me.
I knocked before I lost courage.
A second later, Edmund opened the door, looking effortlessly handsome in a silk robe de chambre, a single dark curl flopping over his forehead.
He flashed a smile and leaned against the doorframe. “Giselle! It’s good to see you. If I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought you were avoiding me.”
The flash of anger his voice ignited within me was unexpected. I inhaled and exhaled, forcing myself to not fly into a rage at his self-assured demeanor. “Edmund,” I said stiffly.
“Have you made up your mind? Come in and let’s have a chat over tea.”
If I had to have another sip of that overly sweet concoction he called tea, I’d vomit. “My answer is no,” I said.
Edmund blinked, his mouth formed into an “o”. I would’ve found it endlessly adorable only weeks ago, but now his doe-eyed, long-lashed look only irritated me. The expression dissolved as he gave a little laugh.
“Giselle, it would be mutually beneficial, you see. I’ll get my inheritance, and you’ll get a spot in Blanche de Clare.” He enunciated the last part as if I must not have understood him the first time. The man really didn’t expect to be rejected.
Heat rose to my ears—this time the result of anger, not attraction. How I ever found this man charming was beyond me.
“I don’t want it,” I said slowly, enunciating my words in turn. “How could you possibly think I would agree to those terms? That I would do something so horrendous for the sake of riches and accolades? What do you take me for?”
“Rethink this, Giselle.” Edmund pushed off from the doorframe, his brow scrunching. Likely worry for himself, rather than concern for me. “What else do you want? I can give it to you.”
Blazing fires, he didn’t know me at all. “Mr. de Clare, there is nothing you can offer to tempt me to say yes.”
Edmund smiled, a corner of his perfect lips tugging upward. There was a smug edge to it, something I never noticed before, but must have always been there. “Not even a kiss?” he said in a low, taunting voice.
My face burned with embarrassment and rage. How I ever had a soft spot for him was beyond comprehension. “Not even that,” I snarled.
His expression grew haughty and impassive. “Then we have nothing more to discuss, Miss Phula.”
I clenched my jaw. All he ever wanted from me was my magic. Without that, I was nothing to him. Useless. I curled my hands into fists, but suddenly, there was another presence behind me.
Maddox stood with his legs apart and arms akimbo, assessing a surprised Edmund from head to toe. “Tell me where,” he said calmly, flexing his hand into a fist.
I nodded. “Nose.”
Maddox swung true.