Page 86 of Love & Heart Braking

The butler searched my face, then hobbled toward the medieval mansion. I was led back to the aviary at the heart of the estate, but this time, we didn’t return to the fire pit where Acribus tricked me with the myrtle bush.

The butler took a path that hugged the perimeter instead.

I was strongly considering picking the old fella up to carry him and speed things along, when he made a sudden—in his definition of the word, not mine—left turn.

The fragrance of more flowers and plants than I could count assailed my senses, combining into an exquisite aroma I’d pay more than a few pennies to bottle. There truly weren’t words for the beauty of this garden. The ancient feel seeped into my bones, and I forced myself to remember that the Cinereses had done very little to shape this incredible space other than to provide the money.

This garden was the work of generations of brownies: Mantel and her ancestors before her. The scrubs, trees, and climbers were so artfully shaped and maintained that I didn’t see the building until we were nearly upon it. And when the butler opened a thick white door for me, the size of the building surprised me yet again.

I cataloged the microscopes, test tubes, and about one million machines whose purposes I had no idea about other than that they were for medical purposes.

A lab.

My heart skipped a beat. Was this the lab? The one Devereaux’s father was led from before the Dethnels set off his rhage?

The lab was mostly one large room, though a section marked with the word Biohazard was walled off in glass. Beyond that area was a door reading Staff Only.

The white door was pushed open, and I caught a glimpse of a long hallway as a stout man exited.

“Miss Concordia?” he asked, not waiting for my answer before he added, “I’m a healing elemental.”

I didn’t respond.

He didn’t appear to care. “This way.”

I heard a soft whoosh, and I glanced back to find the butler gone. Creaky fucker. “What’s on the agenda tonight?”

“Drawing blood. Running some tests.” The healer gestured to a medical bed, and I checked for straps before perching on the edge.

Another whoosh.

“Miss Concordia.”

I lifted my head at the feminine call and couldn’t help the slight wrinkling of my nose. “Good evening, Smolder.”

She smiled the type of smile I’d expect from a kraken thwarting someone out of a billion dollars. “Isn’t it just. My grandmother sent me to ensure you were settling in.”

I peered around the clinical room. “As cozy as could be.”

“As cozy as you are with that detective, no doubt. Though… he seems like the cozy sort. The kind of guy to keep a woman hot and satisfied. I may need to summon him when I’m bored.”

A snort escaped me, and I waved a hand in the air at the flash of fire in her gaze. “Sorry, sorry. I know these petty jabs are normal in your circles. Carry on.” You sound pathetic.

Smolder was the first person to ever make me question whether Venus’s power might just leave her alone in life. Truly. And I was a strong believer that there was someone for everyone.

Smolder stepped closer. “Let’s get something straight, heart elemental. You are powerless here. Your every thought is ours. Your will belongs to us.” Fire danced on her fingertips. “Anything to the otherwise will be punished until you are broken.”

I nodded a few times, then looked at the healer. “You mentioned tests. What kind?”

His eyes widened.

Smolder surged forward, and I yelped as her red flames licked my hand.

“Miss Cineres!” the healer blurted. “You’ll confound my tests! Your grandmother will be most unhappy.”

Her phoenix fire cut off, but the burn in my skin was agony. I groaned, clutching at my scalded hand as Smolder stared the healer down.

“We need a clear base point to work from,” he said, gaze lowered and hands raised. “If she’s injured, we’ll need to wait for her to heal. Already the burn could affect the results.”

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