Page 71 of The Golden Rose Of Valenul

Settled onto one of the sitting room couches, Emillie tracked her sister as she slipped a couple of books onto her shelves. The only one she left out was the same book from the previous morning. It had been many years since she saw Ariadne reading simple children’s stories. Even her fantastical-loving sister, who typically read of love and worlds in which objects such as carriages operated without manual assistance, rarely stooped to the tales of their childhood.

“How are you?” Ariadne asked as she slid onto the chaise across from Emillie, tucked her feet up and under her robe, and pulled her long, dark hair over one shoulder to twist and curl around her finger.

She studied her sister for a long moment, noting the subtle nods to her discomfort. “Better tonight. Yourself?”

Ariadne suddenly became very interested in the ends of her hair. “Much better, thank you. Last night was an interesting experience.”

It certainly had been on many accounts. Kyra flashed through Emillie’s mind again, and she pushed the image of the redhead aside to focus on what she had come to discuss. “What happened between you and—”

“Nothing.” Ariadne pulled her lower lip between her teeth, exposing the tips of her fangs as she bit down softly. “Mister Tenebra and I had a disagreement that had carried over from earlier.”

“When you hit him?”

Her sister’s cheeks flushed. “Yes.”

“I recall a conversation we had weeks ago,” Emillie said cautiously. “About him. Do you remember what you said?”

Ariadne stilled, her hands dropping from her hair to twist in her skirts instead. “Indeed.”

“Please, Ari.” Emillie glanced at the door, worried it might open at any moment. Someone could be listening in the corridor beyond. “That was no argument I saw last night. If anyone else had walked in on you…”

With a shake of her head, Ariadne smoothed her robe out over her legs again. Anything to avoid eye contact, it would seem. “I was telling Mister Tenebra how unprofessional he had been by making Madan escort us into town last night. If he had been there from the beginning—”

“I am not stupid, Ariadne.” Emillie sat forward as her sister’s eyes snapped up to scan her face.

“I never said you were.”

“Then stop treating me like I am!” she said, dropping her voice into a harried whisper. “I am your sister, and I tell you everything.”

Mouth agape, Ariadne merely stared for a long moment before she said, “As do I.”

“Lies!” After everything they had gone through, she could not understand why her sister would want to hide her true feelings. “Again and again, you have lied to me. Please, Ariadne, I know you are not fine. I can see you struggling every single day. Let me help you.”

“I am not lying.”

“Swear it,” Emillie said, swallowing back the heat building in her throat. “Swear on our mother’s ashes that you are not lying to me.”

Ariadne scoffed. “This is an affront. How could you think so lowly of me?”

“Swear it!”

“I was overwhelmed last night,” Ariadne said, and Emillie did not miss how she skirted around the demand. “After everything at the bistro, then the General… I needed a moment to myself. Mister Tenebra was there, and he got the brunt of my frustration.”

Still no acknowledgment of her request. No swearing. It stung to see how desperately her sister wished to avoid speaking the truth.

“Are you happy?” Emillie asked after a long moment of grappling with her frustration.

“I told you,” Ariadne sighed, “I am overwhelmed.”

Emillie shook her head. “No. Are you happy with your engagement?”

Another pause in which Ariadne did not look up. Her fingers twisted around the hem of her robe again, and when she finally spoke, it was quieter than usual. She looked up at the ceiling, and her eyes shimmered. “Of course I am happy. Anyone in the Society would be thrilled to be engaged to the General.”

“Ari…”

Her sister smiled tightly and stood. “I need to get ready for the night. If you will excuse me.”

Emillie followed suit and made her way to the door. “Join me for tea later?”

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