Page 38 of Violet Legacy

“You look Atlantean,” Sypha whispered.

Rieka didn’t know if it was supposed to be a compliment or an insult. The dress seemed to have been custom-fitted to her. She wasn’t sure how Sypha had done it. Or who the dress originally belonged to. This type of haute couture couldn’t be sourced overnight, even for billionaires.

Maybe a couple of hours at the ball wouldn’t kill her. She wouldn’t have access to the statue until midnight. The gala would keep her entertained for a few hours at least. It had nothing to do with seeing Dante again.

Liar.

Rieka turned to face Sypha. She didn’t understand the dynamic between Sypha and Dante. Sypha was treated far more like an adviser than an assistant, despite their title. “How do you know Dante?”

Sypha laughed, the sound tinged with bittersweetness as a faint smile spread across their face. “I am over one thousand years old,” Sypha began. “My eyes cast me as an outsider among my family. Tainted. At a time where families were judged by the purity of their offspring, I was not what they wanted.”

Rieka froze. She shouldn’t have asked the question.

Sypha gracefully moved around Rieka as they checked the dress. “They thought I was broken. Perhaps I was. I spent centuries not understanding the difference between reality and hallucinations.”

The urge to hug Sypha was overwhelming, but she didn’t want to break the spell Sypha was weaving. The pain that edged their voice was distant, but it was that of someone who had survived, but not forgotten, their past.

“They kept me in a small dark room where I was left alone with my mind. When your mind does not belong solely to you—there is no greater punishment,” Sypha sighed. “Is this too tight?”

Rieka shook her head. She had no words to comfort Sypha.

“I’d had no contact with a living soul in over a century when Dante found me.” Sypha tugged at another strap on Rieka’s gown. “He gave me the land rights to a small farm in southern France. Far enough away from my family that I would not see them, but close enough to do so, if I wanted to. And he informed me that, when I was ready, he would offer me employment.”

Dante wasn’t the cold Atlantean she had expected. He might truly care for his people, despite his reputation. It was the only way to explain Sypha’s and Talik’s loyalty.

“I found him in New York City one hundred and thirty-seven years later. He kept his word,” Sypha said. “One day, I had the courage to ask why he helped me.”

Rieka blinked back tears. “What did he say?”

Sypha whispered, “Dante told me I was broken, not ruined.” Sypha stared at Rieka.

Their dual-colored gaze almost felt like they were seeing straight through her.

“Before I forget.” Sypha produced a small box and flipped the lid open. “To complement your outfit.”

Rieka peered into it. It was a highly polished bronze bracelet, so thin it was almost translucent. Orichalcum, if she wasn’t mistaken. “Are you sure?”

Sypha chuckled, and their eyes twinkled. “I wouldn’t offer it if I wasn’t.”

Rieka reached out and placed it on her arm. The three distinct ovals that made up the body of the bracelet sat flat against the top of her right arm, almost reaching the crook of her elbow. Three sets of thin bands, a set for each oval, then encircled her wrist and forearm, securing the piece in place. It reminded her of the pendant.

“It won’t fall off?”

Sypha shook their head.

Rieka couldn’t take her eyes off the bracelet. Despite its plainness, it had been designed for a queen. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. The piece is from Dante’s private collection.”

Chapter 23

Dantestaredatthemingling crowd.

Every single Atlantean within the room had been invited because of their business connections or their bloodlines. Sometimes both. An ostentatious reminder of what it meant to belong to the ruling Atlantean class. The gala catered to the hedonistic. After all, it was a celebration of what Atlanteans were capable of.

It was exactly where Dante belonged.

He had spent centuries crafting the persona that demanded respect within the elite circle of Atlanteans. The same Atlanteans who would have sold their firstborns and entire bloodlines to be invited to the Jimourt. But now that he was here, he would much rather be spending time with Rieka. He needed to find the tomb; it was the missing piece to cementing his legacy within their history. Away from Rieka, he could ignore the protective streak he had recently acquired. He wouldn’t deviate from his plan. He needed Rieka to help find the tomb. And he could protect her. If she was a descendant of Vandana…he stopped the train of thought before it went too far. He wasn’t sure who else had been invited to the event.

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