Page 53 of Her Dark Promise

His eyes softened in fascination as he took in the room and sighed. “It is my favorite room in the entire castle. It’s surreal that I finally get to see it in person.”

“You seem to know much about this castle. Why?”

“I’ll answer your question if you answer mine.”

There it was. Back to the questions.

“I don’t have time for any of that,” I said while picking up a random book and walking over to my chaise lounge. “You have much to clean.”

“Your grace, I believe we have nothing but time.” He gave me a crooked smile, his glasses sliding down his nose a little.

How right he was. However, it wasIwho had all the time in the world, and for them, it would be short-lived.

I didn’t answer him verbally. Instead, I sat, raised the book up, and began to read, or pretend to read while he resumed cleaning the floors.

I pondered while watching him. None of my usual tricks were working on him, no. It seemed as though the crueler I was the happier he became. So unlike his brother. So happy to please.

Do you think that his mind is simple?

No, Circe, I think that he is anything but simple, I answered in my head.

I focused back on Soren, who looked over at me right at that moment and patted the spot next to me.

He looked so gleeful, that I was surprised I didn’t see a wagging tail behind him. He stood, untucked the shirt from his trousers, and wiped the sweat from his face.

I stared at him. How he could get his hair wet while mopping the floors was unknown to me, but I loved how it forced him to pull it back out of his face. Every sharp curve of his jaw was on display. The water clung to every inch of his muscles on his stomach, dripping down the skin that was showing. If it were up to me, I would have him drenched in water constantly. My eyes roamed down to his trousers that had stuck to his lean thighs, showing me just enough of him to make me want to see more.

I wasn’t blind; like his brother, he was fairly handsome. Met all of the requirements that I needed to want to see every inch of him. Just another plaything, but I didn’t need to overcomplicate things further. Not after what just happened with Bastian. Andyet, I took pleasure in unabashedly staring at his physique, until he coughed, once again garnering my attention.

“May I please go and change? It is uncomfortable and I would rather not sit on this antique chaise lounge soaked through.”

“I don’t care. Sit.”

He looked hesitant and instead of sitting on the lounge, he opted for the floor.

It was awkward for a moment because I had never had a normal conversation with anyone who wasn’t Callum, Emilia, or Mariam in many years. And even then, I always kept them at a distance, never wanting to get too close. But now—now I felt slightly nervous.

I called him over, thinking I could tease him and get back at everything his brother made me feel yesterday, but now I couldn’t think of anything that would work. I looked away to collect my thoughts, and when I looked back I saw Soren thrumming his fingers against his leg. He was itching to say something.

I sighed and waved my hand in his direction. “Out with it.”

He smiled wide, grabbed the quill from behind his ear and the leather-bound journal from under his shirt, and began to write furiously in it. He wasn’t even looking up as he shot out a list of questions at me.

“How exactly does your magic work? What are the extent of your powers? The cut on your hand healed within seconds of mixing our blood—does it do that often? You look to be the same age as you were when I saw you fourteen years ago. How old exactly are you? Is this a result of your magic? Is there anything you can’t do?”

I sat there staring at him, overwhelmed by him. He didn’t seem to care that I had magic nor did he seem afraid, rather I was more of a science experiment that was completely at hisdisposal. It was both perplexing and terrifying. I had lost control with Bastian, and now I wasn’t even sure how to handle Soren.

“Why do you care to know so much?” I couldn’t help but ask.

He shrugged. “I want to know everything about you.”

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his confidence.

“Humans are strange creatures indeed.”

“Humans?” He inquired, then mumbled to himself, “She said that yesterday.” He looked me directly in the eyes and asked, “What do you mean by that? Do you really not consider yourself human? If you don’t, then why?”

I had no words. I was growing agitated the more he spoke. I could feel my nostrils flaring. I wanted to hurt him to quiet him, but I resisted the urge with great effort. He wasn’t his brother. He’d done nothing to insult me yet.

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