Page 43 of Feast of Fools
“She’s not the one I’m here for.”
Belladonna’s eyes snap back to mine, and she quirks a perfectly sculpted brow, but says nothing.
“This is a business call, love.”
“What could you possibly need from me?”
“I need you to lift the fertility barrier.”
Her fingers stop tapping on the bar midair, and if she wasn’t suspicious before, she certainly is now. She studies me warily, as if trying to solve a puzzle in her mind.
“I expected Mercy and Wolfgang to be the first to ask,” she says slowly, her guard still up.
Regarding our powers, the general understanding is that they don’t work on each other. But a small facet of Belladonna’s powers is an exception to this rule; she controls the fertility of the ruling families. None of us can procreate without the god of lust’s consent.
My gaze flicks to Veil, then back to Belladonna, but I’m not as sly as I hoped, as her attention is now on my doll across the room. I don’t expect Belladonna to remember her from the night of the Feast of Fools, but her gaze lingers nonetheless.
“Who is she?” she asks with her eyes still on Veil.
“Veil Vulturine, the newly discovered servant of the god of thievery,” I answer flippantly before taking a slow sip of champagne. “And I happen to have a sudden and insatiable desire to impregnate her.”
Before coming to Belladonna with my request, I knew I’d have to divulge Veil’s true identity if I wanted my plan to work.Since Veil is also an heir, I would need Belladonna to make her fertile as well. Of course, Veil knows nothing about the ruling families and the aforementioned fertility barrier, and I plan to keep it that way.
Belladonna’s eyes widen while her whole body straightens. “What did you just say?”
I purse my lips, acting like repeating myself is the highest of nuisances. “Her family was banished from the city however long ago. You know,” I say with a lazy flick of the hand, “damnatio memoriaeand all.”
My answer seems to flummox Belladonna even further.
“No, Idon’tknow,” she gripes. “How do you know any of this? DoesMercyknow?”
I shake my head, and she sputters over her words, seemingly having lost the ability to complete a sentence.
From the corner of my eye, I notice a wayward admirer approach us, but before they can sing any praise, Belladonna hisses, “Not now, you cretin.”
When our needless distraction stumbles away, I continue with our conversation. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, love. Iwilltell her — when the moment is right. I just need a few more weeks.”
“A few moreweeks?” she repeats incredulously. “We should be having a meeting about this now.” She punctuates her last word with a pointed finger on the bar top. “Where did she come from? How do you know she’s not a threat to us?”
I sigh. “Don’t you think Mercy has enough on her plate already? This can wait; Veil isn’t going anywhere. She’s harmless.”
Downing the contents of my coupe, I stand from my seat and pin her with a hard stare, my usual droll attitude vanished. “Will you do this for me or not?”
Belladonna stares back, red lips pressed into a thin line. “Why should I? I don’t even like you.”
I chuckle at her flimsy insult. “A debt owed by a Foley is a powerful thing, Carnalis. You don’t need to like me to accept my request.”
She’s quiet, seeming to deliberate, until, finally, her eyes flutter closed while she takes a deep inhale. When her eyes reopen, she nods. “It’s done.”
“Good,” I say, then shoot her a wink. “I owe you one.”
She mutters something under her breath, but I don’t hear a word she says when I suddenly realize Veil is no longer sitting alone at her table. I recognize the man as a peevish social climber, close enough to the ruling families to frequent the exclusive clubs in Pravitia, but still the equivalent of gum under my shoe.
Scum.
And he dares lay eyes on Veil as if she were a viable option for a fun night.
Dares tospeakto what is mine.
