Page 46 of Villainess's Redemption
I steeled myself for a storm I knew was about to come. “Stop that nonsense and get to the point, Eric,” I hadn’t used that nickname in years. It reminded me of the days when we were children and normal individuals, even friends almost.
Maybe he didn’t see me as a threat since I was a little girl, five years younger than him, and the little sister of his friend who would follow them all the time like a puppy.
Anderic abruptly turned toward me. “How long has it been since you called me Eric? Ten years? Fifteen?” He walked toward me again with that predatory gait and my heart started to beat wildly again. “Tell me, Lya.”
I cleared my throat. “Let’s not dwell in the past. What do you really want Eric?”
His lips twitched, but his eyes remained ice cold, whatever heat I imagined in those eyes had evaporated. “You wound me, Lya. And here I thought we were becoming fast friends.”
“Friends don’t usually pin friends against walls,” I retorted, finally finding the backbone I knew I had somewhere. “At least, not in polite society.”
“Ah, but we’re hardly in polite society right now, are we?” He leaned in closer, his breath tickling my ear. I inhaled sharply. “We’re in a secluded garden, where no one can hear us. Where no one can see us.”
I suppressed a shiver. “Is this the part where you reveal your secret passion for gardening? Because I have to say, Your Highness, your technique needs work.”
He chuckled, moving back a few steps again. “Oh, we are back to ‘your highness’ again? Tell me, what brings you to this lonely corner of the palace?”
“I was looking for peace and quiet,” I said dryly, looking anywhere but his eyes. “Clearly, I came to the wrong place.”
Anderic’s eyes gleamed. “My apologies for your Peace and quiet. But I’m afraid I have some questions for you, Lady Stormbourne.”
And just like that, we were back to reality and out of that… whatever that was.
“Questions?” I raised an eyebrow. “Is this how you normally conduct interviews? Because I must say, your methods are rather… unorthodox.”
Anderic’s free hand came up to trace the line of my jaw. I fought the urge to flinch. “I find that unconventional methods often yield the most interesting results.”
“Well, then,” I said, meeting his gaze steadily. “Ask away, Your Highness. But I warn you, my answers might be as unconventional as your methods.”
He chuckled again, the sound sending a chill down my spine. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, my dear Lady Stormbourne,” his eyes bored into mine, all traces of amusement vanishing. The shift in his mood was giving me whiplash. “Now, tell me… what games are you and your father playing?”
I blinked. There it was, the suspicion, the blame. I knew it would come sooner or later but it still hurt, doing everything I could to change the future but still getting blamed. And the thing was no one would ever know. I steeled my voice, leaving no trace of the emotions I was suddenly feeling. “Game? I’m afraid I don’t understand, Your Highness. The only game I’ve played recently is ‘Avoid the Drunken Noble at Balls’, and I assure you, I’m quite proficient at it.”
His grip on my jaw tightened slightly. “Don’t play coy with me, Ilyana. Your sudden change in behavior, your father’s unexpected actions… They reek of conspiracy. YOU reek of conspiracy.”
I forced a mirthless laugh. “Conspiracy? My, my, Your Highness. Have you been reading too many mystery novels? Next, you’ll be accusing me of treason.”
Anderic’s eyes narrowed. “You’re deflecting.”
“And you’re paranoid,” I shot back. “Has it occurred to you that people can change? That maybe—just maybe—I’ve had a change of heart?”
“People don’t change overnight,” he said, his voice dismissive. “Especially not people like you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “People like me? And what kind of person am I, Your Highness?”
He leaned in closer, his lips almost brushing my ear. “The kind who would burn the world to get what they want.”
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “And what is it that I want?”
Anderic pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. “That’s what I intend to find out.”
I scoffed. “Okay, fine. I’m guilty. Go ahead, arrest me,” I said as I crossed my hands over my chest. I looked at him, my eyes daring him.
We stood there for a moment, locked in a silent battle of wills. The garden around us seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us in this tense bubble of suspicion and intrigue.
Finally, I broke the silence. “Well, Your Highness, as thrilling as this little interrogation has been, I’m afraid I have other matters to attend to. Unless, of course, you plan on keeping me here indefinitely?”
A slow, predatory smile broke through his cold expression. “Now there’s an idea. Perhaps I should keep you here until you tell me the truth.”
