Page 32 of A Dose of Agony
She turns and leans against the third bronze door, arms crossed. “With that tangent? Just more advice, I suppose. That fear is your intuition; it can be helpful. It can also send you into a spiral, turning you into true prey. Use that instinct, but always remain in control of it. What’s my point in asking for a conversation? I have a new deal to offer.”
My lips part. She waits for me to respond, and I let the silence linger for a few moments. “Oh?”
She nods. “I am not at all interested in helping the wolf. I am, however, interested in furthering an alliance with you, and I think there is a way we can help each other.”
Okay, so this isn’t about Thompson. That’s slightly disappointing since I would still like to figure out a way to help him, but it’s also very intriguing.
“And your plan has something to do with portals to Oriziah?” I try not to look utterly freaked out.
She chuckles. “Not exactly. But also, not entirely incorrect.”
“I’m not just walking through a portal to hell because you ask me to.”No matter how scary you are. I don’t say that part aloud, but she grins like she heard it anyway.
“You do know you’ll have to go there eventually, right? Future Princess of Oriziah—is afraid of Oriziah. It’s so ironic.”
I roll my eyes and ignore the squeeze in my belly. “You just got done telling me that I have reason to fear and that it could save my life or something.”
“Ahh, yes. I’m just testing your resolve.” She pushes back from the door. “Come with me.”
I follow her down the shadowed, narrow hallway toward Jarron’s room and the main areas of Elite Hall.
“When are you going to share this plan of yours?”
“Now.”
“You enjoy beating around the bush.”
“I enjoy testing you.”
“Have I passed your tests?”
“Most of them,” she says. “You have much to learn, though, little princess. That’s all right; you have time. You are young and new to the magical world. Your potential, though, is delicious. That is what I care about.”
I am certainly learning a lot more about the dryad witch lately.
Manuela leads me all the way back out into the sunroom. She gives one look to a wolf couple sucking face in the largest velvet chair, and they scamper away like she stepped on their tails.
“You scare everyone, don’t you?”
“They have reason to fear me. And to be honest, though I can smell your fear.” She turns to face me with those bright eyes. “You show it least of all.” She waves to the velvet chair, prompting me to sit. “Which is one of the reasons I like you.”
I sit in her suggested seat and watch as she runs her sharp nails over the walls surrounding us. A shimmer falls over the room.
“So, this is serious business, then?” I ask, resisting a shiver.
“Indeed, it is. We will be discussing a few things I’d rather not be overheard talking about with you of all people.”
“Me?”
She takes a seat beside me and sinks into the chair, slumped casually. “Yes, you. The current resident princess. The one everyone wants to protect, just for the chance to be noticed by Jarron.”
Which implies she intends to put me in danger. My heart begins pounding rapidly.
“It is in my best interest to keep you safe as well, girl. I am simply less inclined to treat you like a china doll.”
“Well, you call me ‘little human,’ ‘princess,’ and ‘girl’ enough for me to not entirely believe that.”
Her grin widens. “Do you not like it, princess?”
