Page 44 of Bitten & Burned
This morning, Vael had knocked on my door himself. No Cassian, no Anton, no one else—just Vael, asking if I’d join him in the west drawing room. He said the bonding ceremony was ready, here at Halemont, as I’d asked.
I had never seen Halemont looking like this before.
It looked as if Vael had worked through the past few days to prepare everything for the bonding ritual. Alone, by himself.
I should have helped. But the attic still lingered between us, heavy as the scent of dust and candlewax.
Guilt flooded hot like a sip of wine on an empty stomach.
The room where the ritual was to take place was formerly one of the many sitting rooms. I’d not spent much time here, Vael had said they used it more before. But its use was long since outdated.
It looked huge with nearly all the furniture removed. But I suppose I could see the bones of what it once had been.
The black marble floors were polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the candlelight like a still lake at midnight. I half-expected my steps to create ripples, but they didn’t. They just reflected my own image back to me. I peered down, locking on my eyes in the reflection. I looked the way I felt.
Frazzled.
Exhausted.
Nervous. Not of the ritual, exactly. Of what it might change.
I swallowed thickly, dragging my eyes from my own reflection, attempting to pay attention to what Vael was saying—but the flicker of candlelight kept pulling me sideways, making his words blur at the edges.
About the gilded chest on a podium near the center of the room. Inside were the ceremonial blades we’d use to cut our palms, dripping the blood into the bowl that was situated near the small chest. Two empty goblets were here as well, a bottle of wine uncorked and left to breathe beside them.
The wine was for later. The vintage was the year Vael had been made. One hundred and twenty years ago. I swallowed again.
“Sit here, I’ll be right back,” Vael said, his eyes shining as he led me to a velvet chaise pulled into the center of the room. I took a deep breath and sat down, trying to keep myself present. Keep the rough-smooth feel of the velvet in my mind. Keep me here. Not floating up to the ceiling, where an unlit chandelierhung, the gold fixtures glimmered in the light of the candles all around the room.
I tried to slow my breathing. Ever since my flare-up had happened in the attic a few days before, I’d fought to remain present. Sleeping had helped, so that’s what I’d done, mostly.
Given the last time we’d spoken had been with harsh words, I wasn’t really expecting Vael to have arranged all this. I thought we’d at least have another discussion.
Not that I was having second thoughts. But my body wasn’t at its best, and the air between Vael and me still felt fragile. It didn’t seem like the perfect moment to bind our lives together.
Vael left the room, leaving me alone with my reflection and all those candles.
It was hot, now that I was paying attention. Roasting, more like. Sweat had begun to bead on my forehead, and I longed for something to fan myself with.
A door opened on the other side of the room, and Anton strolled in.
“Looks a little… gothic for my tastes, but that’s Vael, I suppose...”
Anton wasn’t alone; Cassian was walking alongside him.
“Mmm, I feel he is rushing things,” Cassian’s voice was low, clearly meant only for Anton. But with naught in the room save the chaise I was currently perched upon, there was nothing to dampen his voice. The words pricked at me—not entirely untrue, but still a little too easy to say when I was sitting right there.
I cleared my throat, realizing that they likely didn’t see me here. I repeated myself, louder this time.I’m here. See me. Stop talking like that.
Cassian’s gaze flicked to me, registered where I was. That I was looking at them. Listening.
He also cleared his throat expectantly, gazing over at Anton, who also glanced over at me, a grin spreading on his face. “There she is,” he said, his voice a bit louder, clearly meant for me.
“Your gown looks delectable; you chose well,” he said,approval clear in his voice as he and Cassian altered their destination to walk closer to me.
I winced when the soft sole of his boot stepped on my reflection, but he didn’t seem to notice. It felt like a small omen—me, flattened underfoot before we’d even begun.
“Vael chose it,” I said hollowly. “I do like it, though. It suits me.”
