Page 49 of Vengeance and Vipers
‘Aye. It gets worse.’
Krase makes an effort to sit back down in the chair. ‘Go on.’
‘Iron tricked her into telling him what he wanted to know when he couldn’t make her crack. Then, Maddox poisoned Axel and me with arania venom to keep us from getting in the way of his deal with Dante. While we were incapacitated, he gave her to Dante.’
Krase doesn’t say anything at all.
‘She didn’t tell you any of this?’
He shakes his head. ‘She’d never volunteer so much about herself. You know that. She doesn’t like to feel vulnerable.’
‘Aye.’ I stand.
Krase’s anger melts away, but instead of being relieved, I’m the opposite. He’s saving it for later, and that doesn’t bode well for any member of the clan who hurt Jules.
‘Iron tried to help us get off the estate to help Jules when we thought Dante had her,’ I say.
Krase snorts but doesn’t say anything more.
I regard him for a minute, watching as he considers all I’ve told him. ‘If she’s not human, what is she, Krase?’
He grins and gives me a wink. ‘I’ll let you figure that out for yourself, Jayce.’
I scowl at him. ‘No games with her. She’s been through enough.’
‘No games,’ he agrees. ‘At least, no games with dire consequences.’
I huff out a breath. ‘Still the same, aren’t you?’
‘Aye.’
* * *
JULES
I hear Maddox speaking to someone, and the library door clicks open, pulling me out of the book I was reading. Shuffling further back into the reading nook so I can’t be seen, I put a couple of the larger cushions in front of me in case he comes in, but the voice fades, and I breathe a small sigh of relief.
I’ve successfully avoided the incubi clan for four days except for passing Daemon in the hall once, which was more than a little uncomfortable. I could feel his eyes boring into me. He muttered something about my clothes that I didn’t hear, and I hurried away without making eye contact. That’s not like me, but after my weird reaction to him and Maddox the other day, I’m wary of being around them.
There’s no more noise, so I settle back into the cubby that’s been built into the library since I was last here. There are cushions and a blanket, even a small lamp. Not for the first time, I wonder how it was created. I’m no architect, but the wall isn’t that thick, and the corridor is right on the other side. But I checked yesterday, and the hallway is exactly the same as it was.
It must be a conjure of some kind, but I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s quickly become my favorite place in the house, more so because no one’s found me here. I mean, it’s not as if anyone’s looking for me, but it feels nice that no one can sneak up on me, and I can secret myself away.
I hear Tabitha come in with a tray. I guess it’s Elevenses. I’m certain she knows my hiding spot because she keeps bringing food and drink to the library, but she hasn’t spoken to me nor told anyone else where to find me, I’m pretty sure. I give it a minute to make sure the coast is clear before I slip out and pour myself a cup of tea. I take it back into my refuge with me, placing it gently on the convenient little shelf on the side.
I get back into my book, whiling away the time in yet another limbo. I mean, as prisons go, this one is by far the best I’ve been in, and it's definitely miles better than the Mountain. Although pretty much anywhere would be after getting used to that place. The bar is still very,verylow. Nothing like running water and hot drinks to make you realize how lucky you are.
But however luxurious thisin-betweenplace is, it isn’t real life, and it won’t last long. I know I should take advantage of the respite, relax and get my strength up. I’m relatively safe here. I mean, no one’s going to kill me …probably. But the truth is, I don’t want to get too comfortable because I remember how easy it was for me to love this place, to care about the clan, and that terrifies me. Two years ago, I couldn’t see that, but I can now, and I can’t allow myself to fall into the same trap.
I need to stay away from them, keep my head down, and not engage. I need to follow Maddox’s rules, and when I get out of here, I need to find a solution that doesn’t involve running for the rest of my solitary life.
I haven’t made any plans for when Maddox lets me leave the estate because I have no idea when that’ll be. But I have calculated that with the money Maddox gives me for following his rules and the cash I already have saved, I’ll be able to purchase at least a mid-level conjure. It’ll only last about six months, but hopefully, I can come up with a more sustainable plan by then.
I just have to make sure I get that money. That’s all that matters.
Unwelcome thoughts try to push their way to the fore of my mind: what the clan will think of me, how much they’ll despise me for caring about the money, how smug some of them will be when they see that I do, how some of them will feel.
They’ll judge me no matter what, but I can’t let them get to me. They don’t really know me. They can’t.
