“I don’t know what to believe. People say all kinds of things. They really turned against Sitri and Im after everything happened. I mean, they always had issues because of their mother being common-born, but that made things a hundred times worse. Ever since Im disappeared they treat it like confirmation. Saying she helped Rhiannon, and that’s why she fled.”
My eyes grow wide. “Do you think…Im figured something out, and Morin did something to her?”
“I don’t know,” she says voice cracking.
“Are you planning to confront Sitri about any of this? At least find out what he knows.”
“I almost did…the other night, but I just don’t want to say the wrong thing and never see you two again. I like having the two of you around. And he seems so scared, right? It’s like every time I’m around him, he’s warning me with his eyes.” I nod slowly in resigned understanding. She expels a breath. “Eventually, I’ll…talk to him about it.”
“You said he works for Morin. What does he do for her exactly?”
Her throat bobs with a swallow, and she uncorks the bottle to pour us another glass of wine. “People say a lot of things, Pandora. You can’t always believe them.”
“I’d like to know what they say.”
“They say he does her dirty work. That he’s her executioner.”
The weight of those words hangs heavy in the air. It’s not like he hasn’t admitted to me himself he’s a murderer. It’s not like I hadn’t seen him rip a man’s heart from his chest myself. I’d always suspected something…dark with how evasive he was about it. Still hearing it from Vera makes it all that much more real.
“They’re just rumors,” she says, yet the look we share suggests even if they’re only rumors, they’re not far off. “I should probably check on things real quick.” She grabs the pots of food and darts out the door.
The wine has effectively dimmed the daemon to a dull pulse. Vera whips back into the kitchen with a sad smile. “I’m sorry I’m such a downer these days. Do you…want to make a cake?”
“I don’t know how,” I say sheepishly.
“Come on," she says, starting back toward the store rooms. I teeter on my feet a little as I rise, and she grins. “You have drank before, right?”
My shoulders shrink slightly. “Well…I drank at the wedding party.”
“That’s the only time?”
I consider lying, but I might as well tell the truth at this point. “I was never allowed to before.”
“Gods, it’s probably a good thing Sitri won’t be back tonight. I’m not sure how he’ll feel about me getting his wife drunk and spilling all of his secrets.”
I shove at her shoulder. “Don’t call me that.” She staggers slightly, and I raise a brow. “Not the only one I see.”
A short time later, we’re both sprawled across the floor, an entire cake between us we eat straight out of the pan. We both have had one too many drinks, leaning into each other and giggling madly as Vera details some shenanigans she got into with a Magi named Kaelen in this very kitchen.
It’s a novel feeling for me. The way she genuinely seems to warm to me, towantto be friends with me. A nought. I never even had this kind of acceptance in Eden where everyone aside from Syra ostracized me because of what I carried. And even Syra was always having to choose between her own friends and me. The clatter of the kitchen door quiets us.
“Vera,” a cold voice pierces the air.
Vera scrambles to her feet. I’m quick to follow, vision hazing slightly in my inebriated state. In strolls the blonde Mask, I recognize from the wedding except he’s not wearing his armor this time. A dash of panic tightens my ribs.
“You’re late. Morin wants to know what the hold up is.”
Vera’s face pales notably. She flounders, forming a series of symbols with her hands to summon a plate. “Oh, I am so sorry, Valik, I’ve lost track of the time. I’ll have it right up.”
Valik continues to prowl forward. Vera shuffles in front of me, trying to block me from view. He eyes the bottle of wine and cake spread over the floor in front of us and clicks his tongue. “Drinking on the job?”
“We’re just celebrating.”
He sidesteps her. “With the prince’s nought whore? That’s low even for you, Vera.” He turns to me. “I wondered if I’d ever see you around. Didn’t figure Nightshade would let you out of your cage.”
He looks around the room. “And where is your demented chaperone?”
“He—he had to grab something from his chambers,” I stammer.
