Unveiled revulsion flashes across Arasne’s face as she realizes what an imbecile her cousin is working with.
My smile is set in iron. Utterly unbreakable. Yeah, lady, Iamthat dumb.
“It’s—no. It’s not that.” But Elethior doesn’t pick up his glass again.
I think, Ithink,he’s trying not to laugh.
Of all the reactions he’s had to my antics, he’s never laughed. Not evenatme, and that’s not what this feels like.
It’s as if… he’s in on it with me.
I’m not sure I like it.
Arasne regains her composure. “Elethior has been tight-lipped about how the project is going. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to why he has nothing to show for his first week?”
Elethior’s humor dies and he looks pleadingly at her.
My hackles go up. They were already up. They go up higher. I’m wearing an Elizabethan neck ruff of hackles.
“He has plenty to show for his first week,” I say to Arasne. “We both do. I’ll admit, it’s slow getting used to conjuration after coming from evocation, and vice versa with Elethior. But we’re making great progress, and we have a solid foundation to get into deeper research in the coming months.”
Elethior and Arasne gawk at me again.
Elethior in surprise.
Arasne in distrust.
Her eyes go to slits, lingering on my tie.
“Great progress,” she parrots. To Elethior, “How much progress should we expect from you, truthfully? If you are being forced to work with someone who will never amount to anything beyond magical tech support.”
My jaw drops. Oh,nice. We’re taking off the gloves, are we?
But as I open my mouth, inhibitions fully shucked, Arasne rounds on Elethior like I’m not here. To her, I might not be; she’s decided I’m insignificant. Good.
“You know the family’s expectations,” she hisses.
The family.Like they’re the mafia.
“It’s bad enough you were unable to secure the grant for justyou,” Arasne continues, “but you come to this cocktail party empty-handed and unprepared. This is not the behavior we expect, Elethior. This is not up to our standards.”
Elethior stands there and takes her verbal assault, his eyes pinned over her shoulder.
Pieces shift around in my brain, lock together, and I’m not liking the picture they form.
“And nowhim.” Arasne turns up her nose at me, and I bat my eyelashes. “This is the visage your partner presents? Perhaps I should have a conversation with the grant committee. If they insist on combining two projects, we can find a more suitable partner for you.”
My pretense shatters. The idiotic blankness. The disdainful smugness. In its place comes the marching step of the anger that’s been my biggest crutch.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell her.
Arasne’s eyes darken. My focus drops to her hands, but one is holding a glass of white wine while the other is unmoving at her side. No magic, no spells. She’s just regular ol’ mad.
“That’s not up to you,” she shoots back.
“Like hell it’s not,” I say. “I’m not going to roll over and step aside becausethe familywills it. I can’t be bought and I won’t vanish easily, and you can bet your ass that I’ll escalate any fight you bring my way.”
“You prove my point.” Her scowl flicks back to Elethior, who’s gone pale. “Ifthisis what you’ve been forced to work with, no wonder you haven’t accomplished anything. I’ll speak to—”
