Page 82 of As Above, So Below

Yes. Because I’m so gods damn indulgent.

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The room I’d been given upon my arrival was a guest room meant for council members when they stay for ceremonies, rituals, and the like. Following my induction, I was assigned a room in the dormitories—on the second floor of the north wing.

A much smaller room with the bare necessities of furniture. A bed, a wardrobe, a desk and chair, and a standing mirror. Everything is white. The floors, the ceilings, the curtains, the bedding, even the furniture. And for the last week, I’ve hated how bright this room is throughout the day.

Eve’s room lies on the other side, joined by a bathing room we share. Having been given the last room in the row on the floor, she’s the only ‘neighbor’ I have. There are others on the floor, but I rarely see them as many of them are acolytes. Attending prayer before sunrise and asleep before sunset most days.

“I’m not going to lie, Ves. This is getting messy,” Eve says not twenty minutes later as she pulls the chair from my desk to sit near the fireplace. “I don’t like it.”

I scoff. “That makes two of us.”

Throwing myself onto my bed, I fall back and stare at the white ceiling with a sigh. “I don’t know if I’m going to survive all of this. You mortals are going to drive me to kill myself before Netharis can find me.”

Eve laughs, and I’m glad she can appreciate my often dark humor. “If you do that, who else will I babysit? You’ll force me to return to my typical Priestess duties. With all selfishness intended, don’t do that. Think ofme, Ves.”

Laughing, I rub my face with my hands. “Okay, fine. But it’s not you I’m staying for. It’s Button.”

“The fucking hen?” She roars with laughter.

“The hen,” I affirm, smiling so wide my cheeks begin to hurt.

“Well, at least Button won’t force you to marry.”

“Or keep me chained to the hells,” I add, laughing.

“Or involve you in mysterious rituals,” Eve adds, her laughter subsiding with a sigh.

“Lilith insists I should meet with the Sovereign King,” I say, taking a deep breath. “I’m not convinced I need to do any such thing.”

“If she’s telling the truth and the king knows you’re here, but hasn’t demanded Artemise turn you over…” she trails off, dragging her toe through some of the ashes of the unlit fireplace, drawing a near perfect circle. “It’s not enough to convince me either. He could be remaining quiet for any number of reasons. The biggest coming to mind is that he’s betrothed to Tanila, the daughter of the Sovereign King of Vis.”

Watching her as she processes her thoughts, I roll onto my side, tucking my hands under the pillow.

“What do you know of him?” I ask, my eyes narrowing. “The Sovereign King of Erus,” I clarify.

She lifts her gaze from the fireplace, meeting my stare. “He’s the reason I’m here,” she says and I give her a confused stare. “Well, here in service to Celesta and not in prison.”

My eyes widen. “Prison? Come now, don’t jest. I can’t see you doing anything to earn that kind of punishment.”

Eve laughs, a bitter, weak sound. “Maybe not now,” she says, “buta decade ago, I lived a different life.”

“What happened?” I ask the question before I’m able to stop myself.

“I don’t want to regale you with stories about who I used to be,” Eve says with a small smile. “All that matters is I’m not that person anymore, and I don’t want to be that person ever again.”

Fair enough.

“If I hadn’t been given the option to serve my sentence in Celesta’s service, I wouldn’t have met Cora,” Eve says with a grim smile on her face. “And because of that, I’ll always be indebted to the Witherhorn family.”

Bolting upright, my heart begins to pound. “The Witherhorn family?” I breathe, my hands flying to the center of my chest.

Eve looks at me as if I’ve sprouted horns from my brow. “Yes, the royal family of Erus are the Witherhorns. Has been for a millennia.”

With shallow breaths, I ask, “Lilith is the widow of the last Sovereign King, right?” Eve nods. “When did the king die?”

“During the Dividing War, about three centuries ago.”