Page 11 of Bartered by the Shadow Prince (Bargain with the Shadow Prince #3)

Odette

ELOISE

B y the time I reach Damien’s room, I’m regretting standing up to Nevina. Why couldn’t I have just gone along with what the queen wanted? After all, I’m living under her roof, benefiting from the translation spell she gave me, wearing her dress. Am I just hell-bent on causing trouble wherever I go?

I groan when I find the room occupied by servants cleaning vigorously.

“Oh, excuse me,” I say to the nearest one. She doesn’t even acknowledge me. “The room is hardly dirty. We’ve only been here one night. There’s no need for this.”

One of the servants glances at me, and I take a step back.

His eyes are glazed and his expression is empty.

I’ve seen that look on my grandmother’s face before, right after she took morphine.

Are these people on drugs? Is that allowed here?

The servant returns to his work, and I am once again ignored.

I grab my parents’ grimoire and leave. Maybe I can find a quiet place to try my magic again.

God, do I miss Maeve. She’d know what to do in this situation.

I must be missing something. I’m tempted to believe that vampires simply can’t do magic, but if that’s true, why is it I could see Phantom?

I called him. I held him in my arms. The portal worked.

I refuse to give up. My magic is a part of me. As long as I live, I will try to find a way to get it back.

I turn the corner at the end of the hall and pull up short.

Odette is there, in the hallway, standing intimately close to a young male servant.

They both have the same dark complexion and the same deep, almost-black eyes.

She’s whispering something into his ear.

Although his eyes hold the vacant stare I noticed in the other servants, he nods slowly, as if he understands.

Are they lovers? Friends from the Borderlands?

They couldn’t be family. What mother of royal means allows her child to become a servant?

The man sees me first, bows his head, and picks up the bucket near his feet.

He strides into the nearest room, where I assume he continues with his work.

I assume because I never get a chance to reach that doorway.

Odette storms toward me, her silky purple dress reflecting the light.

She does not stop until her nose is almost touching mine.

“You saw nothing,” she snaps at me in a harsh whisper. “So help me, if you tell your friend anything about this, you will live to regret it.”

The threat in her voice has me tucking my chin to put space between us. “I’m not sure what you mean. I haven’t seen anything worth mentioning. Were you coming to see me, Odette? Something about the festival?”

Her eyes narrow. “Right… Actually, I do have a question for you. I’m curious, how did you come to know Nevina? Where are you from?”

“In truth, I’ve known her less than a day. I came here with Damien, yesterday.”

Her eyes widen. “Damien is alive?”

I nod. “He is, and he’s my mate. The king and queen are allowing us to stay here, for now.”

Odette’s eyes slide to the side. “Allowing you—yes, I’m sure Nevina wants to keep you both close. Hmm. You haven’t been here long, then.” She peruses me, her full lips pursing.

“Only a day.”

“No wonder you were so forthright in that meeting,” she murmurs.

“You all seemed happy enough with how the tide turned.”

She takes a step back, crossing her arms. “I’m happy to hear Damien is back, Eloise, and I thank you for what you did today, and for your silence regarding…

” She glances back at the room where the man disappeared.

“So, I will do you a favor in return and give you this warning. Nevina doesn’t like to be challenged?—”

“I didn’t?—”

“Everyone in the room could sense what you were doing. You look sweet but I’m an excellent judge of character, and I saw you turn that table. What happened today, she’ll make you pay for it, one way or another. Watch your back.”

Odette pushes past me and strides toward the stairs before I can ask for further clarification, and perhaps that’s for the best. The hall is suddenly full of servants.

There’s only one place I can think of where I might have a hope of being alone.

I grip my book tighter to my chest and head for the privacy of the west garden.