Page 32 of Cruelly Bitten

“I… I didn’t realize you were asleep,” she stammered, her pulse changing in rhythm.

Was that a lie?I wondered, trying to read her.

“How could you not realize that?” I asked, my attention entirely on her heartbeat now.

“Because you left without telling me what you intended to do, and no one fully explained to me what happened,” she answered, an unexpected hint of irritation in her tone.

Her pulse evened out as well, the thudding sound back to normal despite her display of emotion.

Interesting.

That sounded like the truth. It also seemed like something I would do. “If I don’t tell you something, it’s because you’re not worthy of knowing it.” She served me, after all. Not the other way around.

But for tonight, I would indulge her in this meal and see how well she knew my food tastes.

As I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten anything of consequence, it would be an entertaining experiment.

“Is your, um,sleep, impacting your food memories? Is that why you asked me for your favorites?” Ismerelda questioned slowly as I opened one of the icons on the computer.

I considered her query, unsure of whether or not I should answer.

It wasn’t really her business—she lived to kneel for me and nothing more.

However, my faulty memory might become her burden, especially if I found her answers tonight to be true. Because if she proved to know my tastes, I’d likely require a few more details. Perhaps in regard to other pleasures of life.

“Waking from an immortal rest has some side effects.” I looked at her again. “One of those side effects is the loss of inconsequential memories, such as favorite foods or details regarding meaningless relationships.”

Which explained why I couldn’t remember her or Michael but recalled Mira and others from my past.

“Meaningless relationships,” Ismerelda repeated, flinching with the words. “Like ours.”

“Like ours,” I echoed.

And yet, I’d kept her for over a thousand years.

What did that say about me that I couldn’t remember her or recall why I’d felt the need to maintain our bond for so long?

“It’s possible that more memories will return in time,” I said, repeating what the logs from Lilith had told me. “But only if they truly matter to me in some way.”

“I see.” Her tone lacked emotion, yet her eyes glittered like twin green flames. It was rather fascinating to observe. “I suppose that explains why your speech is still current and not like it was when we first met.”

I blinked, surprised by that statement.

“And also how you know how to use a computer,” she went on. “Those must be important skills you’ve recalled. But can you remember who taught you how to use a laptop?”

I stared at her. “Why would that matter?”

“Why indeed,” she replied, her tone still lacking emotion despite the flames dancing in her gaze. “What was it Jace once said?” Her next words were ones from an ancient tongue, her fluidity in speaking them impressing me.

The phrase loosely translated to,Memories are our foundation. But what happens when we have too many?

“An accurate summarization,” I murmured. “But my cousin didn’t say those words. My father did.”

“Cronus,” she confirmed, her pupils flaring with the name.

“Yes.” I studied her expression for another beat, again trying to read the meaning behind it. She almost appeared… relieved. But not quite. There were tears in her gaze, except they disappeared in a blink as she attempted to regain her composure.

“I’m surprised you’re familiar with those words,” I admitted. “I haven’t heard them in a very long time.” Not since my father had chosen eternal rest over life. And that had been well before my taking Ismerelda as a pet.