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Chapter thirty-one

Nerys

T he moonlight greeted Nerys when she woke.

How late was it? Not too late, judging from the sounds echoing through the walls.

One of the nobles on their wing was having a soiree of some sort—or they liked to rearrange their furniture in step with violin music.

Then again, this was court—it could be near dawn for all she knew. Few kept sane hours here.

Nerys shifted and sat upright on the bed, the stillness of the night opressing. Her room was hollow and empty. Or was it?

“Vine,” she whispered. “Are you there?” A chill worked its way down her neck, her arm, to her hands. What would she see if she called her stone eyes? Blood? A claw tracing her skin? Mangled flesh draped over her own? 166

She called her eyes and a voice whispered in her ear, “Yes. I am here.”

With her eyes opened, she made out Vine’s arm and leg, peeking out from where he sat behind her, a parody of what Idris had done with her. If only it was Idris, and not a demon, who could be with her at all hours.

There was no sound in the room. Nothing other than Vine’s breath overlapping her own. She closed her eyes. She didn’t need to see him. This whole thing was foolish.

“Sorry. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Evidently.”

More silence. If Vine was ever inclined towards long conversations, it was not now.

“Something feels off.” Nerys shrugged and adjusted her blanket. “I don’t know. I’m being ridiculous. I don’t know why I bothered you.” She paused. “Thank you. For saving me. And the Kor’yitz.”

Vine hesitated, and then said, “Go to sleep, mortal. The same troubles will still be there tomorrow. And I will still be here.”

She nodded, banished her eyes, and laid back down, tucking her coverlet over her. He was right. What was she expecting? That Vine would sing her a lullaby?

It was enough to know that he was there.

What was she going to do with this demon, who saved her life, yet had his own motives?

Vine was a demon— of course he worked for himself.

Demons ate humans, they didn’t help them.

Not willingly. Vine had already tried to trick her into giving him her blood.

Would she manage to end their arrangement and survive?

How did such a thing even end? Could it?

For tonight, though, such things didn’t matter.

For now.