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Chapter fifty-nine

Nerys

Vine.

“I like being the first thing you see when you wake up,” Vine said, giving her a predatory smile.

“What is going on?” Nerys whispered. “Adelyna—”

“Just fine,” Vine said, flicking his wrist like Nerys had asked about her laundry. “Well, she will be. In a week or two. As for what you are referring to, I think it’s time we discussed our new arrangement before more…distractions arrive.”

“Adelyna,” she said again.

Arrangements? With Vine? Fuck …what did she agree to? The demon’s bite was still on her arm, throbbing, more painful than the cu ts.

“Exactly like Adelyna.” Vine shifted on the bed and rested his head on his hand.

“You helped me get revenge on my old enemy. For that I thank you. I also stopped the demon from wiping out every ruler on the continent and starting a war—so you may also thank me. But I am much more concerned with what is next.”

“And what’s that?”

“For one, you may want to have a word with someone about what happens when a demon drinks your blood, given willingly. Qiana really should have warned you. Unfortunate, what happened to her.”

Nerys smashed the pain in her heart from Qiana being gone. They were not close, or friends, really, but it was still a loss. “Or you can tell me,” Nerys said. “I read about it.”

Vine cocked his head. “Did you now? I don’t believe that. Or you’d be making an even more perplexed face.”

“I did. I know I’m bound to you.”

Vine grinned. “Are you?”

Nerys sighed. “Vine, just tell me. You know you want to.”

“‘Bound’ is so…callous a word. Consider this an enhancement . You should be proud of yourself—you’re going to end up in those silly books of yours.”

“What does that mean?”

“Everything, my Beautiful Shadow.”

Oh no. His terms of endearment were taking on a rather…sarcastic ring. Even more so than normal.

“You’re mine,” he announced.

“I’m what?”

“I was bound to you, to do your bidding. Now, consider this the reverse.”

“No…” Nerys whispered.

“The curse has made things…difficult, on all planes,” Vine said, as if he were preaching to himself, ignoring Nerys’s dismay.

The healed Vine was even more talkative, unfortunately.

While he spoke, he slowly moved off the bed to sit on a chair, watching her.

Always watching. “But difficulties bring opportunity. It’s time for a change in this world, isn’t it?

Once you have more of your faculties we will begin in earnest, and I’ll tell you everything when it’s time.

And” ?he pointed at Nerys? “you’re just the person to help me.

Don’t worry, we still want the same things, when it comes down to it.

You want your precious Kor’yitz to live—or should I say, R?ll. ”

“She is nothing like her father, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“We’ll see about that. Trust me, Nerys, we shall see.”