Page 22

She opened the door and called down the spiral staircase, “Ivelle! You have literal seconds before I start to lose my cool.” A pair of footsteps bounded down the hallway, pulling her attention away from the cellar.

“Gods, thank you. It gets old scolding you like a child all the ti—” Marlena turned the corner and was met with Arlet, her lips immediately finding hers.

She pinned her against the hallway wall, straddling her thigh to get her body as close to Marlena as she could.

She was the one with the position to take control, but she still let Marlena lead.

Her hands trailed up the sides of Arlet’s body. Marlena grabbed a handful of her ass, earning a gasp against her lips.

Anyone could come through and catch them. A thrill of excitement crept up her spine, and Marlena wouldn’t have cared about being caught if it were anyone other than Arlet.

What would they think? Marlena, with the powerless one…

Marlena still let her hands roam over Arlet’s curves, but she pulled away from her mouth, kissing down the slope of her jaw. “Is this you trying to convince me to stay?”

I could.

Arlet leaned her head back, grinding against Marlena’s leg between her thighs. “Is it working?” she panted.

“Aw, pet. You’re extra needy tonight, aren’t you?” Marlena nibbled on her earlobe.

Arlet inhaled sharply. “I need you. Been needing you so badly. Thinking about you between my legs all week.” Her words were breathy, hinting at just how desperate she was for Marlena.

She grabbed Arlet by the face, squeezing her cheeks to push her lips into a little pout. “Want me to get you off so you can stop thinking about me?”

Arlet shook her head as best as she could with Marlena’s grip still on her face.

“I don’t want to stop thinking about you.

I want you to stay so I get my taste too.

” She ground her hips again, this time with more pressure and need.

Marlena knew if she reached a hand between Arlet’s thighs, she would be soaked.

“I think I like the idea of you touching yourself in bed tonight when I’m not there to give you your fix.” Marlena kissed her puckered lips greedily.

“Marlena.”

Arlet startled at the voice, retreating away from Marlena until her back pressed against the opposite wall .

Marlena wiped her lips, fixed her dress, and turned to face their interruption. “Now you choose to show up.”

Arlet was flustered, her eyes wide with worry. They’d been caught red-handed by Ivelle—Ivelle, who had reason to turn Marlena’s life upside down if she pleased.

Marlena schooled herself into calmness, pushing away whatever tension she felt. “I’ll meet you outside. Don’t make me come looking for you again.” She pointed towards the front of the house where their vehicle would be waiting to take them to Fortis’s docks.

Traveling to Marlena’s new home was a fucking pain .

Ivelle eyed them both, her arms crossed like she might put up a fight. Instead, she turned and left the hallway, leaving Marlena and Arlet alone again.

Arlet shook her head, doing her best not to freak out—but Marlena could see through her attempt at masking her nerves. “I—Mar, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have… Oh gods, what if she outs us?”

Her reaction struck a chord inside Marlena, but not one of understanding, even though moments before she’d been concerned about the same thing. One that made her speculate why this was Arlet’s response to people finding out about them. “Why are you so worried?”

Arlet’s brows drew together like the answer was obvious.

“Why wouldn’t I be? After what you said about your parents today to Vega, how they don’t want her to be with Bridger…

What makes us think they’d be okay with us together?

The powerless Videri doesn’t stand a chance at being the right match for their soon-to-be seat holder daughter if Bridger, future Commander Dimico, can’t be for Vega. ”

There was so much she didn’t understand—so much Marlena couldn’t tell her yet. It’s not time. She ran a hand down her face, the only sign her temper was rising. “Arlet, I can’t hash this out right now. I have to go.” She gestured towards the front of the house. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

A flash of hurt washed over Arlet’s face, her shoulders sagging with an abrupt exhale, and for the briefest of seconds, Marlena considered staying—letting Ivelle wait outside all night if she needed to.

But she couldn’t.

Marlena peeled her eyes off Arlet and left her standing in the hall, hopeful she wouldn’t mope in the hallway for too long.

They could talk about this later.

They could figure it out. Later.

For now, Marlena had to make sure Ivelle knew who she was messing with.

Maybe they could tell people about them… eventually. But they had to do it the right way, and Arlet had to be let in.

All the way in.

And Marlena wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to let her get that close.

She stormed out into the humid night air, walking on light feet. Marlena used the power of her wind to stifle the sound of her footsteps.

Ivelle didn’t hear her coming until Marlena’s fingernails dug into the flesh of her bicep and she pushed her toward their vehicle. Ivelle tried to snatch her arm from Marlena’s clutch, but that only made Marlena dig in deeper.

“Let go,” she shouted, trying to squirm out of Marlena’s grip.

Marlena doubled down, clutching her tighter, and sent a rough breeze through the trees surrounding the Aeris property to cover the sound of her demands.

“Get in the fucking vehicle, Ivelle,” Marlena growled, shoving her forward with enough force that she stumbled on her feet, barely catching herself before connecting with the hard exterior of the military transport.

Ivelle spun around, ready to strike Marlena before she disappeared and stepped out of her way. She reappeared as she spoke. “I’ll let that one slide, but the next time you think about raising a hand to me, it better be a killing blow, because I won’t show this kindness again.”

Ivelle was a spoiled brat and had never once been given a single fucking rule to follow. Or at least, she’d never listened to one.

That changes now.

The soldier jobbed in taking them to the Fortis docks flinched, flustered as he momentarily struggled to pull the door open for the girls.

“You have some nerve, thinking you can boss me around after what I just saw!” Ivelle’s voice was a piercing screech, scraping against Marlena’s eardrums like a dying bird.

“I’m going to give you three fucking seconds.”

Maybe it was something in Marlena’s eyes, or the fact that she held up a finger and started counting, but before she could get to three, Ivelle turned around and ducked into the cab of their transport.

The door clicked shut, and Marlena didn’t wait another second to lay into her.

“I am only going to say this once… What you saw tonight is none of your fucking business, and I promise, I swear to every dead god and any that come next, I will make your life a living hell if you utter a single breath to anyone.” Marlena didn’t feel the transport move, her gaze stuck on Ivelle and the sneer painted on her lips.

“Do you think your threats scare me?” Marlena knew they did sometimes—she’d seen the way Ivelle responded to her powers in the kitchen.

“Oh, I’m sorry… Did you think that was a threat?

” Marlena leaned against the back of her bench, oozing nonchalance.

“I’ve been making threats my whole life.

It’s time for me to make good on them, turn them into promises.

If you wanted someone to walk all over, you’re a few years late. That Marlena is dead.”

I killed her.

Ivelle hadn’t settled into her seat. She sat rigid, every muscle in her body fighting the coolness she was trying to hold on to… Marlena could see the crack, could tell she was close to breaking .

“Nothing you can do to me will be worse than what I’ve lived through.

Why would you want to keep you and Arlet a secret?

If it’s such a big deal, maybe it’s information that will earn me my freedom back.

Maybe even earn me the seat that I was robbed of.

” Ivelle shrugged her shoulders, finally sinking into her seat with a smug smirk on her pink-painted lips.

She thought she’d won.

Marlena leaned forward, taking up the space between them with her elbows resting on her knees.

“What have you done to deserve my seat? The seat I have fought for, bled for, and given up parts of myself that I’ll never get back for.

All you’ve done is make a fool of yourself, make yourself look like the last person they’d let lead.

I bet they’d give it to Vega over you. As a matter of fact, I know they would.

” Marlena’s voice dripped with pity. “And then you’d have nothing.

No one on your side, no one to align yourself with when the world you know burns to the fucking ground. ”

Ivelle raised a brow. “What?”

“Oh, so now you’re curious?” Marlena wanted Ivelle to understand the position they were in. For it to really sink in that Marlena was, in fact, the only person left who could give her what she wanted.

There was a fight in her… a girl who just wanted to get a taste of what power felt like.

“I am the only person left who can give you what you want, Ivelle, and I would hate for you to ruin that by running your mouth like this is some schoolyard.” Marlena leaned back, crossing one long leg over the other.

“I have had enough of the abuse our lineage thinks is normal, and I plan on making them regret it soon enough.”

Marlena wouldn’t take her eyes off Ivelle, and she caught the exact moment she hooked her.

Another line set.

Ivelle’s eyes lit up, a twinkle of hope and understanding dawning.

“All you have to do is play by my rules, and I’ll make sure you get everything you’ve ever wanted.” Marlena twirled her wrist. “Within reason.”

Ivelle spoke quietly. “And how do I know I can trust you? That this isn’t some test our mothers set up to see how I’d respond?”

“Are you really willing to trust our mothers over me?” Marlena raised a perfectly shaped brow, watching Ivelle’s head shake side to side very, very slowly.

“If you don’t pick me, who’s going to protect you when I make good on all my promises?

We both know it won’t be our mothers, and I don’t think you’ve got an ally in your back pocket that I don’t know about, do you?

” A slow smile spread across her face. “I have all the allies we need. I just need you to act like nothing is happening, to act like I fixed you, and if you can do that, if you can fall in line behind me, I’ll give you Amora. ”

Because I won’t need the cold fucking hellscape when I’m finished with it.