Page 35 of The Cursed Chalice

“Interesting. Ask her why.”

“Why is that? Most women want to get married.” I begin to rock the chair. If he cheated on her or hurt her…he was a dead man.

Soraya looks down at her naked left hand. “It wasn’t going to work out. He is loved by many women.”

“So he cheated?” I grumble. Who would cheat on such a beautiful woman? I can see hints of emotional pain.

“Get his name, Aric. He will be dead by dawn.”

She pushes a stray hair behind her ear. “I’d rather not discuss it.”

I look at her, from the stray hair moving in the light breeze in the room to her well-manicured French tip fingernails. I can tell she is a woman who takes care of herself.

“Who are you running from?” I lean forward on my desk.

“Whoever it is, she is now under our protection.”

“Agreed,” I reply out loud.

Soraya tilts her head to the side. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry. Who are you trying to escape from?” I ask again.

“I don’t want to discuss that much either. I’m sorry for all the secrecy.” Her legs rock slowly from side to side. “Nothing will affect my job with Nisa.” I take a long look at her. Her teeth are white and clean. Her skin is glowing. Nothing about her says she is homeless or poor.

“She’s running.”

“What is one thing you will never tell me?”

She smiles shyly and then at me. “I can’t tell you.”

I nod. “Fair. Do you have any questions for me?”

Her gaze travels around the office. She looks at the books on the shelf. And the statue of the Chimera and Bellerophon.

Soraya’s small perusal allows me to see how delicate and small her neck is.

I can tell when she found a question when her shoulders drop. “What would you walk away from everything for?”

“Love.” I couldn’t hold it back.

I hear her gasp. “Where did you get that?”

She points to the chalice sitting on the side table.

“You didn’t put the chalice away?”

I grunt, and I can feel Ares gliding something sharp beneath my skin.

“It’s a family heirloom. A seller sent it to me today.”

She stands and just looks at the chalice. “Really?”

I wait for her to tell me she had the chalice, but she just watches it.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, her eyes still trained on it.

“Yes, it is,” I reply, looking at her side profile.