Page 122 of Unveil

“Alive,” Bossie spits, unleashing her anger. “Unlike my grandbaby, Rufus.”

Orion zeroes his focus on Bossie as he growls, “You mean the ‘grandbaby’ that drugged Luna?”

Bossie waves him off. “He did what had to be done. Ozias had his plan to win her over.” She rolls her eyes. “That boy never had it in him, though. The fool fancies himselfin lovewith someone else already.”

My breath catches at the confirmation, but before I can fully register that information, Bart sneers bitterly.

“If he’d just taken her from the start, my brother would still be alive. The Bordeaux branch of the Troisgarde would’ve beensecured ages ago. Instead, Rufus and I had to step in and grease the wheels, so to speak.”

“Wait,” I blurt, putting things together. “Did Ozias have anything to do with drugging me?”

“Nope. That was all me and Rufus,” Bart answers so casually, I want to stab him. “Goody Two-shoes should’ve at least done what the Fury did.”

He jerks his chin at Orion, speaking to him, “You’re more a Wilde than he is, far as I’m concerned.”

Bossie slams the bottom of her cane on the floor, splintering the rotten wood through a shredded hole in the carpet.

“I’ll have none of that talk now. Kin is kin. You know that.”

“But see? All that means Ozias wouldn’t have wanted this,” I try, grasping for her humanity. “He’s nice and kind and?—”

“Weak,” Bossie finishes flatly. “And this feud ain’t for the weak. He knew what had to be done to make up for his branch’s sins, and he failed. He’ll live with that. He also understands life for life. Blood for blood. And after all the bodies that boy—” she jabs her cane toward Orion “—left behind in Lost Cove, if Ozias doesn’t see our side by now, he never will. And we ain’t got no use for him.”

There it is. The wolf beneath the grandmotherly skin. The matriarch even the Furys fear.

This time, I can’t hold back my shiver at the coldness in her eyes.

“It’s within our rights to call on the lives of both of you,” she hisses at me, the venom in her voice turns my blood to sludge. “And we will.”

“No!” Orion strains forward against the ropes. “You won’t touch her!”

The guy with the gun smashes his fist into Orion’s jaw, snapping his head sideways.

“Orion!”

“I’m okay, birdie,” he huffs, forcing himself upright. He works his mouth, then spits blood at the man who hit him.

“You motherfu—” The man cocks his arm back again, but a high-pitched whistle through Bossie’s teeth halts him mid-swing.

“Cut that out, you two,” she says in a tired, even tone. Then she pins Orion with a look like she’s scolding him for acting out during Sunday service. “Don’t worry. Our proposition is more than fair. She’s not the one we want dead.”

She fixes her eyes on me, spiking my pulse. “We’ve decided to go a more… creative route.”

“What are you going on about, Bossie?” Orion snaps.

Bossie’s lips curve. “We want her to pledge her life to the Wildes.”

Orion scoffs, “That’s fucking worse.”

Bossie sighs, a barely-there wheeze in her lungs. “Looks like you got as much sense as your daddy, boy.” She nods toward the other guard behind him. “Go ahead, Vaughn.”

He cracks the butt of the crossbow into the back of Orion’s skull. I smother my shriek as he slumps forward, only breathing again when he hisses and lifts his eyes to mine.

Bossie drums her fingers on the hook of her cane. “Now, is everyone gonna behave? Fury, you’re alive for one reason, and I won’t have you acting out in front of our other guests.”

My skin prickles. “Other guests?”

“Haven’t you figured it out, child? There’s gonna be a wedding.” She leans toward me like she’s letting me in on a secret. “Andyouare the lucky bride.”