Page 46 of Vengeance and Vipers

He doesn’t answer, but his eyes flash, and I wonder if this was how he looked when he realized I’d stolen his money two years ago, too. Did he take my actions to heart the way he did Robertson’s?

As I watch his face, I know he did.

‘It wasn’t personal,’ I whisper before I can stop myself.

His eyes snap to mine. ‘Neither was giving you to Dante,’ he sneers.

I wonder if he really believes that, but I turn away so he doesn’t see my wince, and I give a small chuckle instead. ‘Touché.’

I don’t trust myself to look at him again as I go to the nearest bookshelf and read some of the titles. I hear him sit back down behind his desk, and a moment later, the library door opens.

‘Ah, Tabitha, please take Julia to her room. I trust it’s ready.’

‘Aye. All aired and sorted. Come along, dearie.’

She bustles along in front of me, leading me away. I do glance back at Maddox, but I’ve already been forgotten. His attention is back on the papers on his desk.

Guess I’m dismissed.

Feeling hollow and unsettled, I let Tabitha take me up the stairs in silence, and I’m glad she’s not asking me questions I might find difficult to answer, though I know she must be curious about me. We turn left at the landing, and she leads me to the room I had while I was here before. It’s in the opposite wing to where the clan’s rooms are.

Last time, it was for my protection. This time, I can’t help but think that, in Maddox’s mind, it’s for theirs.

We go inside, and I look around. It’s been redecorated since I was last here. It was lavender before with flowered wallpaper. A quaint yet sophisticated space that reminded me of Regency England. Now, everything is white and utilitarian. Even the sheets are devoid of color.

‘Apologies,’ Tabitha mutters, looking slightly abashed. ‘I hope you don’t mind me asking, but I have a very good nose, and you don’t smell … are you human?’

‘Yes,’ I say with a small smile, ‘but I don’t think I have a scent at the moment.’

‘Ah,’ she says faintly, ‘I see.’

But she doesn’t look convinced.

‘Iron put a conjure on me a few days ago,’ I explain. ‘I guess it hasn’t worn off yet.’

I don’t know what she suspected, but at my words, Tabitha nods and looks suddenly much more at ease.

“Ah! Of course. That explains it.’

She turns down the bed and shuts the curtains before she returns to the door. ‘Are you hungry? Can I bring you anything?’

I shake my head. ‘No, thanks. I ate earlier.’In the dungeon.

She smiles and leaves me to it after asking me to ring for her if I need anything. I promise her I will, but I already know I won’t. The thought of ringing a bell to summon her like some rich, supe asshole doesn’t sit right with me.

When I’m alone, I brush the curtain aside and peer out into the darkness. I glance at the clock. It’s after ten now. I look around to make sure there aren’t anysurprises, even spending a few minutes seeing if I can locate any secret passages out of the room, but I don’t find anything.

Afterward, I get on the bed and lay in the middle, staring at the ceiling. I’m as much a prisoner as I have been for the past three months, I think. Sure, it’s more comfortable, and at least I’ll be able to move around the house, but I’m going to have to be careful. I need to stay away from Axel and Jayce to keep to Maddox’s rules, and after what happened with Daemon and Maddox, I should probably avoid them, too. That leaves Iron, who I’m pretty wary of after the Mountain, and Krase, who may or may not still be on the brink of insanity.

I heave a sigh. Looks like I’ll be even more lonely here than I was in the Mountain. At least there I had Siggy.

I blink back a few tears, but in the end, I let them fall, hoping that it’ll make me feel better. I cry until my pillow is too wet to sleep on, but it doesn’t help, so I close my eyes and try to sleep. Maybe tomorrow will seem brighter.

ChapterEight

JAYCE

Ienter her room silently, and I find her asleep on the bed on top of the covers, still in the dress Krase gave her to wear, though it looks a little worse for wear after her schlep through the catacombs.