Page 30 of Wedlock

I can almost picture her casual, nonchalant stance as she says this.

Eleanor’s silent for a long moment, and all I hear is the sound of metal against metal. Asumpta is obviously sharpening her blades, as she so often did when I visited. I note the procurer doesn’t put forward her view on whether Viper has, or hasn’t, done what Jag has accused him of, but almost takes it as a given — certainly she’s not surprised. I wonder if Eleanor notices this too. Her next comment makes me think she does. Not much gets past her.

“Asumpta, regardless of the veracity of the accusation, Falcon wouldneverbelieve Viper capable of this. Ever since they were boys he’s sheltered his brother from the excesses of his father. He bore the brunt of every brutal punishment for any infraction, real or imagined. You know this. He has always,will always,protect his brother.”

I feel like flinging open the door and screaming.

‘What? He doesn’t believe it? How? How can he not believe this? It makes so much sense!’

Asumpta snorts.

“Are you saying he doesn’t believe Jag? His best friend and comrade?”

‘Exactly!’

“He cannot,” Eleanor says simply.

I want to groan, but I keep my hand firmly over my mouth.

‘Oh my fucking God! Stupid, stupid vampire with your stupid, stupid loyalty.’

Asumpta sighs heavily.

“What do you want from me, Eleanor?”

“I want you to find Viper before Jag does. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that if Jag kills Viper, Falcon will make it his penultimate quest to kill his former comrade.”

The blades stop being sharpened and I strain to hear what Asumpta replies, but I can’t hear a thing. I imagine she must have nodded, or sent some signal of agreement, because footsteps head across the kitchen flagstones towards the door and I scurry to get out of the way before Eleanor exits.

I’m trembling with anxiety as I wait, hidden for a few long minutes to be sure she’s really gone before making my way into the kitchen. I know I have no time to spare.

Asumpta is in the process of strapping on her swords to leave, but spins and snarls as I call out her name.

“What do you want?”

“Long time no see, Asumpta. I’ve missed you too.”

“Answer my question.”

“I’m here for information.”

“I stopped being your vampire bible a long time ago,” she sneers. “Go sniffle to Eleanor if there’s something you want to know. I’m busy.”

I grit my teeth, but plough on. I might not get another opportunity to see her. I’d love to ask what she plans to do about Viper and Jag and the bite, but I can’t talk about that. Instead I head in another direction and pursue the line of questioning I’d planned before hearing Eleanor’s news.

“What do you know about Princess Revna?”

“Ahhhh,” she smiles, her fangs running out. “So this is where we’re headed. You’ve heard he’s returned to her. Apparently he didn’t surface from her suites for days — guess they had a lot of horizontal catching up to do. Two centuries apart, yet you manage to fuck him up so badly you drive him straight back into her arms. That’s a real skill.”

I try not to let my emotions show on my face, but her words cut me to the bone. It was one thing for Eleanor to suspect Falcon was courting his old love again; another to have it confirmed. And the bitch before me knows all too well that it wasn’t me who fucked up Falcon, it was his half-brother, her ally.

Still, I try to act unperturbed.

“Yeah? Well, I hear Falcon isn’t that fucked up; he just wants to become a king. I wonder how that works here, though. I mean, if I’m dispensed with, and my son is not the heir, then Viper will be the Lord, won’t he? He’s next in line. That should suit you, though. I mean, you guys are tight, aren’t you?”

‘And Eleanor must know that, or she wouldn’t have asked you to find him. I need to question her more about her step-daughters. I feel like I’ve missed something somewhere…’

Asumpta narrows her eyes.