“Well, that’s not very romantic, is it?”
The look he gave her sent a shudder through her bones, like he wanted to destroy her.
“Romance doesn’t exist in le Voile. It is hedonism incarnate, the constant pursuit of excess.”
“And yet it’s been decades since you brought another human here. You must be very happy with him.”
She didn’t know why she was prodding him so much, but she couldn’t stop herself, even as he gave her a vicious glare.
“That is none of your business, and if you’re done questioning me about every little thing, perhaps we can eat the dinner I made for you.”
He said it through gritted teeth, his annoyance clear, though she cared little.
“Lead the way,” she said, gesturing dramatically, much to his chagrin.
Bellinor huffed, stalking toward the door without waiting for her. She gathered her skirt and hurried to catch up, leaving the red room behind and wondering when she would return.
Dinner was a tense and wordless affair, as if neither of them quite knew what to say to the other. The meal was simple compared to the extravagance of the previous night, though no less decadent. A thick steak, buttery chanterelle mushrooms, and a rich crème brûlée to finish it off.
“What did you and Rul get up to today?” Bellinor asked as she picked at the remains of her dessert, breaking the awkward silence.
Isabelle looked up at him, the uncomfortable smile telling her he was trying to be nice. Or at least she thought so.
“He showed me le Voile…”
His eyes widened for a split second before he composed himself, as if shocked by her answer.
“And what did you think?”
“It was terrible.”
“Itisterrible.”
Isabelle frowned, melancholy permeating through the intimate space, the candlelight flickering off his pale skin. Jean-Phillipe. He was a man once, a man who looked like the creature sitting next to her, a beautiful man who had been sent to this Hell. For what? As punishment? Revenge? Justice?
“How did you survive out there?” she asked, recalling the overwhelming despair that had enveloped her just by merely looking upon the endless void.
“It wasn’t easy…” he said, trailing off with a shrug. “I didn’t give in to anguish. I refused to let… le Voile win.”
Somehow, the fact that he’d persevered on pure spite didn’t surprise her in the slightest.
“Do you spend much time earthbound?” she asked, trying not to seem like she was fishing for information.
Bellinor shook his head.
“No. Not anymore.”
“Why not? Why not stay there?”
“I don’t belong there. Your world does not want me anymore. Besides,” he said, gesturing to the room. “I created all of this. Why would I ever want to leave?”
Perhaps to stalk and kidnap an innocent woman?Which still made little sense to her.
Isabelle stifled the riposte on the tip of her tongue.
“Some of the rooms are quite strange.”
Bellinor chuckled.
