He gave me a quick nod and set to work, and I had just finished figuring out how to buckle Josslyn in her carrier when Arabesque’s voice cut through the quiet, sharp as a blade.
“Don’t think for a moment that this is the end of anything, Serafina.”
She stood at the top of the staircase, her silhouette framed by the soft light from the window. Her straight hair cascaded down her shoulders like a black river, and her green eyes gleamed with a malice so polished, it could’ve been mistaken for kindness.
“Distance won’t free you,” she purred.
I stayed quiet, not because of the silence shackle she had cast on me earlier. A tier three whisperbind, it stopped me from talking about specific matters, things she needed to keep hidden. But silence had become both my defense and weapon over the past few months, and I wielded it for the last time in my own home. I looked her in the eye and nodded, perfectly playing the role of the compliant puppet she thought she’d created.
She smiled, a thin, cruel thing that made my stomach twist into knots.
“Now, don’t you worry about a thing, Your audience with King Julian is arranged and your transportation awaits. As per our contract, my daughters will see you to your new home.”
My heart sank as Amabel and Eluned sauntered out of the living room, their laughter light and mocking. They were identical in every way that mattered: Sharp features, icy eyes, and a cruelty that had been honed to perfection under Arabesque’s guidance. Amabel, the elder by a few minutes, flashed me a fake smile as she paused in front of me.
“Can’t wait to hit the road with you, stepsister. It’ll be quite entertaining, I’m sure. Just make sure to keep that little brat quiet.”
I bit my tongue so hard, I tasted blood. They were fulfilling the terms of our contract, yes, but that didn’t mean they had to like it or be nice about it. They probably planned to make sure I knew it, too, with every snide comment and veiled insult they could muster for the whole trip.
“Let’s get this over with,” Eluned said, stalking out the front door without so much as a backward glance.
Amabel followed, and I watched them go before I turned to glance up at Arabesque one last time.
She was still there, still smiling, still radiating an air of quiet triumph. Raising my chin, I met her eyes and didn’t blink.
“Don’t think for a moment that this is the end of anything,” I echoed her earlier words and took the greatest satisfaction in watching her shoulders stiffen and her eyes widen.
Turning on my heel, I picked up Josslyn’s carrier and stepped out into the crisp spring air.
The car was waiting, sleek and black, its engine purring softly as I settled Josslyn into the backseat, where Brumous was already stretched out on the floor. Austin helped me fasten her carrier into the car seat base, and I thanked him. He was only a few years older than me and seemed like a nice guy, and I wanted to warn him to get away from here as fast as he could.
He was a human, though, and I figured he’d only think I was crazy if I started talking about Dark witches and rogue werewolves and plots to overthrow kingdoms he knew nothing about.
Sliding in next to Josslyn, I closed my door and buckled my seatbelt.
“Let’s go, Amabel,” I ordered.
“Yes, ma’am.” If a voice could slither, it would be hers as she put the car in gear.
Sitting back, I pressed my lips together and watched the Bell homestead disappear from my sight. Brumous, maybe sensing my sadness, nuzzled his head in my lap, and I buried my fingers in his soft fur, finding comfort in his presence.
Josslyn slept fitfully in her seat, her tiny hands curled into fists as if even in slumber she fought battles I couldn’t see.
After a moment, I turned to stare out the window at the blur of countryside rolling past.
“Think you’ll miss us, worthless?” Eluned’s voice dripped with syrupy sweetness from the front seat. Amabel snorted, a harsh, grating sound that made me flinch.
“No, I won’t miss the people who made my life a living hell,” I snapped. “Now be quiet, both of you.”
The hum of the engine filled the silence, steady and unyielding. I closed my eyes, letting the rhythm lull me. The weight of what lay ahead pressed on me, but I pushed it down, down, until it was just another stone in the heavy pile I’d been carrying for years.
I could handle this. Iwouldhandle this. For Josslyn, for Brumous, for the spark of hope that flickered stubbornly in my chest.
I had no other choice than to handle it.
#
Even asleep, I felt the car slow down, and my eyes snapped open. We were turning onto a long, winding driveway lined with ancient oaks, their gnarled branches stretching overhead like nature’s own cathedral. An enormous mansion stood ahead, its sprawling structure a mix of medieval grandeur and modern elegance. Guards in crisp uniforms flanked the enormous front doors, their sharp eyes scanning the car as we pulled up.
