He vanished down the corridor leading toward his bedroom.
Whisper gave me a feline version of a shrug, then stalked after his master, leaving me alone with my hard-earned wine and a heart full of questions.
Chapter Twenty-Six
SOMEHOW, ANOTHER TWO WEEKS PASSED.
Another fourteen days of being summoned in the morning, given tasks to complete around the palace, and constantly aware of Lucien watching me.
He was everywhere, even when he was nowhere.
I sensed him around every corner, in every shadow.
His very existence seemed tethered to my own. There was something about him that was too much—too dark, too depressed, too cold and quiet and calculating. But there was also something else too...something that only grew stronger, deeper, and harder to ignore the more time I spent with him.
On the rare moments where I managed to look at him without him noticing, I’d catch sight of his ever-present hatred and rage. He ached with his imprisonment. He throbbed with helpless frustration. But beneath all of that, hehurt.
He hurt every second of every day and my wariness of him somehow switched over those two weeks from fearing for my life to fearing for his. Whenever he thought I was in another room, obeying his command to sweep and mop and dust, I’d occasionally sneak back to see what he did on his own.
The first time I’d spied on him, I’d had to slap both hands over my mouth to prevent myself from asking if he was okay.He’d been sitting on the window seat—one of his favourite spots—and his face turned white. His lips pressed tight together; his hand clutching his heart as if he could rip out the silver disc embedded in his chest. He groaned low and long, sweat rolling from his hairline and glittering on his cheeks.
I’d moved to help him...somehow...but Whisper blocked my path, preventing me from going to his master’s side.
The second time I’d stumbled on Lucien in the throes of agony was when I’d gone to refill my water bucket in the kitchen. He stood in the walled courtyard by a gnarled, slightly stunted tree in the centre. His back had been straight and stiff, but his head bowed as he buried his face in his hands.
I’d almost dropped the bucket as he suddenly collapsed to his knees and wrapped his arms around his middle, rocking forward and pressing his forehead to the ground.
I’d rushed toward the door without thinking.
Unfortunately, Whisper appeared again.
“Why are you stopping me?” I whispered. “Didn’t you bring me to him the last time he had a bad attack in his bed?”
The panther hung his head and whimpered as if hewantedme to help but had been commanded to keep me away.
The third time, I’d almost risked a panther bite.
I’d been up the ladder cleaning the books on the top levels of his library. A heavy thud and crash of porcelain had me racing down and flying into the central living space.
Lucien lay on his side by the door, a smashed coffee mug beside him and a puddle of hot liquid spilling across the floor. He’d twitched, his shirt pulling aside to reveal the top of the silver disc on his chest and the red light flickering there.
I’d tried to go to him. To keep him supported as he passed out for reasons I couldn’t understand, but Whisper once again stopped me.
“I’m not going to hurt him,” I hissed. “He’s unconscious. Aren’t you worried?”
The huge black cat looked over his shoulder, his entire body slouching with fear for his master.
“This is ridiculous. I need to check on him.” I skirted around Whisper and dashed toward Lucien, only for the large cat to leap in front of me with a snarl.
For the first time, the panther acted as ifIwere his enemy, his fangs bared and sharp.
I’d deliberated taking the chance that he wouldn’t hurt me as Lucien groaned in his sleep, quaking with misery. But Whisper herded me back and snapped at me until I fled.
Lucien’s suffering wasn’t the only thing I’d had to get used to.
When he wasn’t in agony, he was out hunting.
Almost every night, a scream would cut through the estate, only to be cut off a moment later as a girl’s life ended—either by Lucien or Whisper.
