“Did you come up with this?” she asked Cypress, skeptically. Cypress shook her head and jutted a thumb at Vesper, who just shrugged.
“Didn’t think it’d be much of a life if she was stuck inside all the time. We won’t have to be escorted everywhere like she is, but I don’t think it’s a great idea for us to venture out much, especially if Cedar’s intel is right and they’re searching for us.”
Cypress perked up as if she’d just had the most brilliant idea. “Does this mean you can take me out, Vessie?”
Vesper gave her an easy smile. “Yeah, I guess I could.”
Cypress squealed with delight. Bellamy worried the girl might launch herself at Vesper again, but surprisingly, she stayed put, doing a stupid little happy dance instead. “I want you to take me to the gardens! I always loved them when I was younger,” Cypress sighed happily.
“I can take you to the gardens,” Cedar grumbled, arms crossed over her chest. Bellamy laughed and earned herself another glare.
Before either of them could escalate the situation, Vesper interjected. “Are you going to hide out here too, then?” she asked Cedar.
“I think I’m actually gonna try to go back. According to a few of the people I spoke with, no one thinks I’ve betrayed them. They just think I’m missing, and you two took out the guys Icame with. Might help to get more information if I can get back in there.”
“That’d be great. Think you can pick up a few things for us while you’re out?” Vesper asked. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for Bel and I to risk leaving quite yet.”
“But wecanleave, right? The veils will hide us completely,” Bellamy argued, pouting.
Vesper hesitated. “Just be careful, Bel,” she murmured. The worried look on her face made Bellamy’s heart swell. She wouldn’t leave without Vesper anyway.
“Let me know what you want, and I’ll see what I can do,” Cedar said, interrupting them before she turned to Cypress to ask if she wanted to go to some ice cream place they apparently frequented as children.
Bellamy looked at Vesper, who nodded and made some excuse about needing to see Mazz, which allowed them to slip out without argument. She didn’t know if it was real or not, but she sure as shit wasn’t about to let Ves talk to any of the whores alone ever again, so she followed.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Vesper
Well, shit.
Vesper had really hoped that Wisp wouldn’t be moving in, especially after Mazz had seen the animosity between her and Bel. Unfortunately, Mazz had never been one to refuse to help, and clearly Wisp needed a place to stay or else Vesper wouldn’t be listening to Wisp and Bellamy scream at each other. Okay fine—Bellamy was screaming at Wisp while Wisp provoked her.
She’d just wanted to see how Cedar and Cypress had got on at ice cream last night. That was it! Sure, it had felt a little underhanded to have Mazz follow them, hiding herself under a shroud of illusion, but when Mazz had immediately agreed, Vesper knew she’d made the right choice. Mazz didn’t trust Cedar either.
Apparently Mazz hadn’t trusted Cedar since she moved in. She’d gone as far as forbidding the girls from bringing her in as a client. Vesper had never noticed it before—not that she’d seen Mazz and Cedar interact much, if ever. Mazz wouldn’t tell her why though. Maybe she just had a feeling. Mazz had excellent intuition. Vesper used to joke that was her real magic.
Which brought Vesper back to the question of why the fuckdid Mazz let Wisp move in? Especially now. Bellamy was going to fucking kill her sister. She hadn’t been paying attention to the argument, instead just raised her eyebrow at Mazz, who rolled her eyes and mouthed “they need to work things out. I’m helping.”
Sure. That’s definitely what this felt like. Vesper shook her head and tried to tune back into the fight. It was becoming more and more clear that Bellamy hadn’t purposely hidden the fact she’d had a sister, she just really,reallyhated her and wanted to forget she existed. Apparently she’d cut her out while they were still in training.
“Why don’t you just take my old room. Ro will be thrilled to have you there instead,” Bellamy snapped sarcastically. Vesper had met her brother a few times. She liked him enough, and they got on pretty well.
“True. He’s been wanting to get you out for years. He only let you stay there because he’s too nice and you were so pathetic,” Wisp hissed in response. That only made Bellamy angrier. “Told me about your gambling problem.”
“I don’t have a gambling problem!” Bellamy yelled. Vesper had to work to keep her face neutral.
Wisp laughed. “Sure you don’t.”
Bellamy huffed. “Why here, then?” she asked, as if she thought her sister had planned to stay here for the sole purpose of pissing her off.
Wisp smiled and darted a look at Mazz. “Old friend needed help.”
“Please,” Bellamy scoffed. “Mazz doesn’t need help with anything. Even if she did, she has way better people to ask than you.”
Vesper mirrored the look of surprise on Mazz’s face. Was that… Did Bel just compliment her?
“You don’t even know what she asked from me.” Wisp smirked and glanced behind Bellamy to Vesper, who’d been able to stay out of the line of fire so far. “Maybe she needed another brat. Highdemand and all.”
