The curse had taken root; that much I knew. Even now, it would be doing its slow work, but on a male dhampir, not a female witch. How would that change its effects? Would it have an effect at all? The spell was specific to females.
I stood again, restless energy coursing through me. What I needed was information. A different approach. Something that would slip past their defenses while they were focused on the obvious threats.
“Next time,” I promised myself, “we’ll make sure she suffersproperly.”
The thought brought a smile to my lips as I returned to the window, watching night settle over this pathetic little farm. I couldn’t wait until we could move to a home more befitting our station.
The door to my bedroom crashed open without so much as a knock, and Eluned burst in like a summer storm, all wild energy and gleaming eyes.
“Did you see their faces?” She twirled into the center of my room, her extravagant dress billowing around her like she was auditioning for a music video. “They were terrified! We actually did it!”
I didn’t turn from my window, just reached for the glass of bourbon I’d poured earlier. The amber liquid caught the fading light as I swirled it slowly, ice cubes clinking against crystal.
“They weren’tterrified,” I corrected. “They weresurprised. There’s a difference.”
She seemed not to hear me, or more likely, chose to ignore my assessment. She flopped onto my bed, bouncing slightly on the mattress.
“We should hit them again.” She rolled onto her stomach and propped her chin on her hands. “Tomorrow. Or tonight, even! They won’t expect us to come back so quickly.”
I took a deliberate sip, letting the liquor burn down my throat before responding.
“No.”
“No?” She sat up, her excitement giving way to irritation. “What do you mean,no? This is the perfect time, Am. They’re reeling right now, trying to figure out what happened. Mother always says to press an advantage when you have one.”
“Mother also says to understand your opponents before engaging them fully,” I countered, finally turning to face her. “Those dhampirs were ready, El.”
“So? We’ll send something stronger next time.”
I exhaled slowly, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.
“They aren’t just strong. They areprepared. That level of readiness isn’t random. They were expecting something.”
“All the more reason to hit them now, before they can build up more defenses!” Eluned stood, pacing the floor with quick, agitated steps. “If they’re so dangerous, we can’t afford to give them time to regroup.”
“And charging in blindly is how fools die. Mother has a plan, and it doesn’t involve us exposing ourselves prematurely.” I set my glass down with a sharp click against the windowsill.
“Mother’s plan is takingforever,” she whined, her lower lip pushing out in that same childish pout she’d perfected when we were five. “You and I both know we could handle this ourselves.”
“Could we?” I arched an eyebrow. “Because what I saw today was us failing to incapacitate a single witch because her protectors were better prepared than we anticipated.”
My words landed like stones, and I could see her face harden.
“Why are you always like this?” she demanded, her voice rising slightly. “Always so cautious, always waiting. For once, I’d like to see you actuallydosomething instead of just talking about it.”
“And for once, I’d like to see youthinkbefore you act.” I felt a flicker of anger rise in my chest.
“At leastIact,” she shot back, stepping closer. “You hide behind your plans and your schemes, but when it comes to actual confrontation? You’re a coward, Amabel.”
“Acoward?” I repeated, my voice dangerously soft as I set down my glass. “Is that what you call someone who ensures they win before the battle even begins? Someone who doesn’t rush into situations half-cocked?”
“I call it someone who’s all talk!” She folded her arms across her chest. “Always planning and plotting, but never pulling the trigger.I’mthe one who gets things done.”
“You’re an impulse-driven idiot who’s lucky you haven’t gotten yourself killed already,” I said coldly. “The only reason you’re still breathing is becauseI’mconsistently three steps ahead ofyourblunders.”
Eluned’s eyes widened, genuine hurt flashing across her face before anger replaced it. This wasn’t our usual bickering. No, something had shifted between us, a fundamental fracture forming where once there had been alignment.
“My blunders?” she laughed, but it was brittle. “Wasn’t I the one who figured out that there was no aerial defense at Evermere? Wasn’t I the one who perfected The Withering Veil when you couldn’t get the incantation right?”
