My brow furrowed. “Velle, I don’t?—”
When I reached for her hands again, she pulled them away like I was a disease. “I never expectedyouof all people to open your legs to aKyzaireif he so much as looked at you twice.”
My jaw dropped. “That’snotwhat this is!”
“Isn’t it?” she asked. “Did he mention sex?”
I floundered. “Well, it’s…it’s complicated.”
She laughed, the sound echoing in the hallway. This was a mistake—to talk to her when she was already pissed off. I could only imagine what she’d tell the other keepers after this conversation.
“Velle, please,” I said quietly, taking a deep breath. “You’re my friend. You know I’ve always…I’ve always admired him. For years. Are you telling me that you wouldn’t say yes if he asked the same of you?”
“Oh, I would,” Velle replied without hesitation. “I would get on my damn knees right there and then because unlike you, I know what an agreement like thatreallymeans. And I’m not so high and mighty that I’d tried to sell it as anything different than being his paid whore.”
I flinched. Silence dropped between us. My temper—if it could even be called that—wasn’t stoked often.
I knew what was happening. The realization hit me too late.
“I mean, I’m just assuming he’s paying you. If you’re not working as his keeper anymore, you have to make your credits in other ways,” she continued, twisting the dagger.
This wasn’t the first time Velle had lashed out at me. The last time had been four or five months ago. We’d both been assigned to a dinner party that Kaldur had been hosting. One of the guests, an older noble from a House I didn’t even bother to remember, had asked about me. We’d spoken briefly, and I could tell he’d found me attractive, though it hadn’t been reciprocal.
The male in question had apparently been very wealthy, from a very old House—everything my friend valued in a potential suitor—and Velle had been cold to me the rest of the night. The whole rest of the week, truthfully, until she’d bottled it up so tightly that she’d ended up exploding at me.
Shortly after, she’d apologized and we’d smoothed things over…but I couldn’t say I was surprised by this reaction.
She was jealous. Pure and simple. Not about Kaldur, specifically, but about the entire situation. A wealthyKyzairewas taking me away from the life she herself despised. It was what she wanted for herself, and it likely hurt her to see it happening up close.
That realization dulled my temper. And while it was in my nature to let smaller things slide for the sake of keeping the peace, I still knew when to stand up for myself. That was one of the most valuable lessons I’d taken from growing up the way I did.
I kept my voice even as I said, “I don’t appreciate that. You know me, Velle. I’m no whore. I’m untouched, for Raazos’s sake.” Her brow quirked. Maybe she hadn’t known that. “The situation is what it is. You know how I feel about him, how I’ve always felt about him. My answer was always going to be yes, and that’smychoice to make. You can judge me for it if you want, but it doesn’t change this.”
She stared at me. I thought, maybe for a moment, she might soften. But she only gave a huff, laced in condescension.
“Sometimes youreallyneed to grow up, Erina,” she said. “And I’m saying this as your friend. Stop living with your head in the clouds…because males likethatwill only hurt you if you expect too much. You want a great romance—I know you do.”
My lips pressed together when she laughed.
“You’re way out of your element here,” Velle finished, smiling. “I’ll be there when you need someone to cry to when you get your heart broken. But since you’re no longer a keeper and now a blood giver, I think it’s best if we don’t interact from now on. Not like I’ll see you if you’re being moved to the South Wing anyway.”
And with that, she pushed past me, jostling my shoulder hard, and stalked back down the hallway, toward the kitchens, where Iwas certain she would tell everyone what she’d learned. At least once Maudoric left.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let a single one fall.
Standing in that hallway, I felt alone, like when Luc had left Vyaan for Laras. I’d watched his caravan until it had disappeared into the depths of the forest road, praying to all the gods of Krynn to keep his traveling party safe.
I’d cried myself to sleep for weeks. Missing the only family I’d ever known.
This isn’t as bad as that,I tried to tell myself. I took in a deep breath, drawing on the strength of that small, somewhat comforting knowledge.
I hope you’re happy, Luc,I thought. A plea or a silent prayer, I couldn’t be sure.
Then I tightened my satchel on my shoulder and made my way toward the gardens, eager to lose myself in Kavelyn’s latest adventure, an escape I desperately needed.
CHAPTER 12
KALDUR
