He only hums under his breath and blows on the steam rising from his cup as he stares into the fire. Thunder continues to roll overhead, lightning imbuing the night with its flickering arcs. A thick sheet of rain batters the roof and windows, obscuring the view outside, until all that can be seen is the bright, blurry globe of the moon hanging in the night sky as it breaks from the clouds.
“What did you bargain for?” His voice comes out in little more than a whisper and my eyes dart to the ceiling, remembering our sleeping companions overhead.
The memory feels private. Something I’ve only ever shared with one other soul. But maybe I can give a small sliver of my story to the general as an offering of peace. Perhaps a small bit of truth will put him at ease.
“I bargained for a life,” I say quietly.
“No small request.” He ponders my answer as he takes a sip of steaming tea. “What did Bagya ask for in return?”
“I don’t know,” I admit.
His eyebrows shoot up. It’s not the most handsome face the male has ever worn but I’ll take it over his brooding frowns.
“You gave her a future favor?” he guesses.
“No. She took something, I’m just not sure what it was. She wasn’tparticularly clear in her request, and I lacked the time it would have taken to ask the right questions.”
Though what I would have asked her I still ponder to this day.
He hums and continues sipping his tea. I take a careful drink of the steamy beverage and when my tongue is met with the most deliciously sweet combination of herbs and spice, I pull in a few more greedy mouthfuls. The male certainly knows how to make a cup of tea.
“She didn’t tell you what she wanted?” he asks.
I shrug as if it was nothing, but I’ve replayed that moment in my mind thousands of times, desperate to understand what the female took from me.
“She said the price was a piece of the lie. I was young,” I say, worried he will call me a fool for giving up something I still don’t understand, “and desperate, and I only thought to ask if it would harm me. The moment she said it wouldn’t, I agreed and that was it.”
His face converts back to its typical glower, only this time I’m relieved when it’s directed at the fire. Even the flames seem to shrink a little under his gaze.
The crackle within the hearth melds with the patter of rain overhead, lulling me into a sleepy haze. The moment my eyes slip shut I snap them open again, giving myself a shake as I stifle a yawn.
Unbidden, the general remarks, “Trust me when I say you should never strike a bargain with a fea. The price will always be far too high.”
“You’re wrong,” I say, and he turns to look at me speculatively. “Sshhe could have asked me for anything, and I would have given it to her. Even now, in that sssame moment, I would do it again.”
Did I just slur?
“If you truly feel that way,” he says as he puts down his cup and stands to look down on me, “it’s only because you haven’t begun to understand what you traded for that life.”
I want to argue but I’ve forgotten how to use my tongue. My neck suddenly refuses to support the weight of my head as it lolls back against the chair, and then, there is nothing but the void.
CHAPTER 12
THE COTTAGE, A’KORI
Present Day
Cheerful birdsong flutters in through a small window, each lovely note splitting my head. Groaning, I slide my hands over my ears to block out the noise and grimace. With far too great an effort, I manage to open one eye. Regret. It’s the only word that comes to mind, as my cornea is flooded with bright morning light that burns as if I’ve just looked directly into the sun.
How much did I have to drink last night?
Peeling my face from a small puddle of drool, I tenderly cradle my head in my palm and loose a pitiful moan. My vision blurs as I wobble, lifting myself off the bed with my free hand. If Leanna ever saw me in such a state, she would all but end me just to prove how vulnerable I made myself. She wouldn’t be wrong.
Forcing my eyes into focus, I prop myself up on my arms and take a moment to look around the room. My gaze settles on the dresser painted in sprigs of lavender and I’m thrown from my stupor when I remember exactly where I am.
My feet hit the floor, followed by a small throw I’ve been sleeping under. Rushing to pull my pants on under the dress I still wear from the night before, I glance in the mirror hanging on the other side of the room. I groan and drag my fingers through the ratty nest of hair. Cursing under my breath I give up and weave it into a somewhat manageable braid.
As my fingers deftly work the length of hair, I replay the events of the previous evening. I don’t recall coming back to my room. Apparently, I hadn’t even crawled under the covers before I’d fallen asleep. I frown, glancing at the thin throw on the floor. My mind feels like a dense cloud of fog has taken up residence. I remember sitting by the fire and … the tea … the general’s smile. The bastard.
