I see her, in my mind’s eye, bent over the back of the couch. Her nightgown pushed up almost to her neck—exposing her round ass and creamy, white thighs.
We stare at each other, wasting some of the precious few moments allotted for this meeting. Then I snap out of it. Because this girl, she was in my private quarters last night.
And she knows I remember her, because she looks terrified.
I lean back in my chair, slouching a little. “Do you have a name?”
“Oh… I… sorry.” She blows out a breath, unable to meet my gaze now. “Jasina. Jasina Bell.”
“Bell?” My gaze darts to the Matrons hovering all over the place. “Isn’t there a Matron Bell?” She looks up at me, mouth opening, ready to answer, when I put up a hand. “Never mind. I don’t even care. You were in my quarters last night.” My eyes narrow down in the ensuing silence, and I glare at her, daring her to lie.
“So what?” Her chin is tipped up in defiance. And she is glaring right back at me.
I scoff. “So what? I could have you kicked out, you know.”
She shrugs. “So do it.” I’m just about to snap my fingers for the footman when she leans in and says, “But if you do, then I won’t be able to come back tonight and let you have your way with me again.”
The guffaw comes out of my mouth before I can stop it, drawing the attention of the entire room. Especially the Matrons. They start rushing towards my table, but I put up a hand and dismiss them. They are not pleased about this, or my outburst, but what can they do? I’m the fucking Extraction Master. I might as well be the god in that stupid tower, that’s how much power I have around here.
I look Jasina Bell straight in her blue eyes. “You brazen little whore.”
“I’m not a whore.”
“No? Then why the hell were you bent over my couch last night?”
“Because you put me there.”
I laugh again. Not as loud this time. “Fair, I guess. But how did you get there?”
I wait for the lie. Fully expect a lie. Because there’s something going on with this girl. Something secret. Something dangerous, maybe. Like… was she sent to seduce me? Kill me? Both?
But she doesn’t lie. Because the most fantastical words come spilling right out of her mouth. “There’s a secret passage on the top level of your tower. On the inside, the door looks like a bookcase. But it opens up.”
“And where does this passage lead?”
“To the Little Sister dorms.”
“How did you find it?”
“I guessed. I mean, it was a strange door in a strange part of the dorm. It looked out of place. So I opened it and found you at the other end of a long walk and a long climb.”
“Keep going.”
“So I decided to enter and take a look around.”
“Did you find anything interesting?”
“Well.” She smiles at me, but it’s an uncertain one. “I found you. If that counts.”
“Did you like what I did to you?”
She bites her lip, but doesn’t answer.
“Well?”
“Excuse me?” The girl and I break eye contact and look up to find a Matron has approached my table.
I’m annoyed. I was very much interested in hearing Jasina’s opinions on what we did last night. Eagerly anticipating her squirming. “Yes?” My tone is curt and was in no way meant to hide my anger. “What is it, Matron?”
