‘Shit. I’m sorry.’ She wiped her eyes, smudging mascara everywhere. ‘I don’t mean to take my anger out on you. I’ll go.’
I caught her hand.
‘No, don’t go.’ I used my sleeve to wipe her tear-stained cheeks. ‘What I’m saying isn’t that you can’t protect yourself or anyone else. You’re perhaps the most capable woman I know when it comes to handling something like this. I only mean that it doesn’t hurt to have someone like Michael, who deals with spies and mercenaries all the time. He’ll know what to look for in situations where force alone won’t get us anywhere.’
She stilled. ‘I didn’t look at it that way.’
‘Of course you didn’t. It’s a difficult situation, and you don’t particularly like him, do you?’
The crimson of her eyes returned, and I nearly gasped with relief. ‘No, it’s not that. He just likes to push my buttons.’
‘He’s just like that,’ I said, smiling even though I knew she wasn’t telling me the whole story.
This level of dislike didn’t happen overnight or for a silly reason like his petulant sense of humour. But she was entitled to have her secrets, and perhaps she didn’t know the answer to my question yet.
‘Will the child and Michael be staying here in the estate too?’
‘I was planning on that, unless you mind? I know dad won’t care.’
I shook my head. ‘Why don’t we prepare rooms for them? It’ll give us something to do and take our minds off things.’
‘Sure. I’ll spread nails under his bedsheet.’ She smirked. ‘Let’s go.’
Okay. Note to self: don’t mess with Miriam.
Chapter Forty-One
Willow
Iopened the disturbingly little wardrobe and gasped at the atrocities awaiting me. All the stuff I would ever deem semi-decent had been gone, replaced with woven sweaters, head-to-toe long-sleeved maxi dresses and togas.
Fucking togas.
No. This was too far. It had fucking Alec written all over it. The way that idiot smiled when he wished me goodnight… I knew he was planning something.
Why did I allow myself to sleep? I could never show myself in something like this. I had a reputation to uphold.
He messed with the wrong girl. The mushrooms were just the beginning; by the time I was through with him, he would regret ever saving me.
But first, the crisis called for drastic measures. Measures I would never normally allow myself to even consider.
Just the thought was enough to make me gag, as I rushed down the hallway to knock on the door. I had no time to reconsider.
A surprised Ava opened it with even more shocked grey-head sat on her bed. Wasn’t her name Monica? ‘I’m sure whatever you two are doing here is critical, but my request regards my ability to ever become the Ortensian Queen.’
‘Uh, okay? What’s happening?’ Ava asked, looking terrified. She should be.
I choked down the gagging sensation that threatened to take over. ‘I need clothes.’
Ava and Monica looked at each other like they wondered if they heard correctly.
‘Clothes?’ The red-eyed girl asked, weirdly interested in my dilemma. ‘What’s wrong with the ones I stocked your wardrobe with when you first came here?’
‘That’s the thing, Monica, they’re all gone. Every single one.’ I massaged my temple; all these nerves put me at risk of getting a headache.
‘That’s odd,’ Ava said, looking at her weird shadow sister, who quirked a brow at me but said nothing. ‘Take what you want,’ she said, letting me in.
The sheer number of choices made my head spin. It was almost enough to distract me from the strange ward radiating throughout her room. It felt invasive. I wondered where she’d learnt it but quickly turned my attention back to the treasure before my eyes.
