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A frantic, manic laugh bubbled inside of her as she stared at the diagram. Bile rose in the back of her throat. She stared at it as the reality of the diagram washed over her, fixated on it as her breathing became shaky.
Silence fell as Auckland surveyed his students, his expression calm, expectant.
“Of course,” he added smoothly, “Demons do not get to do whatever they please. No, no. This smallest shield, here at the bottom,” he tapped the tiniest one. “This represents you. The demonesses.”
Around her pens scratched frantically against parchment as Auckland continued.
“A true mate respects his demoness, so that she may submit properly.” Auckland smiled. “You see? It is a balance, after all. Your duty is to tend to your home and raise your children—truly the most noble responsibility of all.”
Peri’s breathing turned shallow. Her skin crawled. Before she could stop herself, her hand shot into the air.
“What happens if you don’t submit?”
A hush fell over the room. Auckland regarded her with solemn patience, as if addressing a child who had yet to grasp something obvious.
“For those demonesses,” he said gravely, “who have been so diabolically misled…” he shook his head. “I will leave you with the wisdom of the Silver Book:
‘Let demonesses keep silence in the temples, for it is not permitted unto them to speak... And if they will learn anything, let them ask their demon fathers, brothers, or mates at home.’”
The moment the lecture ended, Peri shoved her things into her satchel and stormed out. Her thoughts twisted and tangled, a violent storm with no calm centre.
She needed to run. To call Zila. To race until they were alone, lost in rolling hills draped in pastel flowers.
“Peri, wait!” Sia grabbed her arm. “What’s wrong?”
Peri’s breathing grew shallow and erratic. “You cannot agree with what he said in there.”
Sia blinked, brows pulling together. “What’s so bad about being protected?”
Her voice was so earnest. So genuinely concerned.
Peri stared. For the first time, she saw Sia not as the sister she’d known all her life, but as something… other. Only, maybe this was who Sia had always been.
The silence stretched between them, sharp as a blade.
“Peri.” Sia’s reprimand snapped like a whip. “When I submitted to Rocco, I found the security I’ve craved my whole life. Letting him lead our relationship, our lives, was the best decision I ever made.” She finally let go of Peri’s arm, her voice cracked as she said, “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been!”
Peri scoffed. “You don’t seem happy.”
Sia’s hands curled into fists. “That’s because having a mate is hard work! The hardest work you’ll ever do. You don’t get it because you’re only betrothed. But after the mating ceremony, your relationship becomes a never-ending fight to stay together.” She exhaled sharply. “It’s worth it, though. Rocco is the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Every insane thing spilling from Sia’s lips only stoked the storm inside Peri.
“You were only just mated! What could you possibly have to fight about?” She dragged a hand down her face. “Maybe if you weren’t blindly submitting to him—”
“Shut up!” Sia shoved her.
Sia was choking out furious sobs. Peri, wracked with deep regret for making her sister feel so awful, was about to take everything back, apologise for it all—but the words never left her mouth.
Because Sia’s thumb pushed back the edge of her sleeve, just enough to see the silver scars of the snakebites glint in the light.
Peri stiffened. She couldn’t move, couldn’t pull away, not without confirming what Sia was already seeing. That Peri knew what those marks meant.
Sia’s parted lips released the softest, sharpest gasp.
“I didn’t think it was true.” Most of the tears had dried from Sia’s face, but her voice was still hoarse, slightly broken. “I thought you trusted me enough to tell me everything.”
Peri swallowed hard and gently withdrew her wrists, stepping back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
