Page 246

“Larissa,” she began urgently, moving closer to take my hand. “You have to promise me something.” I nodded, even though I didn't know what kind of promises this woman usually demanded. “No matter how relentlessly he asks, don't tell Nicolaj anything about this gift.”

A feeling of unease settled in my chest.

“Why not?” I searched for answers in her concerned gaze, but there were none. “He is the clan leader.”

Why would she ask such a thing of me? She worked for this man, for this family... voluntarily.

She stared at the vase again.

“Nicolaj likes to use what is available to him. For him, our abilities are instruments. They mean power.”

Having overheard this intimidating, mysterious man once before, I knew that he, too, had his secrets. From Bastien. His own son.

Was he using Adrian? And if so, for what?

“Does he know about your power?” I asked Camille, who was now getting up and reaching for the dresses.

“He knows what he needs to know. And that's already far too much.”

My curiosity grew.

Should I probe further? The only thing stopping me was the possibility that she didn't fully trust me because she was afraid of the clan leader. And even though I knew I wouldn't run to him and spill the beans, Camille didn't know that.

I had no intention of forcing her to trust me.

A loud, rhythmic knock sounded at the door, and for a moment Camille seemed to freeze. My heart began to pound wildly.

I expected the worst, but when Laurent appeared in the doorway wearing his training clothes, my heartbeat immediately calmed down.

His gaze lingered on Camille, fixed on her, scrutinizing her.

Then he turned his head toward me.

“Miss DeLoughrey,” he said with a serious undertone. “You should be in the training hall.”

I was already looking for excuses while getting up, but Camille pulled me back onto the couch.

“She's excused from training for today.”

“Says who?” Laurent laughed softly, raising his eyebrows slightly, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't think much of Camille's decision.

“Says me.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked from Camille's determined expression to Laurent's.

His jaw visibly tensed, and he held her gaze, staring at her.

For a moment, I thought I sensed tension between the two of them, but then, suddenly, he laughed barely audibly, shook his head almost imperceptibly, and turned to leave.

“Of course,” I thought I heard him say. Then the door closed.

I looked at Camille, who was still staring at the double doors.

Did the two of them get along? Or did they simply respect each other because they were forced to work together for the family?

“That man...” Camille sighed, sounding more exhausted than dismissive or angry.

I was about to ask her how she got along with the individual clan members when she turned to me with a warm, euphoric smile playing around the corners of her mouth.