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Arie clutched Maddi’s hand. “Will you help me escape?”
“I… I will. What they are doing is wrong.”
“What do you know of Edwar, Maddi?”
“Not much, I admit,” she said, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Enough to know that I am very glad he overlooked me. I hear rumors of his cruelty. He collects Ragoru pelts, and from what I hear, he once kept one of their young for three years torturing it until it finally died of terrible wounds. A fisherman found the little one and said it was so badly mangled that he wasn’t sure if it had been a child or a dog.”
“Oh, my blessed gods,” Arie whispered in horror.
Her cousin nodded in commiseration. A guard cleared his throat making them both look up guiltily toward the door. The young man dared a small smile and bowed.
“My apologies for interrupting, but your conveyance has arrived for you.”
“Of course,” Maddi said, returning his smile. Arie was not fooled by the way her cousin’s hand tightened over her own. “Just give us a minute. I’m afraid I smudged Arie a bit. We will be down presently.” The guard stepped out with another bow, and with a careful hand Maddi touched up Arie’s make up until she was satisfied.
“We had best get on our way then, Arie. Grandmother will be displeased if we are late.” She drew Arie to the door, her face morphing entirely in its expression as the door swung open. “It wouldn’t do for the lady of the hour to be late to her own party,” Maddi trilled, her face lighting with a certain silliness that Arie suddenly understood to be a mask.
The guard bowed again and let them through before shutting the door behind them. As they walked down the corridor, Maddi leaned forward and whispered, “We need to go before they begin to wonder what is taking us so long. Don’t leave my side even for a moment. You can’t trust any of the huntsmen.”
“Aren’t your brothers and our cousins all huntsmen? Are you saying there is not one among them we can trust?”
Maddi clenched her jaw and met her eye. “No, not one. Those men are not the boys I grew up with. They are just as cruel and warped as Edwar. All the huntsmen are. I have watched my own brothers do horrible things that I would rather not remember.”
Arie clutched her cousin’s fingers tight, their clasped hands hidden between their voluminous gowns as they walked together down the stairs to the main foyer. The guards preceding them opened the doors and helped them into the carriage. Arie took her seat and swallowed her surprise when it jolted forward unexpectedly before rattling down the road heading toward Edwar’s mansion that adjoined the property of the Order.
The sun was sinking below the horizon as the carriage pulled up to a mansion that came close to rivaling that of her grandmother’s. Arie stepped out, barely paying the guard assisting her any mind as she stared up at the monstrosity of a building that lacked almost entirely in taste and gentler lines. With Maddi by her side, Arie was able to summon enough courage to step through the door. The interior was just as gloomy and cold as she expected it to be despite all of the polished brass and crystalline ornaments that caught the candlelight. Her glimpse of it was brief, however, as a butler stationed attentively at the door took their furred cloaks and directed them to follow a maid to the ballroom.
As imposing and repellently cold as the as the foyer was, Arie’s nerves nearly failed her, however, upon entering the ballroom. The walls of the room were nothing but mirrors reflecting the crush of bodies and the numerous sconces on the walls. The room itself was garish with gold inlay and ornate designed tile upon the floor. It was entirely unexpected in a society that put emphasis on dark, subdued colors. Inexplicably, Arie felt overheated. Every eye turned to her, and Edwar gave her a predatory smile from where he stood at the center of the ballroom. He turned to speak to the men and ladies around him, all who gave her knowing looks, before he stepped forward to greet her.
He drew her free hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of her glove, his eyes smoldering with his intentions. “Arie, welcome to my home… soon to be your home as well,” he said with a chuckle. Arie promptly ducked her head in what she hoped he would perceive as womanly modesty so that he didn’t see her lips twist with distaste. She wanted nothing to do with him or the pile of masonry he called his house. “Come,” he invited. “Let me introduce you and show you around. Ah, Madelin, a pleasure to see you as always. Please do accompany us.”
Maddi tittered beside her, and they made their way through the ballroom. As expected, there were more women in attendance than men, and the women seemed to be clustered around extravagantly dressed men at the center of their little groups. Multiple wives or hopefuls? She wasn’t sure. While the men were introduced with rank and title, few of the women were unless holding some sort of high social status. Before long, however, one face began to blend into another as Edwar proceeded to introduce her to everyone. There were distinguished lords and ladies among the larger number of finely dressed women gathered, as well as high ranking huntsmen who leered at the serving women who attempted to serve drinks without being molested. Voices constantly seemed to whisper preceding and following their path around the ballroom, ladies talking behind their fans and gentlemen leaning in close. All eyes in the crowded ballroom seemed to be focused solely on her with a sort of ruthless knowing that she found unnerving no matter where she went, so much so that Arie was relieved when the evening finally wound down to its conclusion.
Edwar pulled her under his arm as he raised his champagne flute and addressed the crowd. “I want to thank everyone who came to meet my intended. As you are likely now aware, our joining celebration is in five days and will be held at Lady Vera’s ancestral estate. Please join me in raising your glass to Arie, the Lady Anwar.”
Flutes were likewise immediately raised in salute and Arie gripped the stem of her own glass, her entire body numb as Edwar turned her in his arms, hauled her up against his body, and crushed her mouth beneath his own. She gagged as he forced his tongue between her lips, but she managed to feign docility until he pulled back, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
When Maddi finally left her to the peace of her bedroom sometime later that night, Arie vomited the contents of her stomach as her body desperately tried to rid itself of the memory of his touch and taste. After she cleansed herself the best she could, she retired to her bed where she curled up on the mattress, desperately wondering if her mates would find her in time.
She was expected to join in only five days and then Edwar would own her body by law, and she’d be forced to submit to him. Despite the warmth of the bedding, a coldness crept inside her, insidious and chilling.
Her hand smoothed over her belly as she tried to find her center and calm her nerves. Stress wouldn’t be good for her baby, nor would it help her situation. She needed to think clearly and plan her escape. She was no longer alone. Still, a significant part of her yearned desperately for her mates, needing them with her as the dangers seemed to circle nearer.
Please find me, she silently begged her mates. I don’t know if I can find my way without you.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
For three days, the Master of the Guild kept Rager and his triad brothers hidden within the Court of the Thieves Guild while he sent runners out to investigate the matter. For three days, the terrible unknown yawned before them like a great chasm. Rager knew that it was for the protection of everyone involved. While they’d managed to go unnoticed those first nights, it would’ve been only a matter of time before someone struck up the alarm alerting the huntsmen of the presence of Ragoru in the Citadel.
Cyrus sat lopsided in his chair drinking from a cup of fermented fruit that burned Rager’s nose whenever he was near. He didn’t understand how humans could drink the stuff. Cyrus’s fingers stroked his beard, his expression thoughtful despite the slight glaze over his eyes. He suddenly raised his cup and saluted the triad, his smile cocky.
“Ragoru and a human woman… it is really quite titillating. Tell me, if you mate in triads, do you all join in all at once or just one at a time?”
Rager rolled his eyes and endeavored to ignore the over-jovial human. Warol was less forgiving of the thief-master and growled low in his throat.
“What business is it of yours?” he demanded, his fur noticeably bristling.
