“Compassionate?” Victor raised his eyebrows.
“They chose to spend their time with you. They must be kind-hearted.” Frid chuckled.
A new sound reached my ears and I turned, watching the new girl. Her hand covered her mouth, she was trying not to laugh. The sight of her with her head lowered and her eyes glowing with warmth was so unexpected that, for a couple of moments, I could not look away.
“What are you planning to do today?” Sol tried to changethe subject, as he usually did when Frid and Victor started arguing.
“We have an appointment with a tailor at twelve,” Frid said, her eyes darted up as she flagged the blond girl over to our table.
“Tailor? Why?” Sol asked.
“I'm buying Alina her first flying suit.” Frid looked straight at me. I did not miss the expression of defiance written all over her face.
“Not a chance!”
“She needs a suit!” Frid raised her chin.
“She’s a prisoner.” I met her gaze.
“I know.” Frid scowled.
“Do you?” I asked.
My gaze shifted to the girl; her lips were pressed together and then she raised her eyes to me. There was so much hatred in those eyes. The fire, the fury. She was not afraid of me, that was for damn sure. It only lasted for a moment, then she lowered her gaze, trying to conceal her expression.
CHAPTER TEN
ALINA
My hands were shaking under the table. Cold, blinding hatred was all I could feel. For the first time in my life, I felt a loathing so deep and consuming that it physically hurt. My mind was drawing incredibly violent pictures of the things I wanted to do to that man. His calm and measured voice. His beautifully shaped, dark eyes.
How could someone so striking outside, be so rotten inside?Like a poisonous snake with exquisite patterns, or an exotic flower with toxic nectar.
I made an effort to look down and clenched my hands into fists. To get my freedom back, I was willing to do anything. Even if it meant that I had to lie, steal, or hurtsomeone. None of them were good people. They were determined to take me back to those who imprisoned me. I had no choice.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. But she saved my life and I want to pay her back,” Frid said.
My eyes returned to the girl with the two thick braids. She was so strong and very brave. It would not feel good to harm her. I did not like deceiving her either. But the others meant nothing to me.
Tynan stilled, watching Frid.
“Ty’s right. You’re making a mistake,” Victor said.
“Of course, you would side with him,” Frid snapped and stood up. “Let’s go!” She turned to me and I got up, following her.
We got to the tailor’s store exactly on time. My eyes darted to the window. The people of Riolle, mostly children playing and older men smoking pipes, seemed to enjoy being outside. Multiple street taverns had their doors open, the owners inviting passing pedestrians to an early lunch. I half expected Tynan to follow us, to stop whatever was going to happen, but he did not. My lip curled when I thought about how mad the man was when we left. Frid was an opinionated and independent woman, and whether she knew it or not, she was going to help me. I looked back at the rows of suits made of heavy leather in different shades of brown. A sudden noise startled me as the tailor appeared in the doorway.
“Now, give us some privacy,” he said directly to Frid.
Frid froze for a moment, then walked to the exit. As soon as the door closed behind her, the small man looked straight at me.
“I know who you are,” he said quietly.
“Yes?” I asked.
“But you don’t know yet,” he said, then continued. “Normally, I would match the color of the suit to the natural coloring of the beast. But that would not be wise. Would it?” He picked up a suit that was hidden behind the stacks of premade leather.
My eyes darted to the beautifully made lines of tiny stitches in the black material. The folds of the leather on the front made an exquisite design that almost created a vee shaped pattern on the chest.
