An eyebrow arched high on his forehead. “Enlighten me.”
Faking bravado, I stated, “It makes an ass out of you and me.”
His deadpan expression threw me, but a moment later he let out a single, “Ha!”
The intensity of the moment died down and grew awkward. I didn’t know what to say to him. He was the monster in the shadows that hunted me. Yet, as he sat next to me, he was the epitome of manners and grace. I was the monster. As much as I deserved to turn the tables on him, it didn’t settle well with me.
My voice wavered, and I had to clear my throat to get the words out. “I need to be alone.”
He bowed his head and stood up. When he reached the door he said, “Jessandra will collect you for dinner.”
“Astaroth?” Speaking his name directly to him felt weird and wrong.
Something akin to hope lit his face. “Yes, Calista?”
“I don’t want any more of your gifts.”
Fingers tightening on the doorknob, he gritted out, “As you wish,” and shut the door.
Roth
“I guess it didn’t go well?” Jessandra leaned against the wall by Calista’s door and cleaned the dirt out from under her nails with a small dagger.
I ignored her and continued to my quarters next door to rage in private. What good that did. She sheathed her knife and followed me down the hall.
The words Calista spoke echoed from my mouth. “I want to be alone.”
“I told you not to do it.”
I spun around and Jessandra halted.
“Go. Away.”
“I would love to. Alas, someone has trapped me in this Roth-forsaken castle for as long as someone is here.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder, indicating Calista.
“If I didn’t need you, I would kill you now.”
“Awe.” She punched my shoulder. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me since I arrived.”
In the blink of an eye, my hand wrapped around her throat and the dagger she had tucked away rested a spider’s silk away from her eye.
“Do not antagonize me. I may need you, but you only require one eye to accomplish your tasks.”
Her throat moved against my grip, and she croaked. “As an overqualified nanny?”
“I would punish you this instance for your earlier deeds, but Calista begged me not to.”
Her eyes widened.
“If you continue to behave as a rebellious youth, I will treat you as such. Our lives hang in the balance. Will you do your part to save us, or will your actions condemn us? Choose carefully where your loyalties lie, Jessandra. Are they with us, or with yourself? Decide now.”
Jessandra gurgled. Ever so slightly, I released my hold enough for her to speak. A high-pitched wheeze was the only sign she was in distress.
“Let her go!”
Calista latched onto the arm I held Jessandra with and tried to wrench it away. Neither of us looked at her. We were trapped in a dangerous battle of will and understanding that hadn’t balanced yet. It wouldn’t until she declared her intentions.
“Go to your room,” Jessandra croaked.
