“Do you kill a man every year?” I sped up to keep up with her.
“More than one.” Her light flashed more brightly. “I prefer killing men who take advantage of girls working in disorderly houses. My husband forced me to work in one until he killed me. He regretted it.” Her aura darkened and expanded with bitter dark blue sorrow.
“I’m sorry.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Every wili has suffered, or we wouldn’t be who we are.” She pushed an ornate door open. “This is the library.”
I shifted my weight with anticipation. “The libr?—”
My enthusiasm evaporated. The room had plush armchairs, a thick carpet, and a lively log fire. So far so good. But only a half-empty bookcase took up a corner. There had to be no more than twenty books. My bedroom in Mayfair had been better supplied.
“You’re joking. A palace like this can’t have such a small library.”
She hid a yawn behind her hand. “You’re right. There’s another library, huge. But only Darius, the wizard, can enter.”
“Darius is a wizard? Darius Strange?”
“Indeed. He’s a know-it-all, but charming. Well, as charming as a man can be.”
That explained his unusual aura.
If I asked, he might let me see the library. “I would like to see him.”
Two other wilis entered the room. Their white gowns and radiance made them easy to spot.
Fiona gestured towards them. “Irene, these are Rosella and Lavonia.”
I nodded to them. The two wilis weren’t similar. Rosella had black hair and large black eyes, and Lavonia had luscious brown hair and sparkling hazel eyes, but the two wilis shared the same elegance and royal bearing. Lavonia’s radiance shone more strongly than any of ours.
“You’ve killed someone.” Fiona gave Lavonia a long glance. “Your energy is bursting.”
Lavonia beamed. Her aura glowed with yellow happiness. “Indeed. I’ve never felt better.”
I shifted my weight, not sure that killing someone would make me feel better.
“That nasty piece of work,” Lavonia said, “trafficked women and sold them to houses of ill repute or wealthy men looking for entertainment. Some of the girls he sold were barely thirteen.”
I might change my mind about not feeling better.
“You’re the new wili.” Rosella selected a book from the shelf. “I heard you don’t belong to Myrtha.”
“It’s not possible, is it?” Lavonia sat on the sofa.
“Ravenhill claimed me,” I said, not sure what that meant.
Instant coldness descended on the room. Rosella’s aura turned ash-grey with confusion while Lavonia’s became scarlet with anger.
“You poor thing.” Rosella patted my shoulder. “It must be awful for you.”
“Shall we attack Ravenhill?” Lavonia’s tone was deadly serious. “I bet he forced Myrtha to become your master and that he treats you like vermin. He crossed a line. He shouldn’t meddle with us. Wilis aren’t any of his business.”
“Attack Ravenhill?” I gazed at Fiona who shrugged. “There’s no need to attack anyone. Ravenhill is very kind to me. He didn’t force Myrtha.” I wasn’t completely sure about that.
“You’re happy to belong to him.” Rosella searched my face as if wanting to spot a lie.
“Yes. I don’t mind.”
Their auras were tinted with dusty-rose pity.
