Page 99 of Mortdale

When she’d found out about me through her drunken father, she’d persistently hunted me down, seeking a connection. At the time, her happiness about this whole ordeal had been vile and disgusting. She’d sickened me. But I’d soon realised that she and I weren’t too different. Just two mistakes of the same man who loved to abuse his power. The only difference was, my father had never allowed Ulric to subject his abuse to me. And Lu—my Lu—I’d almost broken the oath I’d given to my father when I’d found out what he’d done to her.

“Everyone’s just waiting for me to die. It’s sort of tiring seeing them sigh and moan when I open my eyes. I wish they could know it is not my choice to wake up. How come they don’t realise that my father will drag my corpse to the throne if he has to in order to save that seat for you?”

She didn’t like closeness, skin touching skin, but she let me pull her in a hug. “You will not die, Lu.”

“Everyone has to die someday.” She smiled up at me, and despite the weakness in her eyes, she fought hard to hold it steady for me—to comfort me. “How’s Piper? You’ve stopped bringing her around these days. I miss her company.”

“She’s good.”

She was far too weak to hide the sorrow in her eyes. “You’ll bring Willow to see me before I die, won’t you?” Her smile turned shy. “I’ve been snooping around. They tell me she’s quite the character.”

Lu would love her. As everyone did. Willow made it easy.

“She’s lovely,” I said, taking a photograph from my chest pocket—the one I’d stolen that first night when I’d bargained her off Agnes’s hands.

Her smile waned and her pale blue eyes took on a strange shine as she took the photograph in her hands. “Lovely,” she whispered to herself. “I don’t think you’ve ever used that word before.”

Two stray tears fell down her sunken cheeks.

“Sorry,” she apologised, handing me the photo back and quickly wiping her eyes with a shaky, small hand. She’d never grown into her body—a body that had only caused her pain. “I’m just so alone these days, and I always love talking to you. She really is lovely.”

“I’ll take you to bed.”

She shook her head. “I want to walk a little while I can.” She put a hand to my arm, trying to push me away. “Go home. Go to them. They must miss you.”

“You look tired,” Arthur finally said as we reached the estate.

“You want to talk about how I look?”

Four days on the road with no rest had done a number on us all, but especially on him.

“Fuck you, I’m rugged. Women and men are into that.”

Henry chuckled. “Bloodwhores are into anything with clattery pockets.”

Arthur didn’t seem to want to quit it because he kept on asking, “You haven’t been to see Irena in a while.”

“He swapped the menu a few weeks back,” Henry said, smirking at me. “His tastes seem to be maturing. He’s taking it stale in a bottle like a poor fucker.” He hit my shoulder as he passed by me and murmured under his breath, “I bet he’s dying to dig his teeth into his little witch.”

Arthur stopped me. “What’s he talking about?”

I shut the front door on his face, sagging with some relief as I stepped into the foyer and smelled the sweet violet incense burning in the air.

“Sire,” Christof said, following me into my study. “She hasn’t come out at all in the four days you’ve been away. Not had anything to eat. Only water. Piper has been camping by her door every day after her lessons. She’s worried. We all are.”

Fuck.

I stormed up the stairs, not even deigning to knock. She was huddled on top of the blanket she’d laid under the bed. She looked resigned, mellow.

Had I broken her already? Had I waited too long to send her away?

I didn’t know why I thought this would be different. It was bound to happen. Maybe I should have given in to the doctor’s request. Maybe I’d been too selfish.

“Please, go away,” she quietly said, burying her face in the pillow.

She startled when I pulled the corner of the blanket, dragging her out from under the bed. Her hands pushed and kicked weakly against my chest. “Leave me here, please.” She screamed when I threw her over my shoulder and climbed down to the dining room.

“Christof, bring some toast and tea.” Pulling her onto my lap, I grabbed her face and turned her attention to me. “You said you wanted to get angry at me. Get angry. You said you wanted to do it all. Do it all. Do you not want to do it anymore?” I brushed my thumb over her wet, pale lashes. “Quit on me so soon?