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“It’s been a long day,” I said with cheeriness I didn’t feel as I set a tray down on the coffee table in front of Riane.
She’d taken the spot on the couch that was closest to Cedra’s favorite chair—a spot I’d somewhat claimed as my own. It was second place only to Cedra’s lap. But I tried not to let it affect me as I perched on one arm of Cedra’s large chair.
“Being kidnapped really takes it out of you.” My attempt at a joke fell flat.
“You were kidnapped?” Riane asked, her eyes widening.
Up close, I could still see no imperfections on her. In fact, she looked more flawless now, if that were possible. Her eyes were a lovely gray with brown flecks, glinting in the low light.
“It’s a long story,” I replied, twirling my curls into a loose bun to look a little more put together. “I’m Twyla, by the way. Cedra’s Mate.”
Riane choked on the first sip of her tea.
“Wh-what? You don’t wear her marks. And you’re what—fifteen?”
I heard Cedra’s hiss of indignance but before she could say anything, I cut in.
“Cedra wants me to wait until I’m absolutely sure what I want before she marks me, even though I’ve told her numerous times that I want to be with her. She’s a little paranoid about me leaving without a note if I change my mind. I’m sure you understand, right?”
Riane’s cheeks colored prettily at my outright jab as she stuttered, “I left a note.”
“That’s the part you want to contest?” Ana exploded, her voice ringing loud in the enclosed space. “That you left a note for my friend after ten years of stringing her along?”
“Look, I didn’t come here for a shouting match.”
“Why did you come, Riane?” I finally heard Cedra’s voice, soft and calm.
I slipped my hand into hers, giving it a little squeeze for support.
Riane’s pretty eyes flicked to Ana and landed on Cedra again. “Perhaps we should speak in private.”
Cedra sighed, sounding tired. I belatedly noticed the dark circles around her eyes and the tightness of her cheeks. She looked tired—really tired. Hadn’t she slept at all while I’d been away? Somehow, I already knew the answer was no.
“We don’t have anything private between us anymore, Riane. Now, please. Twyla’s right, it’s been a crazy day and I would like nothing more than a shower and my bed.”
Riane pulled at the hem of her silky dress, a little nervous gesture that seemed out of place for this manicured lady.
“Very well,” she said. “I’ve come to collect my half of the house.”
The air was sucked out of the room.
Nobody moved, nobody breathed.
It was as though we were caught in a collective trance.
Then Ana spoke, her voice deceptively soft.
“Riane, you have ten seconds to leave this house before I haul you down to the nearest station with my bare hands. And I’ll enjoy doing it, too. Nobody would come to your aid. In fact, I think the whole community would love watching me do it.”
“No.” Riane tugged at her dress again, as though the outfit was providing her with misplaced courage. “Cedra put me on the title to this house and the farm. Technically, I own half of it.”
She reached down into a little carpet bag that matched her dress. I hadn’t even noticed it was there by her feet—an elegant black silk with faux-pearl closures.
She pulled out a shiny new e-reader, swiping until an official title deed popped up, signed by the Council of Third Star.
My eyes were quick to narrow in on Cedra’s looping signature, right next to Riane’s name. Those sharp manicured fingers tapped the e-reader screen, focusing on the signatures at the very bottom.
I had to give it to her—she was brave. With Ana almost breathing fire, she was very brave to still be in the room, demanding something that wasn’t hers.
