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Dragons chased themselves around bands she wore on her wrists. Other servants who hovered near the door wore the same. A symbol of their rank and service, perhaps? It was a relief from all the black everyone else wore.
"Yes, sir." The woman nodded, gave a half bow and hurried away.
Calista turned back to me. "Now you have asylum, what do you plan to do with it?" she asked.
I hesitated. That was a good question. One to which I had no immediate answer.
"I don't know," I admitted. I hadn't dared assume the Keeper would accept. A thousand scenarios had run through my head, but most ended up with me dead, or sent back to the Covener.
So, dead.
"I can offer you the freedom of my residence," Dex replied easily, as if he made similar offers to witches on a daily basis. "The Vault itself is another matter. That will take some time. Witches are…not common here."
His dark eyes watched me closely. I sensed he took in every nuance of my words, expression and posture, and committed them to memory.
"Mmmhmm." Calista looked from him to me. "There is room in the sanctuary."
I hesitated. "Sanctuary? Do you have a harem of some kind?"
Shifters, according to my mother, were little more than animals, who hunted and mated in packs. "Don't believe them when they pretend to be civilised," she said. "Pretty words hide their bloodthirsty ways."
They didn't seem much different to witches, as far as I could tell.
Calista snorted. "Not exactly. Women's sanctuaries are exactly that; a safe place for women and their children to reside. Some may be consorts, if they want." She shot a glance toward Dex.
He smiled and inclined his head slightly. "Others prefer to spend their time working, or with each other."
"Oh," I said. "That would be nice. Staying here, I mean," I added. I wouldn't object to spending more time with Dex. I had sharp eyes and he was as much a feast for them as Bain.
Honestly, though I hadn't expected to be offered a choice. I still wasn't convinced I did. I was more or less his prisoner here, in this very fancy cage.
I cleared my throat slightly. "What is the alternative to the women's sanctuary?"
"Do you want to leave so quickly?" Calista's tone was light, teasing, but her eyes were as intense as Dex's.
Only an idiot would underestimate either of them. The artefact probably benefited the shifters in a way the Covener never could have anticipated. One of my top ten rules of survival was to never underestimate even the smallest artefact.
Of course, it wasn't just the artefact they were after. Undoubtedly Dex accepted my request for asylum because it would benefit him in some way. How, I didn't know. I might be a prize, or they may assume I would keep the bubble of power in place.
Whatever the reason, it didn't matter. I needed the Keeper for my own safety. He wouldn't withdraw asylum without raising eyebrows, but Hades only knew what debt I had to him and when he'd call on it to be repaid.
It would be. I had no doubt in my mind of that.
I answered carefully. The wrong words now could tie knots around me that would outlast my great grandchildren. Paranormals had long memories. "I don't know what I want. Except not to be sent back."
"Take your time." Calista leaned over to pat my hand.
Dex's smile showed a dimple in his cheek which made him look boyish.
Oh yes, I would have to watch him closely. He reminded me of the veil flower in my mother's garden. Their fragrance was sweet, but their petals would draw blood from any creature, human or insect, which touched them. Their scent put me in a bad mood, as though it wanted me to use my power to kill.
Needless to say, I avoided them and was relieved when my mother ordered them all pulled out of the gardens.
"Thank you," I said as easily as I could. I wanted to roll my shoulders to relieve the tension which built up there. With some effort, I kept myself still. Best to appear as confident, but as grateful as possible. If I didn't seem like too much of a threat, I might be safer. At least for now.
The conversation paused the moment a servant set an empty plate in front of each of us. Platters of food were placed in the centre of the table. Bread, some kind of meat in sauce, fragrant rice and a bowl of steaming vegetables all made my stomach rumble.
A bottle of wine, one of water, and glasses were placed near Dex.
