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Both men glanced at me and gave me impenetrable stares. I shrugged. What else could I do? I wasn’t marrying Eli. I wasn’t popping out a baby. And I certainly wasn’t interested in an eternity inElphame. I wasn’t abandoning my family, my mother, or my responsibility to New Orleans.
I had no idea before what I’d evolve into, but I was even less prepared for what would happen now that I’d been injected.
No marriage.
No kids.
No trying to build a family I’d destroy the next time my magic decided to call a graveyard over for tea. I kept my expression passive, hoping to hide my emotional turmoil.
The king stood and bowed. He sounded more impressed than angry when he said, “Welcome to our family, Geneviève of Crowe. May you find haven and happiness among the shelter of our trees.”
Despite everything, he sounded sincere, and all I could do was bow back. I knew I was to curtsy, but dammit, I wasn’t going to pretend to be dainty. Let them all grit their teeth. When I figured out how to safely break my engagement, they’d be glad to see me go.
I straightened and walked out. The dead still needed my attention in New Orleans, and fiancé or not, I was going to go home and handle the problems I’d had to put on hold while my body processed the near-toxic dose of venom the grieving widow jabbed into my body.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I leftEli with his uncle and walked in the general direction ofawayfrom them. The ground was thick with greens, browns, and whites. In the forest undergrowth, trails twisted in a dozen directions, and dark gnarled branches bent like doorways. I had no idea where any of them went, and setting off into a fairy tale wood in the actual home of the fae seemed like a terrible plan.
Instead I walked slowly in a general “away from them” route. Not exactly precise, but it was as close as I had to an actual direction. Eli had said he’d “return” so that meant he was intending on coming home to New Orleans with me. I might not be able to deal with my accidental engagement, but I could still do my job. I had to—and not just because the widow Chaddock decided to inject me with venom, ruin my life, and oh, yeah, now I was fuckingengaged. Nope, not because I was furious, and definitely not because it was complicating the absolute hell out of my already bonkers life.
Okay, maaaaybe that was a factor. Stopping her was also the right thing to do. I mean, I wasn’t going to go all shock and “why, I never” over murdering her husband. I’d killed my father. Sometimes families were complicated. Injecting Mr. Odem? Me? That was two so far. She was looking a lot like a well-dressed serial killer.
Also, I was engaged because of it.
I took several calming breaths, wishing I could recall that “inhale peace” stuff they did in my one and only attempt at yoga. Witch or not, I wasn’t good at meditating. I was more likely to be one with my surliness than peace.
Focus.
Concentrate.
Details. Details always helped. The root of the problem was the person or people who had been injecting businessmen. Widow Chaddock and her friend. Why? I forced myself to weigh more facts. There were two dead businessmen so far. I didn’t know how many others there were, but the grumpy-venom-injecting-women were fucking with people’s lives, including mine, and it was pissing me off.
“Geneviève?”
Eli was finally at my side, and he didn’t even have the grace to look guilty about the mess we were in now. He was hesitant, at least, but it wasn’t enough. A part of me wanted to tear into him.
The rest of me was all in on compartmentalizing this mess and fucking with him. “I can’t believe he fell for that,” I said lightly.
“Fell for. . . what?” He reached out to touch a thick tree, as if petting it.
“You’ve bought time, so you get to come home.” I stared at Eli, trying not to think about the fact that this accidental engagement meant we absolutely, positively wouldn’t be getting naked. My libido had some strong opinions onthatdecision. With an internal whisper of “down, girl,” I schooled my expression well enough that I might have been fae, and added, “It’s not as if we’reactually engaged.”
“Geneviève. . .”
“Am I a citizen ofElphame?” I prompt.
“No.” Eli’s expression tightened.
I smiled sweetly. “Then why would you or he think I am bound by this?”
Eli stopped mid-step. “We had a bargain. I claimed my kiss and chose you—”
“Andyou, Eli of Stonecroft, may be bound by that kiss and that king’s dictates. I, citizen of New Orleans and witch-draugr, am not.” I crossed my arms. “You claimed your kiss. End of the deal. Resolved. There is no further significance to it.”
I paused.
“Except the obvious,” I added. “I like you. Alot.”
