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Elna handed her Odette’s swan necklace that she’d been holding onto. “Sounds like you got what you wanted from him.”
Odette grunted, putting on the necklace. “What did you tell Rothbart?”
“That you were off in the woods, taking care of feminine needs. He looked as though he had half a mind to follow me anyway.”
Odette scowled as she shoved the branches of a large bush out of her face. She peeled the leaves off her skull mark. “What does he want?”
“Don’t know. But he’s in a mood.” She cut Odette a look. “Nearly threw Yessly halfway across the lake for asking about her sister.”
When Rothbart came into view, he was pacing at the water’s edge, rage controlling his movements. The other women were nowhere to be seen, probably keeping their distance from his wrath.
Elna hung back while Odette approached warily. She sensed a pain in his movements that made his anger brittle, volatile. To her surprise, she took no pleasure in seeing it.
He stopped when he noticed her, something flashing across his face that almost looked like relief, but then his expression turned dangerous.
“How did you do it?” he snarled, coming at her. “Where is she?”
Odette held her ground despite his fists balling. The way he stared down on her told her if she said the wrong thing, she’d regret it.
“Where’s who?”
“Don’t play games with me, swan. Where’s my sister?”
Odette’s head reared back. “Your sister?”
“Stop it. You were there only a couple nights ago. You must have found a bean and returned for her. If you’ve killed her…”
She held up her arm, showing him the skull still stuck on her wrist. “She isn’t dead, Rothbart.”
They both knew that if they fulfilled the terms of the skull pact, the impression would disappear.
He grabbed her wrist, pressing his thumb into the mark. He shut his eyes and took several calming breaths. His fingers holding her trembled, and when his eyes opened, his desperation seeped through.
“Where is she, Odette?”
She wondered if he wanted her to admit to having his sister hidden somewhere. At least then he’d have an idea where she was.
“I don’t know.” A part of her felt sad that she couldn’t relieve his suffering. After everything they’d done to him. To his parents. Zoya was everything to Rothbart. Despite the skull pact, she didn’t want to take that from him. Even though she might have to, eventually.
But not yet. Besides, not knowing Zoya’s location was bad for the assassins, too.
“If you tell me what happened, maybe I can help,” she said.
His brows drew together at her offer. “You would do that?”
She gave him a fierce look, determination gathered in her chest. “Tell me.”
Chapter 11
Odette
Unlike the clear skies at the pond, the clouds hung low over Rothbart’s estate.
“One moment.” Running inside, he slid between the beaten down door, then reappeared with a lantern in hand. “This way.”
He led her around the side of the old brick manor where a makeshift rope of tied dresses flapped out the window. “It looks like she tried to escape. Can you help me piece together what happened?”
She studied the area next to the bushes. Without the moon, it would be especially difficult.
