AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The other most amazing thing had happened since we were in Athens. I attributed it to the pregnancy, but it could have just as well been whatever Cletus had shoved up into my brain, or proving to myself that I could have some semblance of control over death spilling out of me. However it came to be, the destructive energy that always threatened to explode out of me and had plagued me with pain for so long had mostly quelled.
Even if the reprieve was only for the time being, I would take it.
Sitting on the bench in the middle of the labyrinth with Cookie digging in the snow that had drifted beneath it, I heard the footsteps crunching in the snow long before they were anywhere near the middle of the maze. It wasn’t Damen. He knew the path inward and out. And he had disappeared into his study to work after a morning with me on the training field.
I considered for a moment getting up and going out into the maze to see who it was, but then I figured it was easier just to sit here and enjoy the snowfall. It was probably Leo, giving the maze another go. Damen had said he would be up at the castle sometime this week and I had actually been looking forward to it. Leo rarely looked at me with outright malice anymore, and I could tell I was wearing him down. He might actually even smile at me one of these days.
Whoever was in the maze would make it to the middle eventually, or not at all.
As I listened to the crunching of snow under the footfalls, I started pondering a list of witty comments for Leo when he finally appeared. Maybe his smile would make an appearance today.
It took a while, but eventually, the footsteps drew closer. They were lighter than I imagined Leo’s would be, though maybe he had small feet. I had never looked.
There. Coming around the last bend.
I nearly slipped off the edge of the bench.
Venetia.
Venetia here at Netherstone.
“Venny?” I jumped to my feet, rushing to her, tackling her with glee. “How? How?”
She laughed as she let me squeeze her for far too long.
I jerked away to find her face, my hands on her outer shoulders, shaking her. “How?”
She smiled, that same cat-eat-mouse grin that I knew so well on her. “Your uncle.”
“Triaten?”
She nodded. “Yes. He sprung me out of the Academy for the week. Really, I think he needed an excuse to come and check on you.”
“He’s here?” I looked over her head at the upper levels of the castle. “But he hates Netherstone.”
“Yes, but you’re also one of his favorite people, and I was the excuse he needed to come see you. I’m not complaining about it.” A look of loathing twinged across her face—fast—disappearing before I could fully identify it. I would need to do some exploring on that one. “He’s about the only person that could get me out of there. He said you needed to see me.”
I yanked her into a rib-crushing hug again. “Hell yes, I do. How is it? You have to tell me everything. I miss that place so much—I wish I was there with you.”
“I wish you were there too.” A note of melancholy frosted her words and I pulled away, searching her face.
Barking cut into the air at my feet.
She looked down. “Who—what is this?”
I smiled, scooping the puppy up. “This is Cookie.”
Her left eyebrow arched. “Cookie?”
I smirked. “Purely to annoy your father. He calls him Brutus.” I held the puppy out to her.
Her nose wrinkled and she didn’t take the dog, but she did awkwardly scratch his head three times with her middle and forefinger.
They would be best buddies in no time.
I glanced up at the castle again, seeking out the window of Damen’s study. The shadowed reflection on the glass at this time of day didn’t allow me a peek inward to see if anyone was at the window. “Have you seen your father yet?”
She shook her head. “No—one of the guards said you were here, so I immediately veered into the maze. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see him without you propping up my backside. I can’t even imagine the stare-down he is going to give me.”
