Page 14 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

Larissa's eyes softened with understanding. She reached out, covering Marina's hand with her own. "If Peter truly cares for you, he'll understand, and he'll forgive you. And if he doesn't, then he's not worth your love."

The word love prompted her to take another fortifying sip from her drink and then another. She loved Peter, but he didn't love her back. Not enough, anyway.

"Hello, darlings." Amanda glided into the bar with her husband, looking like a movie star in a silver floor-length gown. "I have five minutes before I need to escort the bride to the altar, but I'm in desperate need of a drink." She cast Vasyli a charming smile. "I need something quick. Apple martini?"

"Coming up, miss."

While Amanda was all charming smiles, her husband was an intimidating mountain of a man, with bulging muscles that strained against the confines of his tuxedo and a stern, almost forbidding air about him.

"You two look absolutely stunning," Amanda drawled. "Stand up so I can get a better look at you."

"Thank you." Marina pushed to her feet. "You look as amazing as always."

The immortal was the most beautiful woman Marina had ever seen, and she was also super nice, which was surprising on several counts. Amanda was not only gorgeous, but she was also the leader's sister and a council member. People like her were usually stuck-up and condescending, but she wasn't like that at all.

In fact, Marina had expected all the immortals to be as haughty and full of themselves as the Kra-ell purebloods had been, but most were nice and friendly and treated the staff serving them with respect.

Amanda waved off the compliment and snatched the martini from Vasyli.

Taking a sip, she fixed her gaze on Larissa. "You, my dear, are a vision in that dress," she said in Russian. "I knew that you would look marvelous in purple."

Larissa blushed, smoothing a hand over the fabric. "I can't thank you enough for lending it to me. I feel like a princess."

"You look like one, too," Amanda reached for a lock of Larissa's hair. "Did you style it, or did Marina do it for you?"

"Marina did my hair and makeup," Larissa said.

"I must say, Marina, you've done an exquisite job." Amanda put a hand on her shoulder. "You can sit back down." She smiled at the bartender. "The martini is excellent, thank you."

"You are welcome, miss." Vasyli bowed his head.

Amanda's husband didn't ask for anything and remained standing behind her like a protective boulder.

A pang of jealousy pierced Marina's heart. She wanted a man like him who would stand guard over her. Not that she needed a guard now that she'd been liberated, but back when she'd been in the compound, helpless to object to any demand from the Kra-ell, she'd often fantasized about having a strong protector like that.

Amanda turned to her husband and offered him a brilliant smile. "Would you like a drink before we have to go?"

"No, thank you." He looked at her with so much adoration in his eyes that Marina's jealousy inflated into a big, ugly, dark balloon.

10

NEGAL

"There is nothing for miles around," Margo's mother said. "Your father and I have just taken a walk, and the air was so fresh and crisp. It's good to get out of the city once in a while."

"I'm glad that you are enjoying your time off," Margo told her mother.

After her family had been given a secure line, Kian had also allowed their new contact information to be added to Margo's phone so she could call them.

The problem was that her family had been given her contact information as well, and so far, her mother had called five times and her future sister-in-law had called twice, putting Margo's brother on the line for all of thirty seconds to ask how she was doing.

Her mother sighed. "It's nice for a day or two, even a week, but we don't know when we will be allowed to go back. Do you have any updates on how long we will have to hide out here?"

"I've already told you. Hopefully, less than two weeks. I have to go, Mom. Someone needs to talk to me."

Negal smiled at the small lie and moved his lips, pretending to be talking, and making Margo choke on a chuckle that came out sounding like a cough.

"Are you sick?" Margo's mother sounded worried. "Why are you coughing?"

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