Page 7 of Avaritia

“Look, buddy, it’s me or no one,” I told Theon flatly, spreading my arms wide so he could get a good look at me. “No one else is volunteering.”

“I think we’re all trying to work out why you are volunteering,” Damen said dryly. God, he was such a sassy-pants tonight.

That broke Theon’s trance. With surprising agility for what looked to be a nearly deceased man, he darted forward, grabbing my arm and pulling me back against his chest, slowly backing away from the crowd.

“Ooh, are we playing hostage and kidnapper? I can roll with that.”

“I am kidnapping you,” he snapped. A little late to the party, but oh well. “This power source is mine now.”

I rolled my eyes at Tallulah and Meera, who were staring at me open-mouthed. This fucking guy, am I right? I literally just volunteered as tribute in front of the whole court and a not-insignificant portion of the realm.

“I’m going voluntarily, don’t worry,” I reassured the royals, who all looked very worried. “I can’t leave without my cat, though.”

Or basically, anything else I owned. If I didn’t have my full ten-step skincare routine, I’d turn into an angry, dry-skinned she-devil by morning. We all had our foibles.

“Verity,” Ophelia said with a slightly pleading look. “Maybe we could discuss this first?”

“Oh, if you want. I’m so excited. I love a good adventure!” Silence. Man, tough crowd. “You guys want to come and help me pack?” I asked, turning to face Tallulah and Meera.

“Yup,” Tallulah squeaked. “Let’s… get you ready for this adventure.”

Finally, someone was speaking my language.

Chapter 2

“What do you mean I have to wait out here?” Theon demanded, glaring at Damen who was blocking the path that led up to Elverston House.

“Elverston House is an ex-Hunter sanctuary, no Shades allowed.”

“I’ll be right out, snookums,” I assured Theon, patting him on his bony arm before heading toward my dank, grim “sanctuary,” a trail of ex-Hunters following behind me.

“Don’t test me,” Damen warned Theon as we walked away. “Look at you—you’re on the cusp of death as it is.”

Was that how siblings usually talked to each other? As a lifelong only child, I couldn’t decide if it was cause for alarm or not.

“You don’t have to do this,” Ophelia said, grabbing my hand the moment we were inside the entrance hall while Astrid shut the door behind us.

“In fact, it’s a fucking moronic idea and you shouldn’t do this,” Astrid added, the bitchy peanut butter to Ophelia’s sugary sweet jelly.

“It does seem like it could be fun, though,” Austin volunteered, grinning at me. He’d jogged after us on the way here, beaming from ear to ear. “It’s a big, wide realm out there. Lots to explore.”

“Stop encouraging her,” Tallulah muttered to her cousin.

Meera stepped forward, picking up my other hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, staring into my eyes like she could peer into my deranged soul. “Are you sure about this, V? You don’t have to go. And if you do go, you don’t have to stay. Right, Ophelia? She can change her mind whenever she wants.”

“Absolutely,” Ophelia agreed fervently. “You can change it right now, in fact. You never have to see him again—I’ll deal with it. Theon doesn’t come to court, you won’t run into him.”

“You all worry too much,” I replied breezily, wriggling out of their grip and practically skipping up the stairs. Well, skipping on the inside. On the outside, the years I’d dedicated to avoiding cardio meant stair skipping was an impossible feat. “Did you see him? Theon needs me.”

Astrid groaned from her position at the back of the small, unsupportive crowd that was apparently accompanying me to my bedroom.

“Verity,” Tallulah began patiently. “It’s not your job—”

“Right, right, he has to want to fix himself. Totally. I get that. He seems very passionate though, right? I do like that in a man.”

“Perhaps we should just focus on the ‘leave whenever you want’ idea,” Austin suggested mildly, cutting off whoever was about to lecture me next.

Fester met us at the door, meowing indignantly, either because I had the audacity to leave or because I had the audacity to return.

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