Page 85 of Magic of the Damned

“Consideration can’t be given when the offenses are so terrible.”

A knowing look crossed his face and I wondered how much he knew—especially about me.

“Have you spoken to Dominic today?” I asked again. I wasn’t hopeful I’d get anything out of him, but it was worth a try.

“Yes.”

“Did I come up in the conversation?”

“Yes.”

Be more terse.

“That’s not the question you really wanted to ask, is it?”

I wasn’t sure if I could trust him, and would revealing Dominic’s findings put me at risk with Anand? I’d seen his expression when he realized we were imprisoned. It was an easy link to make: If I died, the spell would be broken.

“I believe Dominic tells me everything. I’m a trusted confidante,” he said.

“Dominic discovered my birthmark had been hidden. I have no idea what that means and he left before I could ask him. It haunts me that Peter using me isn’t a coincidence and that he used me to release the prisoners and imprison you all here. I’m afraid that the only solution will be to kill me, and I don’t want to die. Not like this, without at least knowing why I was the one chosen. I know so little about magic and this world and it’s not fair. I know life isn’t fair. It’s like that for everyone, but it seems I’m beyond the typical luck of the draw.”

My words spilled out without a filter, like a dam breaking, and I only stopped when Anand’s eyes widened and he took an unsubtle step away from me. He was Dominic’s confidante, not mine. But the words had demanded to be said. To give me clarity, to express my concerns, to acknowledge my fear. If I looked like I was handling things well, it was all a fraud.

His mouth opened, then closed.

Silence stretched as he looked at me with wary apprehension.

Great, I broke Anand.

“I shouldn’t have unloaded on you like that,” I finally said.

“It’s fine.” He looked over the surroundings, his lips beveled into a frown. When his attention returned to me, his expression was placid. “I guess it would be difficult being thrust into this world and trying to navigate it with limited knowledge. It is an unfortunate situation to be in.”

Okay. A neutral response. No words of empathy or assurance that I was safe. The burden was heavy and made it difficult to follow him when he started to walk again. Noticing I wasn’t with him, he turned and jerked his head, motioning for me to follow. It wasn’t just his beauty that drew me, rather his many facets. It was the way the hardness of his eyes sometimes melted away when he looked at me, the effort he took at trying to accommodate me despite his conditioned ways, and his attentive commanding touches.

I couldn’t move. My feet were planted to the ground by indecision and fear of the unknown. Anand was the unknown, along with everything surrounding me. My adventurous spirit had been silenced.

“Dominic is not impulsive. I don’t know why, but he values your life. That will work in your favor.”

That wasn’t a ringing endorsement of my safety. It just meant that Dominic would try other options first.

“He’s talented, resourceful, and arrogant. That arrogance won’t allow him to choose the easy route just for the sake of ending a situation. He will need to find the reason and ensure it will never happen again. I don’t always agree with his methods, but he has had far more successes than he’s had failures. I respect that.”

It was all I was going to get. No confirmation that I was entirely safe but that Dominic’s arrogance worked in my favor.

I had no option but to accept that. Walking quickly to catch up, I fell in step as Anand slowed to accommodate me.

We made another turn that led us through a thicket of trees. Despite the dark coloring of the leaves, dark grays and deep currant, they gave off the same scent as normal trees. An earthy scent. The air was freshened by them. Woodlands and trees offered a comfort I was in desperate need of.

Anand led me to a section of the property that showed evidence of more life than suggested by the main house. There was a ranch-style building that I assumed was for storage. Several feet from it was a greenhouse. I wondered how successful it was without the sun but decided there must be magic involved.

Anand guided me farther away from the main house, bringing into sight two homes and a low-rise apartment building, which I assumed was where the humans who helped on the grounds resided. I wondered if the other homes were for guests and those who actually visited the underworld.

“That’s where the caretakers of the underworld live.” He pointed to the low-rise apartment, confirming my assumption. “Guest homes. Although very few visit, some request to stay in the guest home rather than in the main house. Nailah prefers to stay there.” Turning away from the houses, he rushed out, as if it was inconsequential, “And the other home is where their mother stays when she visits.”

His reveal had me rooted in place, blinking.

“What?”

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