Page 85 of Beneath the Watching

Death.

After not hearing the voice in what felt like a long time, its arrival threw me for a loop. “Yes, I know my friend is dead,” I whispered, my heart twinging.

Why did the Sentient have to go and rub it in? Sighing, I pushed the thoughts away and began looking through a catalogue of pastel trays for displaying the many goods I planned on baking in my store. Stefan had suggested I try interacting with it more, but I wasn’t interested when all I’d heard from it lately were negative subjects. I’d left negativity behind and was headed straight into a positive life.

It was completely unnecessary, but I decided to do it just because I could. “Pass me the tablecloth book, please,” I said.

The book winked out from where it was on the kitchen table and reappeared directly in front of me. I smiled at it, a frisson of happiness climbing my spine. “The cake cutters, too.”

The knives, with varying-colored handles lined up alongside the reading material. One had a light-yellow pearl handle, the others differing shades of peach and salmon. It was a hard decision.

I was still trying to make up my mind when Lucian strolled in, surprising me. I hadn’t seen him since before Kiara’s death last week, seeing as he’d stayed in seclusion.

“I see you’ve been hiding quite the gift,” Lucian declared, crossing the floor, and stopping opposite me.

My face heated. Stefan and I weren’t advertising my magic. “Just a touch of one, I guess.”

“Hm. Kiara was a source, as you know. Her loss is insurmountable.”

“I’m sorry for your loss. She was a good friend of mine.”

Lucian unbuttoned his suit coat, releasing his straining belly. “She was my greatest mistake; I should’ve been there for her.” He glanced down at the counter and stared at my colored pencils. I’d never replaced them with more sensible writing instruments but at least I’d exchanged the crayons.

“I’m sure you did everything you could,” I offered. The knowledge he hadn’t wouldn’t pass my lips. How do you ignore your abducted baby their whole life when you know exactly where they are? It never made any sense to me, not since I’d gotten the whole story.

Ramone had taken kiara when she was an infant, stolen from her crib in retribution for Lucian and Ilya’s dad having murdered Ramone’s wife. She was taken to the Third Realm and left there with adoptive parents until Ramone reentered her life, and then Ilya.

Nobody did a thing to help her, least of all the man standing before me—not until all the damage was done.

Even I’d failed her, in a way.

I still fought my conflicted feelings on that whole matter even though Stefan encouraged me not to. Something about the fates having laid out her whole path and all that kind of stuff. I appreciated him trying to relieve my burden, but I was certain a part of it would always remain.

“Thank you, I appreciate that, Mabel.” He came around the counter. “What have you got going on here?”

I leaned away from him as he took up space. “My bake shop. I bake a lot and enjoy it.”

He nodded. “Exactly what kind of magic do you have?”

I heard a small hitch in his voice. He wasn’t talking about sorcery in the kitchen. “I don’t know exactly,” I answered. I’d started moving my papers and books closer before I realized it and flattened my hands on the counter to stop my nervous habit.

Lucian took another step closer. “You do know not everyone here has magic, right? Has Stefan been neglecting his duties in letting you know?”

Glancing up at the man, I said, “No, he’s let me know. He’s not neglecting anything.”

“Have you thought about my offer?”

“What offer?”

Lucian grabbed my hand and looked at the thin band of gold with what I figured was a peridot mounted on it. Stefan had given it to me before he left with Ilya, letting me know it was his sister’s. Protectively, I snatched my hand back.

“That’s no way to treat your king,” he warned me.

“I’m sensitive to being touched,” I explained. “I don’t like people I don’t know well touching me.”

Lucian moved all the way over, his stomach rubbing against my arm. “I offered for you to be my queen. Are you turning me down?”

“What? I’m with Stefan, you know this.” I hopped off the stool and went to go in the opposite direction, but he grabbed my hair just before I was out of reach. Hissing at the pain, I yelled, “Let go of me!”

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