Page 123 of A Sin So Pure

“I missed you,” she whispers.

“You’ve only been gone for twelve hours.”

“More than enough time to miss you,” she says. And while her comment makes butterflies flutter in my tummy, my smile must look forced, because her brows furrow. “Is everything okay?”

“Mhm,” I hum.

“Clearly, there is something bothering you.”

I don’t mean to, but my attention strays to Silas, who now sits at the head of the table. He is whispering with Wrath as the rest of the Sins mingle.

When I turn back to Nora, I can tell that she knows.

I might be the empath, but she’s skilled in reading a room. She clocks it for what it is: jealousy.

It’s not a pretty emotion to have.

“Imogen,” Nora scolds, as if she’s the one who can read minds, not Josie. Her hand squeezes my thigh again under the table as she leans to my ear to speak, voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t be a brat.”

A thrill shoots through me, and I itch to play the game that she’s set in front of us.

Silas clears his throat, calling the Sins’ attention to the head of the table.

“I know it is unusual for me to call a meeting last minute, but I felt it important to tell you all in person,” he says, his deep voice booming through the room. “In two weeks, for the first time in fifty years, we will join our sister Court in celebrating the Winter Solstice. Please prepare yourselves accordingly, as you are all required to attend with your Seconds.” He points across the table, “Except for you, Sloth. You’re to stay here to ensure all barriers and portals between realms stay intact in coordination with Wrath’s Second and the Royal guard.”

There is silence as he pauses to let the room process his unsugarcoated announcement.

“I’m sure you have questions. Now would be the time to ask them,” he finishes.

The room erupts into chaos.

“Are you mad?—”

“Why would we go to see the Seelie after so long?—”

“This is insanity?—”

“You know, I want to hear him out?—”

“Enough!” Silas’s voice booms. A burst of shadows spread from behind his back, the room vibrating with his frustration. At the resulting quiet, his magic retracts. “One at a time. You’re all acting like children.”

Nora snorts at my side, awfully quiet about the whole ordeal.

Is this what they’ve been working on? Some kind of plans for the Solstice trip?

“Did you know?” I ask, leaning into Nora’s side.

“He only told me an hour ago,” she responds.

“Do you have a question, Lust?” Silas says.

I plaster a smile on my face, swallowing all the questions that I do have, but wouldn’t be asking him.

“No.”

“Good. Now, who is next?”

Envy raises his hand, and you can practically hear the collective, yet silent, groan from the other Sins.

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