Page 77 of The Secrets of Roan Island

“That’s the problem. He’s always a step ahead of us.” I grimace thinking about how he tortured me earlier and what he might do to Ruby and Zarah if we fail. Some part of me wants to give up right now. The risk is too great.

But if we don’t try, Ruby will die like all the women before her. She’ll die in pain, tortured by my father’s venom. A growlrumbles through me at the thought of him biting her. “We can’t fail this time.”

Jafeth’s laugh is dry and dark. “How do you propose we kill someone who can control us?”

A loud laugh spills out through the open door to the house, followed by nervous chatter. Shemaiah’s gaze narrows on the manor as he says, “I think I might have an idea.”

37

Ruby

The appearance of Mrs. Darning in the doorway should surprise me, but for some reason it doesn’t. I should have known.

“It’s time,” she says, her arms laden with white fabric.

Zarah stands, setting her embroidery aside, and glances at me. “For both of us?”

“As I’ve been instructed.” Darning sets two white dresses out on the bed. “Have you gone through the cleansing?” The housekeeper’s eyes jump to the empty copper tub, then back to us. “Your father won’t like it if you… if your scent distracts him.” Her eyes settle on me.

“He’ll be angrier if we’re late.” Zarah glares at the housekeeper as if she wishes she could puncture the woman’s lungs with a look.

“How can you do this?” I ask.

Mrs. Darning turns to look at me. “How can I not?” She dismisses me as if I’m nothing more than a small bug to besquished and looks at Zarah. “Your father will escort you both.” Then she’s gone.

Zarah sighs and starts toward the bed. “Time to dress for the macabre farce once again.” She reaches for a dress. “This is mine.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s the one he always sends.”

I notice the high neck, the puffed sleeves covered in lace. It’s demure. My gaze moves to the other dress. “So this one must be mine.” This dress isn’t demure.

“Should we switch?” she asks with a conspiratorial smile.

I consider it, then recall the way Hammish hurt Noah, his promise to continue hurting him if I didn’t cooperate. “Probably shouldn’t.”

“Maybe this will be the last time,” Zarah says, sliding her head through the dress.

With my back to her, I undo the buttons on my dress and pull it from my shoulders. “Last time for what?”

“That I have to put on this stupid dress. The last time I have to worry about the pain my father inflicts on us. Maybe tonight, everything changes.”

I want that. For her. For all of them. But I don’t understand her hope.

The fabric of her dress rustles. “If we can somehow get Noah to bite you first. Before Father.”

I shake my head, my heart pounding a little too fast. “But… we don’t know if he loves me.” Distracting myself from my fear he might not, I step into the other dress, the soft silk sliding over my skin as I pull it up. “And even if it works, why would that stop the Solstice ceremonies from happening in the future? You still have two more brothers.” Not to mention Hammish himself.

“Mavarri are a clan race. The oldest matedcouplehave abilities the others don’t.”

“I know about Hammish’s mind control.”

“It’s more than that.” Zarah turns to look at me. “The patriarch can control the minds of his family. But the matriarch can open portals—a retreat safeguard, you could say. And if Noah turned you, the two of you together would be…” Like a teacher leading a student, she waits for me to finish the sentence.

“The oldest mated couple.” What she’s suggesting would change everything. “Noah would have Hammish’s power.”

“And you could open a portal to the Mavarri home world.” Her smile is bright. “It might take a while to learn that kind of control, but yes. And if you did, then Hammish wouldn’t need to turn anyone in order to continue our family line. He could go searching for surviving Mavarri there.” She turns back to the mirror.

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