Page 51 of Lost Girl

“First day is usually the worst for me. Should start evening out in the next couple of days.”

“That sounds awful. Are your cycles always like this?”

“Not this extreme but yeah, it—uh, it blows.” Another lie. “I’m guessing it may have something to do with the whole portal thing? Maybe even the few near-death experiences while they had me locked up.”

That one’s not a lie.

Tigerlily’s eyes widen in alarm. “They hurt you?”

“Not all of them, no. Tinksley was at the head of it all, forcing me to nearly jump to my death, but I think it’s probably more related to the unpleasant encounter with one of theirs the night they brought me over. Lost quite a bit of blood as a result. It’s my fault, I suppose. I tried working my charm on him in hopes he might set me free and—”

“Who was it?”

“His name is Armand.”

Her eyebrow arches. “Oh, yes, I know him. He’s quite vicious, had plenty of encounters with him myself when I was paying off my brother’s debt. I’d venture to say you’re probably right.” On the small counter, she sets down what looks like a turquoise dress and an actual sanitary napkin—something I didn’t think they’d have here. “I’ll leave you to finish up, okay? Hopefully, my clothes will fit. If you need anything else, just holler—my dad’s up already.”

And then she’s gone.

Mouth popped open, I stare at the door for several seconds before slinking back behind the curtain, allowing the water to pelt the top of my head. She was a prisoner, too? Is that why Tavi felt so strongly about freeing me—because it hit close to home?

The more important question is, what didhedo? She said she was paying off his debt, much in the same way I was doing for Peter. Is this what dates back to their opposition, or does it stem even further back?

So many questions, not enough—

“Are you crazy? I’m not taking her back there!” I hear Tavi yell suddenly.

His dad.

Tigerlily said he’s awake.

“You have to!” his father returns, prompting me to speed through the remainder of my shower as best I can with my heart thrashing and another wave of cramps rolling through.

Not five minutes later, I’ve dressed in Tigerlily’s clothes and find myself padding down the hallway to listen in, droplets of water spilling onto the wooden floors from the drenched ends of my hair.

Drip.

Drip, drip.

“You don’t seem to understand how bad a situation this is, Tavi.” The man speaking is undoubtedly his father. His voice booms through the house, flattening my back against the log wall. “They’re probably already looking for the girl. If the Captain finds out it was you who—”

“I’m not afraid of him, dad,” Tavi growls. “And I never will be. I don’t get why you are.”

“It’s not fear, son. It’s called respect. I respect him just as he does me.”

“Respect you?” Tavi laughs dubiously. “You think he respects you? Are you shitting me? He had Lil in there, too, and she was as innocent as Wendy!”

“Number one, watch how you talk to papa,” Tigerlily chimes in, her voice even yet stern. “You may be the Alpha around here, Tav, but he is the Chief, and most importantly—your father. Be respectful. Number two, do you ever listen? I mean, really? How many times do I have to tell you the same thing? They didn’t have me in a damned dungeon! I didn’t even know they had one. They certainly didn’t treat me like a prisoner, either, so whatever Wendy went through does not coextend to my experience.”

“No, he doesn’t listen,” their dad cuts in. “Which is exactly why he keeps finding himself in these situations.” His tone, while still intimidatingly deep, reveals a heap of disappointment.

Silence follows it, lingering uncomfortably in the air.

I’m tens of feet away and it’s somehow suffocatingme, churning my stomach through the tension. The knowledge that I’m hearing this transpire because of me is the most sickening part. Those godforsaken weak tears build in the back of my eyes, threatening to spill.

“Na, that’s not dad,” Tavi scoffs moments later. “Dad would be fretting over the poor woman who was wrongfully taken from her home and locked up like some animal. I don’t know who this is.”

“A tired man,” his dad sighs. “First, you nearly slaughter his men. Had your sister not come to your aid, had she not offered so valiantly to stand in your place, they would’ve slaughteredyou. Following her deal, I discarded your birth right to take my place the day I die as punishment for your senseless actions, no less—and yet here we are again, facing a possible war against the same man. You’ve taken something from him that doesn’t belong to you and you need to—”

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