Page 24 of A Hunter for Luna

I leaned forward slightly. "What is it, Domina?"

Vala's fingers drummed lightly on the desk, her nails gleaming in the sunlight. "It's a delicate matter, Luna. One that requires discretion and finesse. I trust you understand the importance of keeping this between us?"

I nodded, a knot forming in my stomach. "Of course, Domina. You can rely on my discretion."

What could she possibly want from me?I tried to quell the unease that crept up my spine. Why did I feel like I was about to step into a tangled web that concealed sharp knives?

Vala leaned back in her chair, her fingers steepled beneath her chin. "Benedetto is in Legnali," she said, watching me for the slightest flicker of reaction. "He's staying in a local merchant's home."

My breath caught in my throat. Benedetto. The name hung in the air between us, heavy with unspoken implications. I hadn't seen him in years, not since he walked out after consummating our marriage. I shuddered internally at the painful, humiliating memory.

"With Francesco gone and my husband Marco's health failing," Vala said, her tone cold and businesslike, "it's imperative that we secure an heir for the family. There are no others; Francesco preferred men and left no children."

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. An heir. The pieces clicked into place, and a wave of dread washed over me.

Vala fixed me with a stern look. "How comes to your bed is your affair," she said bluntly. "But the paternity must be clear. If you can manage to persuade him to return home and end this ridiculous quest of his to avenge his brother, even better. He'spast thirty, and his father is ill. It’s time for him to take up his family duty."

I felt a sharp pang of resentment. Even if it was the agreement, all my achievements were nothing against the need for me to seduce my husband and bear his child.

But it would be unwise to let my true feelings show. Vala, while frighteningly competent, was not the warm and kind person she projected the persona of. I forced a smile, inclining my head in acquiescence. "Of course, Domina. I’ll start immediately."

Vala's lips curved in a satisfied smile, while no emotions shown in her features. "See that you do, Luna. The future of our family depends on it. And remember to plan for all contingencies before you act. A proper plan ensures success."

I rose from my seat, my legs trembling slightly beneath me. As I made my way out of Vala's study, my mind and my heart raced.

Benedetto. After all these years, I’d never thought our paths would cross again. Certainly not like this.

I squared my shoulders. I had my task. And I would complete it, no matter the cost to my dignity or my heart.

If I failed in this task, Rose and I could all find ourselves cast out, at the mercy of a world that had little love for women without wealth or status.

A few minutes of discomfort. That was all it would be. And in return, as the mother of the heir, we'd have security. A future.

But even as I tried to convince myself, I could feel the weight of my last memory of my mother bearing down on me. I’d asked Canta once, and she said that I would have been almost four when it happened. And she’d awkwardly hugged me.

The frost in the air, the smell of the oils poured on the wood. My mother’s bloody face, the cords binding her to the stake.

The shaking of my nurse’s hands as she held my body against hers as I struggled to run to my mother.

The sparks trailing from the torch in my father’s hand as he lowered it to the wood.

Her screams echoing in my nightmares. Like me, her magic sourced from the dark moon, and people had claimed she cursed them. She’d been sentenced to burn.

And she still did in my dreams.

I would buy safety. Finding Benedetto would be the difficult part.

In my room, the stack of invitations on my desk caught my eye, and I moved toward them, my fingers trailing over the thick, embossed paper.

Parties, balls, and social gatherings. He would probably attend at least one while he was in Legnali. I’d also ask for the address of the merchant he was staying with.

Social gatherings were the bread and butter of the clans who administered Dimare for the emperor. That was where a person had to go to get any real information.

Of the stack, one invitation in particular stood out, the seal of the Tulliano family gleaming in the sunlight. They were new money, desperate for acceptance among the established families of Dimare.

And what better way to gain that acceptance than by throwing the most lavish parties in the city? Of all of these, this was the function Benedetto was most likely to attend.

I’d broken the seal on the invitation when a soft knock at the door startled me. I turned to see Rose enter, her brow furrowed with concern.

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