Page 65 of The Secret Keeper's Daughter

“It just is.” She pours herself a bubbly drink. “Do you want some?”

“Yes.”

Harek nudges me with his foot.

“Please,” I add, not that I understand why he’s concerned with pleasantries when he doesn’t even want to be here with this generous woman in the first place.

An annoyed look crosses his face. Perhaps manners isn’t the reason he nudged me.

Vivvi motions for one of the servants to give me some of the bubbly drink.

It smells sweet, like overripe fruit in the summertime, but it has a bit of a bitter taste going down and makes me feel a little funny inside. Oh, it’s alcohol. I’ve only had it one time, and that was at a banquet. Gunnar never buys anything like this, or at least he never lets me near any. It’s probably expensive, given that it’s here.

“What’s farm life like? That sounds interesting.”

I shrug. “Maybe for others. My stepfather gave me duties that wouldn’t be appropriate to talk about during a meal.”

She bristles. “Oh, my. That doesn’t sound pleasant.”

“Nope.” I sip more of the drink, earning another glare from Harek, then dig into some of the untouched food on my plate.

“What was that like?” Vivvi looks at me with genuine interest in her eyes.

“Boring. Maddening, if I’m honest. My brothers got the best jobs—they got to ride horses and round up the cattle.”

She nods knowingly. “Men always get the best jobs.”

“Not always,” Harek mutters.

“You don’t think so?” Vivvi lifts an eyebrow, and even such a simple gesture seems elegant and expensive on her. Like she’d spent an absurd amount of money on her face.

“My father and I butcher meat. There’s nothing glorious in that.”

“But it must be fun to hunt.”

“During the chase.” He plays with some food on his plate. “But the rest of the time is dull and tedious.”

“What about during the full moon?”

He grits his teeth. “What are you insinuating?”

“Nothing. I rarely talk with werewolves, and I’ve always been curious. It must be so freeing to run like that.”

Harek’s shoulders relax. “Actually, it is.”

Vivvi’s eyes light up. “Tell me more.”

“On any of the three days surrounding the full moon, we shift into our wolf-selves and run free. My father and I typically hunt because we catch better prizes then. It keeps us going all month, selling the meat and hides.”

“Fascinating.” She rests her chin on her palm. “So, you don’t turn against your will?”

“Not unless we fail to shift before the end of the third day.”

“Do all werewolves have the choice?”

Harek shakes his head. “There’s something about my line. Legend has it a witch cast a spell on a group of ancestors and it’s been passed down through the generations.”

“If I’m understanding correctly, your line is elevated above normal werewolves?”

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