Page 45 of Dark Shadow of Guilt

Indigo relocated, flopping onto a pillow beside Ohngel after giving Maddy a reassuring shoulder pat.

He lifted his free arm to wrap it around his mate. “Indigo and I were in on the face-to-face with the OC. I don’t think he’s involved in any deceit, but he’s a master manipulator. You left out a few deets from our visit, Dom. A minor earthquake shook Vast while we were there.”

Remi nearly choked on a mouthful of mulled wine. “What? Vast doesn’t have earthquakes.”

Dom sighed. “It did then. To pile onto the mystery, the OC had a headache and a coughing fit.”

Ely cocked his head. “Dust.”

“Not a whisper of it,” said Ohngel.

After they tossed about the incidents some more, Dom got down to the real reason for the confab. He called on Madeline to tell the story of her captivity. Rising from her place by the fire, she arranged herself in Dominion’s lap.

Eyes tennis-balled between them. But nobody said a thing. They just observed Maddy’s interaction with Dom.

With an arm looped around his neck, she recounted her kidnapping. At the end of the story, she said, “I think I was drugged, but before Praevus had me, another woman was around. She fussed over me and fed me. I’m sure of it, even though my memory is a bit foggy.”

Remaining passive despite Maddy’s constant caresses, Dom asked her to elaborate on her time with Praevus.

She jerked upright, acting excited to talk about her captor. Her hands painted events as if she were reading aloud from a book, infusing life into the characters, giving them voice, emphasizing the exciting parts of the plot, pausing before the climax to build tension, and unraveling the tale at the end. She was a great storyteller. Librarian fit her.

When she finished her yarn, she snuggled against Dom, who couldn’t help but smile down at her. He quickly altered his expression into a frown.

Indigo surged to the edge of her seat. “Did the surly black-winged warrior just grin?” she asked Ohngel.

Dom feared his attraction to Maddy was showing. But he hadn’t invited them here to analyze his behavior.

Brushing aside her own question, Indigo continued, “Anyway, why did this Praevus let you go?”

“I don’t know.” She paused, stroking Dom’s chest with her palm. “I’m not sure I’ve been clear. On occasion, he was kind to me, giving me food and seeing to my injuries. Maybe he felt guilty.”

Dom remained silent, wanting his friends to draw their own conclusions.

Ohngel pretended to ignore Maddy’s hands-on adoration of Dom. “We know Praevus couldn’t have kidnapped Madeline. Since he can’t leave Angor, someone else did that honor and passed her off to him.”

“I guess that was lucky, huh? He was a thoughtful jailer,” said Madeline.

A proverbial pin dropped in the room. And Dom heard it ping on the tile floor.

He arched his dark brows, watching the others for their reactions to her kind words about the Rat.

Their gazes flicked around the room as if they were trying to figure out what was going on.

Madeline slammed a hand over her mouth, wrinkling her forehead. “What am I saying? Praevus was a bastard. A monster who scared the bejesus out of me. He shackled me. He rummaged through my head. Even though he released me, he didn’t leave behind shoes, food, or water. He abandoned me to wander Angor alone, leaving me at the mercy of terrifying Scourges.”

Dom nodded, untangling her arm from around his neck.

Then, like a pancake flipping on the griddle, she changed direction again. “Of course, if Praevus isn’t the one who kidnapped me from St. Louis, perhaps he rescued me from a predator in Angor. Maybe the woman. After all, he provided me with shelter.” She blinked.

Indigo blurted out, “I think the hemisphere that controls her speech is disconnected from the rational part of her brain. In other words, she’s Loonie Tunes. No offense, dear.”

Maddy smiled. “None taken.”

After Dom scooted Madeline from his lap to a pillow beside him, she scurried back again, explaining, “Praevus told me stories about what a wonderful Immortal he’d been in Vast. He worried that his friends must miss him. He talked about his important job, its stresses, and how he was underrated. We were both librarians, you know.” She paused, glancing at her audience. “So, I understand that his career was vital—cataloging the accomplishments of a culture and managing a place that holds all the knowledge of his people. An honor. He touched upon how being looked over for promotions had affected him, leading him to do things he now regretted.”

Madeline’s hands collapsed into her lap. “Before he could confess his sins and seek absolution, though, the OneCreator passed judgment on him. When he was captured, Praevus tried to explain his situation and ask for forgiveness. Instead of listening, Dom clipped his feathers and dropped him here. Perhaps you should all go easy on him.” She twisted her head toward Dom. “I don’t blame you, of course. You were doing your job.” She started the chest pats and strokes again.

Dom glanced at the others.

---