Page 31 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

“I’m going to wipe her down, then dress her.” Kaia called from the bathroom.

“Thank you,” I repeated. “I would but . . .” I grimaced as she stepped out of the bathroom.

“Trying not to be a grade-A creeper?” she snickered.

“Something like that.”

Kaia set a bowl with water on the end table beside Meera and started the process of cleaning her.

“Think Corvo did it on purpose?” she asked.

“Unlikely. He’s just a dick—” As if summoned, the asshole appeared.

“You called?” he said with his usual air of annoyance.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” I snarled, getting to my feet. He watched me with disinterest, then started licking his paw.

“You’re going to have to be more specific.”

I nearly saw red. “Meera. You tripped her.”

“I was trying to get her to feed me. It’s not my fault she’s a klutz.”

“Not your—” I ran a hand through my hair, my fingers tangling in the unruly strands. “Corvo, she fell out a window.”

“Riiiiight,” he drawled. “About that. How are you feeling? Anything magical happen since? Maybe a bond, perhaps?”

I leveled him with a glare. “What are you going on about now?”

He narrowed his eyes at me, then seemed to shrug it off as he flopped down on the blanket beside Meera. “Apparently I’ll have to up my game.”

“Wait—did you trip heron purpose?” I damn near roared.

“Um. I wouldn’t so much say on purpose?—”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you trip her?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“I didn’t trip her, but if I did, it would have been for …” Corvo cocked his head. “Research.”

I ran a palm down my face. This. Fucking. Cat.

“Get out.”

“Vareck, baby, we can talk about this?—”

“Actually,” Kaia interrupted. “Before you go, can you fix the window? It’s freezing in here.”

“What do I get out of it?”

“Corvo!” we both said at the same time.

The cat groaned. “Fiiiine. We’re even after this.”

“She fell four stories. You’re lucky I’m not re-homing you.”

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