Page 53 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

“I know that,” I shot back, heading to the door and opening it just a fraction. I peeked through the sliver and raised a brow in question.

She was dressed in her royal blue uniform, leather armor layered on top as I would have expected. Did this woman ever take a day off? Her purple eyes softened when she saw me, and even though she was this badass High Commander, she smiled. I figured under different circumstances, we’d be friends. “I come bearing a gift,” she said, holding a small box up so I could see it. “And I’m alone.”

Swinging the rest of the door open, I let her in. I wanted to be mad at her. She was the one that found Lou. She was the one who procured this fucking necklace. Hell, it was her idea! Still, I was good at reading people, for the most part. I tended to go against my better judgement when it came to taking jobs from a certain trickster, but my instinct said Kaia was inherently good. Loyal. And honestly, there was a kindness in her eyes that couldn’t be faked.

“I see you’ve redecorated,” she said carefully, glancing around the room at the broken wreckage.

Crossing my arms, I shifted my weight to one leg. “Needed a woman’s touch.”

Corvo snickered, and Kaia frowned at him.

“His latest delivery, I presume?” She commented, gesturing to the crate of clothes. She assessed the sweatpants and sweatshirt I’d been in for two days before noticing the outfit I’d just picked out. “Looks like he made a good choice.”

“Because he cares so deeply, right?” I turned around, heading back to the crate. Picking up the cardigan and turtleneck, I laid them out on the bed. “What do you want, Kaia?”

She stepped forward, her chin lifted slightly and her shoulders straight. “I thought about trying to talk some sense into you, but I see you aren’t up for reason just yet.”

I was completely taken aback, and my body stiffened, ready to verbally spare. “Excuse me?Reason? Because I don’t find his gifts flattering? I was taken from my home, my magic was bound against my will, and I am being held captive. Please tell me how I should be acting right now, High Commander.”

Kaia barked a laugh. “Oh, playing the innocent now, are we?” She shook her head. “Take some accountability, Meera.”

My jaw dropped, and I pointed to the door. “You can see yourself out, Kaia.”

“No.” She took a step forward, the box still in hand. “Stop acting like a petulant child. Your current predicament is due to your actions. The king didn’t take you captive for his own pleasure, so stop playing the victim. You came here and kidnapped the prince. What was he supposed to do?Tell me. You have a sister, yes? Brothers? You’d go after them too.” I inhaled sharply, caught off guard that she knew about my family. “You think I didn’t research you the moment I found out who you are? You’re smarter than that.”

“This goes beyond Prince Damon,” I argued, jutting my chin out.

“Of course it does, but the prince isn’t a red herring. He’s just the catalyst. The king has been looking for you for years, but only to know who you are. To find out if you were real. If Vareck had discovered your existence any other way, do you honestly think he would have just kidnapped you once he did?” She huffed humorlessly, shaking her head in disappointment. “The man has been obsessed with a dream for four long years. I can assure you;thiswas not how he expected it to go.”

“He bound my magic. And it was your idea,” I said through clenched teeth, my heart starting to pound with anger.

“I’d do it again. And you know what? If you were in my position, so would you.” She tossed me the box, and I caught it before she continued. “You’re incredibly strong, Meera. It’s admirable, really. A good match for him. But the reality is you can’t be trusted, and you know it. I won’t have you persuading the king again. If you can’t see how your choices led you here, I don’t know what else to tell you other than to enjoy your self-imposed misery. Staying locked in here and bitching and moaning gets you nowhere. Frankly, it’s tedious.”

I wanted to blow up. I wanted to argue until I was blue in the face. The problem was, I didn’t have a rebuttal. There was no defense. She was right. Every single stupid word was right.

“She’s not lying, you know,” Corvo added, jumping off the bed and coming to rub against my legs. “The Can Opener isn’t really the kidnapping type. He’s more like the guys in some of your books. Not the pastry kind. Like the other ones you like. The growly ones.”

“Pastries?” Kaia and I asked in unison.

“Cinnamon rollies? I don’t know what you called them.”

I pressed my lips together in an attempt to suppress a smile while Kaia just looked confused. “Cinnamon rolls,” I said, supplying him with the correct terminology.

“That’s the one,” he said, sitting down on his haunches and curling his tail around his body. He angled his head toward the stack of books and the crate of clothes. “Don’t you find it interesting that you are still not in a prison cell? That he has allowed you to lock yourself inhisrooms, safe, where a certain noble mother can’t access or torture you?”

“Suddenly you’re on his side?” I muttered.

“I’m on anyone’s side that feeds me. I am particularly fond of you, though, and lying to you isn’t going to get me extra scratches or your leftovers,” he replied. “Remember that I’m also his familiar. I know him pretty well.”

“I don’t know what pastries have to do with anything, but Corvo makes a valid point, Meera,” Kaia said, sighing, gesturing to the room. “You’re being held in luxury, and believe me, he’s getting heat for that.”

“And he showers you with stuff,” the cat added, walking over to the crate and jumping on top of the lid before pawing at it for effect. “Stuff that you like. That’s how people worship gods. I would know.”

Kaia rolled her eyes. “I think he means to say that Vareck isn’t sending you mindless gifts. He’s putting thought into it.”

“He is,” I admitted, glancing at my growing collection. I blew out a big breath, letting my body release some of the tension I’d been holding. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. You’re . . . not wrong. About all of it.”

“I know. Apology accepted,” she said, and I could see in her eyes that she meant it. I’m not sure my outburst had even bothered her to begin with, at least not on a personal level. She looked at the box I was holding. “You should open that.”

---