Page 22 of Emylia

Sebastian noticed.

Of course he did.

His next swing came faster, rougher, the axe biting deeper than before. He didn’t say a word, but the grin he’d worn seconds ago had slipped to a scowl.

“How about you do us all a favour and wipe the drool off your face?” A sweet feminine voice chided.

My eyes snapped up, capturing the demonic dark brown eyes of my least favorite person in the entire world.

“Josephine.” I practically spat the name out, saying it like it caused me physical pain.

She turned to me, her blonde, nearly white, hair slithering over her shoulder at her movement. The dress she wore was as intricate as mine but a golden yellow color. I could see lace swirls trailing up the bodice and hated how breathtaking she looked in it.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt your littlemoment,” she purred. “I’d thought I’d save you the embarrassment but then I remembered… it’s you. Not even I can work miracles.”

“Still thriving on spite, I see.” I remarked, not bothering to hide the eye roll.

“Wearing blue again? Bold, considering how much it clashes with your lack of charm.”

Josephine’s smile was all teeth and venom. She cocked a hip, letting her fingers trail lazily through her long, gorgeous hair. Her eyes dragged over me, slow and dismissive, before turning to Evie with a soft, calculated laugh—like I was already forgotten.

Josephine didn’t faze me, I’d been tolerating her my entire life, and I knew exactly where to aim to wound her.

“Don’t be jealous Josie. I’m sure there is someone out there who is into girls with the emotional range of a dried horse poo.” I arched a brow, folding my arms as I leaned back just enough to let the smirk curl across my lips.

One slow blink.

A tilt of my head.

The verbal dagger had landed—and I didn’t even flinch.

The gasp from Evie only added to the sting in Josephine’s features. A hiccup of a second passed before her sneer returned, in full force.

“At least I don’t throw myself at anything with a pulse.” She snapped.

The insult was beyond laughable, I’d never even been kissed, not that she knew that. But if she wanted to go down a warpath, then fine. I was happy to oblige.

“No, you prefer the ones without a pulse and still you don’t have a chance.”

Evie snorted. Sebastian bit down on a laugh, swinging the axe like it would somehow distract from the tension.

“Must be exhausting.” I added, voice syrup-sweet, “waking up every day and deciding to be this insufferable.”

“Must be exhausting being an absolute cunt!” She spat back, venom flicking spittle in my face.

Well holy crap.

That was extreme.

Josephine was usually the picture of perfection, I’d never even heard her cuss. For her first time, I was almost impressed.

I opened my mouth to say something but didn’t get the chance.

“We haven’t met.” A deep timbre voice rumbled—low, rich—like something pulled from the embers of a dying fire.

A shadow of a smile touched his lips, if you could even call it that. His eyes dragged over me—slow, deliberate. Not like a lover’s touch, but something darker.

Curious.

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