Page 35 of Of Rime and Ruin
Inspect the lock.
It’s secure.
She will stay.
Tomorrow, she will sing.
Trap her. Keep her.
Mine.
I growl, to let her know.
Possessive, loud growl.
Unmistakable.
Water trembles.
Finally—emotion in her eyes.
But not friendly.
Sunfish is angry. No warmth.
She opens her mouth.
“Go away, asshole.”
I snort. Crude word from pretty lips.
Can’t be friends. I am her enemy.
Sunfish said so.
But Sunfish lies.
Slink away.
Leave her.
Leave her.
Until tomorrow.
Chapter sixteen
Aethan
Lucasisinhisoffice, where he stands at his desk, poring over an assortment of metal tools. The fire burns low. Hanging from its mount on the wall above the hearth, the taxidermied frostcat greets me with its permanent snarl.
“Sire,” Lucas says without looking up.
As I approach, he pulls a cloth over his tools, hiding them from my view. “New project?” I ask.
“Just dabbling, Sire,” he deflects. “How can I help you today? Are you bleeding? Is someoneelsebleeding?”
“No.” And I’m fully clothed. My hands and feet are white again, as they should be. All evidence of my swim is gone. But an anomaly shouldn’t dictate my future, and I’m not in the clear. “I need you to fix me. There must be a way to keep it from happening.”
