Page 52 of The Black Lotus
Zephira and I have been growing closer,as close as someone who is helping her mother kill me can get to a person. I’m staying cautious with everything she does, eyeing her skeptically when she does it. She has been rather motherly, making sure I eat, stay hydrated, and reassuring me Aster will make it out of this.
She’s trying to comfort me during this time of duress and honestly, it’s a little unnerving. Crazy, flirty Zephira who loves to tease and taunt is the girl I’m used to and have gotten comfortable with. But this version of her, this personality switch up will take some time to get used to.
I hope this isn’t some kind of trick to get me to lower my guard for someone else to strike so she could have a front rowseat to my execution. That thought alone has me keeping her at an arm's length.
I walk into the room and Zephira scrunches her nose. “You need a shower,” she grumbles, eyes glued to her laptop.
Lifting my arm, I sniff my armpit and flinch. “Maybe you’re right.” I can’t remember the last time I bathed myself. I haven’t even thought of stepping under a hot stream of water, for fear of spiraling in the one place I can be alone. Being Zephira’s helper has been the only thing keeping me grounded, but maybe a quick wash wouldn’t hurt.
She rolls her eyes. “I ordered us some food, so make it quick. And…” she glances at me before focusing on her screen. “I have some news you’re not going to like.”
My heart drops, my hopes of finding him dimming, her words making me queasy. I nod once and make my way to the bathroom.
After my shower, I find Zephira placing pineapple pizza on paper plates, the box left open on the couch. A sad laugh bubbles up as she looks up with a tilted head.
“What’s so funny? And are you crying?” She sits down and pats the spot next to her.
“Nothing; it’s just… that’s our favorite pizza, and the last time we had it, well…” My cheeks heat, my breaths shallow as I swear I can feel Aster thrusting deep inside me.
She puts her hand up, not wanting to hear anymore. “I don’t want to hear about my brother's sex life, no offense.” She hands me a plate with two slices, her eyes unfocused. “It’s my favorite, too.” She forces a smile, whispering around a mouthful of food so quietly I barely made out the words. “I wonder what else I have in common with my brother.”
Even though Cynthia has her claws embedded deep in Zephira, I can tell she wants to be close to her brother. I push back the urge to place my hand on top of hers as I busy myhands, slowly chewing my pizza. There is no way to form the relationship she wants when she is helping their mom keep tabs on me. Sure, she may not beactuallyattempting to kill me, but that’s beside the point.
“So… how did you and my brother meet?”
I look up at her, eyebrows raised.Is she trying to make small talk?
I swallow my bite before answering. “We met at a bar called Boozy Books. But you know that already, don’t you? Haven’t you been watching us this whole time?”
“Nope,” she answers, popping the p. “Only after I bought the painting from you at the market.”
That’s surprising. I thought she’d been keeping tabs on him and feeding Cynthia information since she’d made contact with her.If she isn’t the one who is the informer, I wonder who is?
Zephira’s blonde hair falls around her shoulders as she sits back on the couch, her back pressed up against the cushion to eat the rest of her food. “Are you going to tell me, or will I have to force it out of you?”
“Surprised you haven’t already.” I tease, a small smile lifting my lips. “He approached me at the bar, we flirted, then exchanged numbers, and I didn’t hear from him for two weeks.”
“It took him two weeks to text you?”
I laugh. “No, it took him two weeks to stalk me on a date and crush the guy's hand for trying to kiss me.”
She covers her stomach, laughing as she says, “He killed him after I bet.”
“Actually, yeah; he did.” That makes her laugh harder, and I find myself joining in. Surprised by how easily we can fall into comfortable and ‘normal’ conversations, I relax and enjoy the moment, hopeful there will be more.
“My brother must really love you to kill a guy for you.”
I place the empty plate down beside me. “I really love him too. Plus, I killed that guy’s brother, so it evened out.”
She stares at me wide eyed, her mouth dropping open. “Youkilled him? I’m impressed you have a dark side, too.”
“If only you knew how dark I can be.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “Why don’t you tell me?”
I bite my lip.Can I trust her with the truth of my beast?Will she keep my secrets, or will she run straight to her mother and tell her everything? Maybe if she tells Cynthia that might get her to cancel the hit and accept me. Or it could just make her more mad and come for me herself.
“He wasn’t my first victim,” I whisper, my heart in my throat.
