Page 13 of Finn
Beric was Queen Arabella’s second, after all, and his estate reflected his rank.
As I walked through the silent halls, I caught sight of Cora and Justin, two new human “indentures” brought into the nest to manage daytime affairs.
Cora gave me a shy smile, lashes lowered. Justin, the bolder of the two siblings, offered a respectful “Good evening.”
I returned the greeting with a nod, ignoring the curious look in his eyes.
Unlike Gael and the others, I didn’t see the humans as mere blood banks.
They were essential to our survival, maintaining the facade and handling the logistics of our lives.
Maybe it was a remnant of my humanity, or maybe it was the way Justin’s eyes reminded me of someone I’d tried hard to forget.
Someone who had once given me a reason to live. But I couldn’t let myself dwell on that now. I had a meeting with Beric.
I finally reached his quarters without further interruption and knocked, waiting until his voice summoned me inside.
CHAPTER FIVE
GABRIEL
The doorcreaked open to reveal an ostentatious, over-the-top room. The walls were draped in velvet and a chandelier casting a dim, ghostly light.
Beric was seated in an armchair that looked more like a throne.
He gestured for me to approach, his eyes gleaming with the quiet malice of a predator who’d already decided on his prey.
“Gabriel,” he greeted, his voice a smooth purr that belied the razor-sharp glint in his eyes. “It seems you’ve had a… lively start of the evening with Gael.”
I inclined my head, choosing my words carefully.
“He was eager for some exercise,” I answered.
Beric’s mouth quirked in amusement, though his gaze remained cold.
“Eager, yes, and perhaps just a touch resentful. Though, I can’t fault him for that. You’ve taken quite the shine to our queen’s court, haven’t you?”
He said it with a practiced casualness, but I knew better.
“I serve at your pleasure,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.
I could feel the weight of his gaze, as if he were peeling back layers of my skin to see the motives beneath.
Beric leaned forward, his fingers steepled under his chin.
“Tell me, Gabriel… do you miss it?” His voice was a silken trap, pulling at something I’d tried to bury.
“Miss what?” I asked, but my voice had betrayed me, wavering ever so slightly.
He could sense it, my weakness. My hunger for a life I’d once known, a life with a heartbeat.
“The world of the living,” he answered, almost tenderly, his gaze probing. “You were so… emotional when you first arrived here. How are you finding it now?”
“Emotional” was not a word I’d have chosen.
To ensure his fledglings’ unwavering loyalty, Beric would break us down until we were nothing, and only when he deemed us fully shattered would he rebuild us.
I didn’t miss our time in his dungeons one bit.
