Page 5 of The Demon's Discovery
Even though she wanted no part of it, Bea was always the center of attention. Henrik and Lara would always state some version ofHere’s our perfect daughter, and here’s… this other thing, pay no attention to itbefore parading Bea’s beauty and skills. It had always been that way. It didn’t matter how old I got, it was the same routine, and it was all beyond tiresome, especially since I’d graduated from being their ward to being their employee well before I came of age.
Vassago’s eyebrows pulled together as he stared at Henrik. Finally, they smoothed out as he looked back at me. “Yes, we’ve met.”
“You have?” Lara’s tone lifted to a screech at the end of the word. She was no doubt horrified by the possibilities around how that had occurred.
“Indeed. I’m afraid it’s my fault she was delayed in arriving. I was rather clumsy and spilled my wine all over her. So, I too, had an accident involving wineglasses. Seems it’s going around. Apologies again, Greta. I’m sorry to have ruined your clothes. Are you sure you’re not injured?”
Watching them both gape like fish was wildly entertaining. I tried to memorize every blink so I could revisit it later. “I’m fine, thank you for asking.”
“I’m so glad to hear that.” He turned his attention to Lara. “How odd that there are no portraits of her on the walls—you mentioned that she is now an employee, but was previously your ward? In fact, there are several bare spots—are you in the process of redecorating, duchess?”
Lara flushed red. “Erm, yes. Apologies for the disarray, I’m trying to update everything, and it’s taking more time and effort than expected.”
He squinted at her evasion of the question about portraits. There were none of me, not since the handful they’d had me sit for as a child had been systematically removed and, I could only assume, destroyed. Henrik had once treated me like a daughter, but Lara’s will had won out on that. I’d never been anything more than a nuisance to her.
“Hmm.” The thoughtful noise rumbled in his throat, almost an accusation. It made my skin tingle. “What were you saying, Greta? Your lovely sister enjoys the piano. Where do your passions lie?”
I glanced at my patrons who both stared me down intensely. “I practice the sciences,” I said carefully, certain my cheeks were flushed with color under his gaze.
His eyebrow raised even higher, a gentle lift to the corner of his mouth. Based on our conversation in the hall, I was sure this was not new information. But his attention was so rapt, it was as if nothing but he and I existed for a moment. It was a potent, novel feeling. Nobody had looked at me in such a way since Bea was a baby, and I was performing what she believed to be magic tricks by making items disappear behind my back.
He slid forward in his seat and leaned toward me. I struggled to breathe, his focus on me was so intense. “Which specialties?My brother is headmaster at the Collegium d’Arcan. I’ve recently taken up residence there myself. We can always use more talented students. And staff, for that matter.”
My heart skipped. Everyone in the city knew only a select group of gifted students were able to attend. But staff? Surely, I wasn’t qualified. “I’m a chemist, mainly. I’ve studied that as well as alchemy.” I caught the intense stare of Lara as I glanced away from his face for the briefest of moments. “But I’m afraid despite my intensive practice, I’m not very skilled at either.”
“That remains to be seen. Passion is sometimes the most important virtue when it comes to learned skills. Perhaps you’d like to come see the campus?”
Bea squeezed my hand tightly twice again before letting it go. I’d forgotten she was there at all, let alone that she had a grip on my hand.
“Oh, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to burden yourself with Greta, Mr. Feland,” Lara blustered.
Vassago continued, ignoring her completely. “Monday? Say”—he tapped a fingertip thoughtfully on his chin—“after midday? I’ll be happy to give you a tour, and I’m sure I could arrange some things for afternoon tea.”
I glanced at Henrik, unable to avoid noticing that Vassago never looked away from me. He soughtmyinterest,myconsent, not that of my employer’s. And it was not lost on me that Lara was addressing him formally, but he’d requested I call him by his first name. Something warm rushed through my veins. It felt bright, bubbly. Intensely dangerous.
At Henrik’s slight nod, I agreed. “Yes, thank you. I’d enjoy that very much.”
Vassago smiled, his teeth straight and white, though his canines were a bit longer and more pointed than normal. If I’d thought him beautiful before, he was impossibly gorgeous now,his sharply angled features softened by the joyous expression. “Wonderful. I’ll send our carriage to retrieve you.”
Henrik spoke up and accepted gracefully before I could stutter the denial that lingered on my tongue. “That’s very generous of you, Mr. Feland. Perhaps Beatrice might also visit? You mentioned your brother has an affinity for botany, as well?”
Lara batted her eyes at him, but he wasn’t looking at her. Bea, on the other hand, gave a polite smile but shrank into herself, clearly uninterested in inviting herself along.
“Perhaps another time.” His tone was icy, shutting down any further discussion on the matter. There was also an odd play of the light, making his eyes momentarily appear red instead of the light gold I knew they were. “I very much look forward to your visit, Greta.” He gave me what felt like a private smile, then a calm settled over him, his manner shifting to wholly businesslike. “To answer your earlier intentions fully, Duchess Belette, I have no interest in courting your daughter. She’s lovely, and it sounds like she’s well educated, but that’s simply not going to happen. You’ve asked about my titles as well, and while I have many, I don’t find them relevant to our business. I’d appreciate very much if you’d not mention either of those things again. Additionally, you may want to consider a different vintage of wine for serving to guests. The one you gave me before was far better suited to being spilled than consumed. Though I would still prefer the bitter flavor of it to the scent of your desperation.” Lara blanched under his stare, the pale hue of her skin flushed red as her anger set in. Even Henrik shifted, uncomfortable with having displeased his guest but also torn about defending his wife’s honor. “Shall we proceed with the interviews?”
“Interviews?” I asked, instantly braced for backlash at having spoken out of turn once I’d blurted the question.
“I’m trying to locate an item, an heirloom they”—he gestured to Henrik and Lara—“believe to be lost,” Vassago explained.“I find it helpful to discuss things with every member of the household during my search. Those of you who arrived in the city only recently are the last on my list to speak with.” He tilted his head, assessing me calmly. “Are you comfortable doing that here? Or would you prefer a more private setting?”
I swallowed, completely unprepared to answer that question but even less ready to find myself alone with him again. “Oh. No, here is fine.” I held eye contact with him until he finally blinked and looked away. When I glanced over at Bea, she was staring back at me with her mouth slack and eyes wide.
“As you wish. Is there anything else before we begin?”
Henrik, clearly feeling as though Vassago had misunderstood, listed off the enormity of my failure as a chemist. He seemed determined to talk Vassago out of his invitation, despite already having allowed me to accept.
“All due respect, Henrik, none of that means anything. Chemistry can succeed or fail dependent upon the environment it’s performed in. Perhaps she hasn’t found the right tools or inspiration yet. In any event, d’Arcan welcomes her with open arms. I’m hopeful she’ll find our facilities to her liking.” He turned his eyes back to me, and I found I couldn’t properly breathe for several seconds, not until he looked away again. When he did, it was to flash a smile at Henrik that felt unusually… sharp.
Henrik tried several times to make a full sentence, finally changing the subject altogether.
