Page 76 of Enchanted Kisses
“In the flesh.” Annoyance deepened Raysa’s tone.
Bianca lifted her hand to the topiary tree and held it there, like Dagan had when he formed the image above the fireplace.
“What is she doing?” I asked.
“Decorating.”
White twinkling lights and white roses appeared on the branches. Bianca lowered her hand to study the tree, then lifted her palm to the topiary again. The lights and roses turned blood red.
Raysa huffed. “I told her no red.” She lifted her hand to the trees. The row of roses changed to white.
Bianca glanced up at us, knowing exactly where to look.
How?
She shrugged and smiled innocently.
Raysa turned away. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” She brushed a leaf from her peach tea-length dress.
I took one last look at Bianca before I stepped from the window. “I guess because it’s Caiden’s house you can’t ask her to leave. Huh?”
“We all have.” Raysa’s response surprised me. “She has no place to go and wants to stay for the celebration, to pay her respects.”
I walked to an antique dresser and ran my fingers over the top of the marble surface. “Caiden asked her to leave?”
“He said he did.”
“Hmph.” I touched a perfume bottle in the shape of a lily. “Did she know Alliston?”
“Caiden introduced them once. Alliston had insisted.” Raysa’s dress swished as she moved around the room until she stopped behind me. “I can’t help if you don’t tell me what happened.”
Nervous, I brought the ends of my hair to my lips while deciding what to say. “I don’t want you to hate me.”
Raysa touched my shoulders. “I couldn’t hate you. You’re like a sister.”
“What if I told you I went with Dagan to the Realm of Death?”
Raysa’s hands fell from my shoulders.
I spun around.
Her face looked whiter than I thought possible. “You couldn’t have.”
“Gray castle on top of a mountain in the middle of…more mountains.”
Her head shook. “And he let you go?”
“Not exactly.” I bit my lip, debating what to confess next. “I learned a lot, if that means anything. I know their plans for me. I know about Caiden’s plans for me, too.”
She lowered to sit on the bed. “You didn’t do anything stupid, did you?”
Her tone was calm, but I still felt the blow of her remark.
“I don’t think Dagan is as bad as everyone thinks. He’s…well, there’s more to him than I had thought. He’s sad and has inferiority issues about Caiden and his dad and—”
Her glare of disgust silenced me. “That’s what he wants you to think. That’s how the Death Sentries work. They’re brilliant manipulators, Lily. Why did you go with him? Why did you see him at all?”
“I didn’t mean to. I thought the back porch was safe. Caiden had left and I was cold. It was stupid.” My breath caught with a sniffle. “I’m sorry.”
