Page 115 of Drawn in Blood
“And the second condition?” Helvig asked, eyes narrowing like he knew what was coming.
Ember did her best to control her fidgeting as she looked him in the eyes. “My second condition,” she said coolly, “is that after the ball you let Maeve and Theo go home.” She looked at her mother next. “You will sign over all parental rights and allowthe Kitts to adopt him, and you will never contact any of them again.” Ember kept her face as neutral as possible as her mother studied her.
“Very well.” Aoife nodded. “That can be handled easily enough. I will have the solicitors draw up the paperwork, and it will be legally and magically binding.”
Helvig nodded in agreement. “Nothing a memory loss potion can’t handle.”
It was the answer she had wanted, but it still felt like she had been kicked in the gut. Her mother had given up Theo so easily, without even thinking. Had it been that easy for her to leave her behind? To just walk away without a second thought? Rage boiled in her veins, her magic sparking against her palms and fingertips. She put on a pretty smile—another lie—as she looked at her mother and Helvig.
“Any more demands?” Helvig asked, as he leaned on the desk, fingers intertwined in front of him.
Demands, not requests—he knew what this was, and the look in his eyes told her he knew she would burn the world down for her family if she had to.
“I think that should do it.” Ember smiled sweetly.
Helvig nodded, and Aoife gave her another hug.
“We can talk business later,” Aoife waved her hand, “but how are you feeling about your first ball?”
She waved off their discussion like it was a bothersome gnat in her face, like she wasn’t about to lose her son.
Ember’s stomach flipped as she bit the inside of her cheek. “I’m quite nervous.” It wasn’t a lie—she wasn’t sure that she had ever been more nervous for anything in her life.
“Are you and Rowan going together?” Aoife asked.
“No,” Ember shook her head, “I’ve actually asked Collum to escort me. A sort of peace offering after the way I’ve acted toward him the last few months.” It was the next step in herplan—keep Collum close so he didn’t suspect anything. She had asked him over that morning, asking first if he would take her to the castle and next if he would escort her to the ball, after giving her best apology, complete with puppy dog eyes and a trembling bottom lip.
“That sounds lovely, Ember,” Aoife cooed. “I’m sure you’re going to have a wonderful time.
She excused herself from the study, leaving Helvig and her mother to talk amongst themselves, and let Collum escort her back to the chateau. She ground her teeth as he held her arm, his face still a stone mask as they walked up the long drive.
“Thank you, Collum.” She smiled sweetly.
Collum nodded without a word and suddenly disappeared, leaving Ember alone as she walked through the walls into the garden.
She let herself stand there, for just a moment, breathing in the fresh air and feeling the sun warm her face. There was a darkness that was alive in this city, something that lurked in the shadows, hungry and patient. It thrived off the secrets and suffering, living in the deepest corners of the people’s souls where they didn’t even dare look. It was a weed that infested every crack and crevice. The people of this town were waiting—waiting on the darkness to flee, to die. But Ember knew the truth about darkness like this, the kind that fed off dashed hopes and broken dreams. The truth was that it wouldn’t just disappear or die away.
It wouldn’t die unless they killed it themselves.
Chapter 37
Apples, Starlight, and Impulsive Decisions
Ember smoothed her dress as Gaelen finished her hair, feeling the weight of the metal beads as they clung to her braids. Her waves had been curled, giving them more definition, and Gaelen had given her lipstick and blush with a little mascara and eyeshadow for some color. Ember had never worn make up, but she had to admit she liked the way it looked. Gaelen stepped out of the room, and Ember couldn’t help it. She twirled, and the dress swayed and bent like the wind around her. The velvet hugged her skin, and for just a moment, she allowed herself to imagine that tonight was nothing but dancing and food with her friends by her side.
The Ostara ball was a masquerade, and the mask Elowyn had made for her matched her dress perfectly—midnight blue lined with gold and glittering stars. She traced the stars with her fingertips, grief suddenly overwhelming her. She wished more than anything that her father was here. He would know what to do. She slipped the mask over her face, only the emerald of her contacts staring back. She took a breath to steady herself.
Her father wasn’t here, so she would have to figure this out herself.
Gaelen came back in the room with a small box and lifted the latch. The prettiest tiara Ember had ever seen sat inside on a velvet pillow. A tiara made of antlers encrusted with onyx and jade, runes carved into the bone. Ember’s jaw dropped as Gaelen took it out of the case and set it on her fiery red hair.
“Your mother sent it for you,” Gaelen said, as she adjusted the tiara. “She thought it might be nice to wear when you’re introduced to your court—your people.”
My people.
Ember swallowed dryly as she nodded, forcing a smile. She ran her fingers along the jewels and the runes—was she abandoning her people by escaping? She didn’t even know she had ‘people’ until three months ago, and now she was supposed to be responsible for them? For all their lives? She blew a perfectly manicured curl out of her face. She couldn’t worry about that. Her concern now was the innocent children in the belly of the castle and getting Theo home.
“Did you want to wear any jewelry?” Gaelen asked, as she pulled out a small box and opened it, necklaces and earrings scattered about in the bottom. Jewels glinted against the light peeking in from behind the clouds. Ember’s hands instinctively went to the pendant around her neck and the diamonds in her ears.
