Page 81 of Dangerous Exile

The dowager pulled back the hammer of the pistol.Damn.The blasted thing was already loaded.

Lady Washburn aimed the tip of the barrel at Ness’s head. “Please, dear. We both want this to be attended to with the tea. I fear for the pain you will be in if the bullet strays from my aim.”

All of Ness’s breath left her in that moment, the air seeping out of her until she was nothing.

No.

Fight.

What did Talen always say?

Stay alive.

Fairly simple instructions.

She tried to draw in breath past the dam of fear lodged in her throat and she looked up at the dowager, attempting to ignore the cavernous black hole of the pistol that was aimed at her forehead. “Why? Why do this?”

“Conner will not take the title from us. He won’t. I worked too hard for it. It is mine. With you gone, his interest in it is moot.”

Ness’s eyebrows drew inward. “It’s not your title. It’s your son’s.”

Her lips drew into a vicious snarl. “It is ours. Mine. I did everything for it. Everything. Now drink the damn tea, Nessia. I do not have the patience for this.”

Stay alive. Stay alive. Stay alive.

Her look fixed on the pistol, Ness reached out with her bound hands and wrapped her fingers around the teacup. She paused, staring at the brown water.

Death. So simple and easy.

Death she didn’t want.

For how she’d wished for it once upon a time, that time was done. She’d been a fool. An utter idiot to have ever tried to escape this life.

“Do it.”

Ness set the cup to her lips. How much could she hold in her mouth?

“Do it.”

Raving desperation spiked the dowager’s words and sent a shake into her hand holding the pistol. The last thing Ness needed was for the madwoman to accidentally discharge the pistol into her skull.

Her hands trembling, Ness parted her lips, letting the liquid breach her mouth. Bitter tasting, so bitter she could barely hold it against her tongue.

Don’t swallow. Don’t swallow. Don’t swallow.

“Swallow it.” The barrel of the pistol edged closer to her brow. “I said—”

The door of the cottage flew open, crashing into the adjoining wall.

Talen.

Talen standing in the doorway, raging.

The dowager spun around and Ness instantly spewed out all the contents in her mouth.

“Don’t move.” The dowager lifted the pistol high, aiming it directly at Talen’s chest.

He stilled in place, his fists half raised as his look surveyed the cottage. Then Ness saw it plain as day in his eyes.

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