Page 88 of The Blood that Binds Us

“Please, I have no stature,” I dismiss. “They abducted my sister, and I’ve been trying to find her since.”

“Trying to? As in, you have still been unsuccessful after our victory?”

I nod. “We have been unable to locate her, but Iwillfind her. Somehow.”

“It was certainly brave of you to be in the city. Fighting transcendents is no easy feat.”

“I fought againstLegion,” I amend.

Cornelius raises an eyebrow at my correction. “Are you a sympathizer?” he asks, lines splitting his forehead.

“If you’re asking if I believe it’s wrong to fault someone for simply existing as they were born, then yes. We should be judged by the identities we create for ourselves, not for the ones assigned to us at birth, my Lord.”

“And what identity have you created for yourself, Lady Wren?” Before I can answer, Cornelius spins me away, and I twirl directly into his sight.

The heat in Sin’s eyes nearly melts my dress from my flesh. He stands next to a garland wrapped pillar, swirling a glass of amber mead in his hand. He drags his gaze down my attire, the sharpness in his stare threatening to shred my gown to ribbons. When he finishes perusing over my dress, he looks pointedly at my neck and takes a deep pull of his drink.

I spin back to Cornelius before Sin sees the smug grin bloom across my face. “I… I haven’t decided yet,” I say, almost forgetting what he had asked me. “But I fear if I don’t find Cosmina—my sister—it may not be worth me creating an identity at all, Mr. Langston.”

The music simmers to a close, and we each bow at the waist. When we both right ourselves, his eyes shift to somewhere behind me. “I think someone wants your attention,” he says.

I spin on my heel and find Ileana staring at me expectedly. My knees dip in a deep curtsy before her, the action feeling strange in her presence. “My Lady,” I greet.

Her eyes sweep my dress, and she folds her arms across her slender waist. “As the Black Art’s Hand, it is my responsibility to check in with everyone after battle,” she says disinterestedly, lifting a hand and admiring her nails. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” I dismiss. “How are you recovering, my Lady? You look well.”

“I’m not ignorant to what you did for me out there,” she blurts out, ignoring my question. “You took a grave risk, and you saved my life in doing so. Thank you,” she adds bitingly, the gratitude not quite touching her eyes.

Oh.“It was my honor. Ileana… you will never know how sorry I am for that night. I acted out of fear, and while I know it doesn’t do a damn thing to change what you went through, I want you to know I’ve pledged to never be that person again. The kind of person that was able to leave you there. I… I’m sorry. I’m just so sorry.”

She adjusts her stance but keeps her arms folded tightly across herself. “There were a lot of them, even for someone with your… gifts. It was selfish of me to have expected that from you. And as His Grace has already chewed my ass out about it, I’m aware I need to work on controlling my… impulses,” she says, half rolling her eyes as she remembers a private conversation between them.

I can’t help but chuckle at her expression. “Men—what do they know?”

Her lips twitch, and she meets my eyes again. “He’s not as bad as he may seem. Between us, I’d plant a knife in Dusaro’s eye without an ounce of guilt, but Singard… he’s alright.”

I blink away my surprise. I may have only known Ileana for a short time, but long enough to knowalrightis a generous compliment for her.

“Though if I have to continue listening to his self-righteous grumblings every time Langston looks at your ass, I might actually find myself preferring his father’s company,” she says with a mock shudder.

I offer her half a smile and excuse myself to go find Cornelius again. I’m halfway across the room when a hand smoothly winds around the small of my back. I turn to apologize for disappearing on him and—

Goddess help me.

“Did you not like my gift, or do you simply enjoy refusing me?”

I crane my neck up to look at the Black Art, always surprised at how much hetowersover me up close. “The necklace was beautiful. It was your complete and utter lack of respect for me that I did not wear it.”

He furrows his brows. “What do you mean?”

“So our guests know where you lie,”I scoff, shaking my head as if I could shake off the sting of his words. “I am not some whore you call on when you’re bored so that you may decorate me with jewelry and flaunt me as your toy.”

Sin tilts his head to the side and his brows scrunch closer together. He remains quiet for a moment, and I do my best to not display the hurt on my face, but the downward curve of his mouth suggests I failed. “It was not my intention to make you feel anything less than valued. I admit I selfishly wished to make a statement to Langston and every other male in here that can’t seem to take their eyes off you, but not at the expense of hurting you. Forgive me.”

His apology feels sincere, and he steps next to me so his shoulder brushes mine as we face opposite directions. He tilts his head down and whispers for my ears alone, “No one would be looking at the necklace anyway. You are stunning, love.”

I step away from him without a word and continue looking for Cornelius, who I find conversing with a small group. I tuck the Black Art’s apology away to process later and link my arm through Cornelius’s when the musicians announce it is time for the final dance of the evening. We join the other couples on the floor, and when we conclude the dance with a bow, Cornelius offers to escort me to my room.

---