Chapter Sixteen

The rooms Leisel and I are given are luxurious, elaborate, and regal. They’re both the size of my entire cabin, with bathrooms half as big, and closets already bursting with garments.

They’re also connected by a wooden door, so I can go to and from her room at my leisure, without having to step foot out in the hall. It also means I can keep a close eye on her, as I’m accustomed to doing.

My room is decorated in cream, gold, and teal tones. The walls are made of cream-colored polished stone with teal spiral patterns. There’s a five-piece golden furniture set in front of a cream-tiled fireplace that is bigger than I am. In one corner of the room is an empty bookshelf built into the wall. The four-poster bed looks like it could comfortably fit five people, and has teal sheets and coverlets. On either side of the bed is a golden nightstand, each sporting a beige lamp. The closet is bigger than my old bedroom and Leisel’s put together. It has a full-length mirror, and each side is decorated with cream shelves, as well as row upon row of clothes.

The bathroom has a golden bathtub that can easily fit eight people, a two-sink counter with toothbrushes, paste, and fragrant soaps already provided, a grand tiled shower with a stone bench built into the wall, and three showerheads.

The lavishness sickens me. The ornate decorations and expensive furniture alone must’ve cost a fortune—not to mention all the clothing in the closet, and other things I’ve been provided with.

It’s all blood money.

Part of me wants to rifle through the closet to settle my curiosity, which just reaffirms that I probably do share an acquisitiveness with witches. That part of me also marvels at the entirety of my living quarters. The rest of me, however, is nothing less than appalled. The richness, the wealth, the vastness…all of it serves as a reminder of the poverty I grew up in, because mythics—especially shifters—took all the wealth and beauty for themselves.

Leisel’s room is similar to mine, except slightly more feminine and suited to a young girl, with tones of pink and gold. I watched as she explored with wide eyes filled with excitement, curiosity, and trepidation earlier, her hair flying behind her as she scurried around it, examining each table, lamp, and furniture item with intense interest.

When Camden escorted us here, telling us to press a button on our bedside tables if we needed servants for whatever reason, Leisel looked both awed and intimidated by her new enormous room. While I unpacked our meager belongings, she busied herself exploring both rooms. Though I know she’s not the happiest with our current situation, I also understand there’s an element of child-like wonder for her in such a beautiful new place. That, or her acquisitiveness is also coming into play.

Now, as she bathes, I sit on my bed, pondering how much my life has changed in a matter of days. The door connecting our rooms is open, so I can hear the faint sound of running water from Leisel’s bathroom and keep an eye out.

I want to be within shouting distance of her at all times, in case Wyatt makes a surprise appearance or something else goes awry. I’ve observed he seems very inclined to spend time with her, but Leisel does not seem to share the sentiment.

It’s not quite that she’s frightened of him, as I initially assumed. There is a fear factor between her and shifters, but I suspect it’s more Leisel’s anger that steers my sister away from her so-called mate. Leisel knows our mother and father are dead—I never hid or sugarcoated that fact, but it’s only been in recent years while she observed other children with their parents in Aesara, that the true magnitude of what she’s missing has hit her. She also knows the specific medical complications our parents died from and is naturally furious with mythics for taking our technology away from us and effectively depriving us of our parents.

Hence, she has no interest in Wyatt. Or any other shifters, for that matter. In fact, she seems to hold a great deal of anger towards them. I don’t know how to feel about that.

A certain amount of guilt assuages me because Leisel is too young and too pure to be living with such anger in her. It’ll taint her view of the world. On the other hand, that anger might very well keep her alive and sane with the events to come.

The water running in her bathroom shuts off. A few minutes later, she pads into my room, covered only with a towel, and blinks at me. “Is it bad to put on the clothes in my closet?”

I expel a deep breath. “Of course not, sweet girl. We might as well take advantage of what we’re offered. No sense in cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

While here, I hope to ensure that such luxuries will once again be afforded to humans. Although I can’t stand Camden, it’d be a betrayal to humankind not to take advantage of the opportunity he’s given me; the opportunity for change. I understand that it’ll take quite some time to achieve my goal, and there will likely be many steps I must take before even amassing enough influence to make real changes, but I’m willing to do what it takes.

Leisel nods solemnly and makes her way back into her room, emerging soon after dressed in new pants and a white sweater, made of expensive soft-looking material, both of which probably cost more than what I make every harvest.

“I’m going to go wash up,” I tell her. “If anything goes wrong—if anyone knocks on your door, call for me, and I’ll be right there.”

She nods, kisses me on the cheek, and then heads over to my bookshelf—which is now stocked with a dozen novels and several textbooks. I leave her to read and make quick work of washing myself.

Much to my dismay, I appreciate the steaming hot water and the expensive products I’ve been provided with. It’s so rare for me to truly feel clean, since the water pressure in my cabin was a joke, and my soap and shampoo were both dismal and mostly useless. The cleanest I felt was when bathing in the river a short hike away from our cabin, as the rushing water was able to wash away the dirt and grime built up from life on a farm.

When I reemerge from the shower, intending to head into my closet and throw on clothes, I glimpse Leisel curled up on her bed, fast asleep, with Chip snoozing next to her. After hastily pulling on clothes—flexible loose pants and a shirt made of material so soft it feels like a cloud against my skin—I pull the bed covers over Leisel and leave her to rest. Poor thing is so exhausted she doesn’t stir at all.

The stone making up the palace gives both of our rooms a natural chill, so I start fires in both her fireplace and mine. Then, sitting on the soft sofa in front of my fireplace, I think. I spend hours contemplating everything, absently fiddling with my hair.

My instinctual inclination to get away from Camden at all costs is overshadowed by his cunningness. By making my acceptance of him necessary to give me the power to facilitate change for humans, he’s metaphorically chaining me to his side. In addition, the point he made about the high courts most likely ruling in his favor just to keep the peace seems true, though it’s frustrating to no end.

Although I hate to admit it, the position he’s offering—no, coercing—me into is rather enticing. In addition to the chance to help humans, I also have the chance to learn as I never have before. I’d assume the castle has a library somewhere, which probably houses extensive literature about all the mythic species, and if I’m lucky, witches. Hopefully I can read about them and learn more about those like me.

If I share acquisitiveness with witches, we may share several other traits as well. There’s a chance I can read up on magic—learn spells I’ve never fathomed, spells that just might help my current situation.

Perhaps there’s even a spell out there with the potential to dull the pull I feel to Camden or numb the mate bond between us entirely. Doubtful but possible.

After a few hours of mulling over the new life Leisel and I have been thrust into, and trying to plan out contingencies for when things inevitably go wrong, I start to feel hot, despite the fire not entirely staving off the chill in the room. When I stand, intending to walk over to the window beside my bed and throw it open for some fresh air, I’m alarmed that I’m suddenly seeing double.

I sink back into the sofa, rub my eyes and my temples, and try again. This time my vision’s normal, but I still feel too warm, even once I’ve managed to throw the beautifully molded window open. Ignoring that, I take a seat on the edge of my bed, and once again get lost in my thoughts.

Leisel wakes up shortly afterward, quietly moving about her room, most likely exploring further. It’s not too much later when a booming knock sounds on my door—no doubt one of the servants ready to escort Leisel and me to dinner. Glancing at the clock propped on the mantle above the fireplace, I see that it’s nearly eight. Night has fallen outside, and I’ve been so lost in thought I hadn’t even noticed.

Unfortunately, when I open the door, I find Camden standing there. He’s dressed very differently than how I’ve seen him so far, sporting a navy blue button-down shirt that looks to be made of fine silk, a black suit jacket, and black slacks.

He glances at my clothes, glances at the room behind me, and then looks into my eyes. “Are you and your sister ready for dinner?”

I open my mouth to utter a snarky yes but find it a struggle to make my lips form words. Random black spots appear in my vision. Frowning, I blink several times and attempt to speak again.

That’s the last thing I recall before the ground tilts beneath me, and darkness swallows me whole.