26. Katrin

Chapter 26

Katrin

I crumpled to the floor, trembling in a puddle of skirts but not from fear. My body was on fire. Every inch of me felt electric—alive. My heart beat wildly, and I panted for breath as if I'd run to my room and back. I touched the skin on my neck where I could still feel the ghost of his touch. Even the memory of his hard body pressing into mine made me shudder.

"So much for that," I muttered into the now empty room. My attempt at nonchalance extended only as far as my words. It took several tries before I peeled myself off the floor. My legs were too shaky to stand, so I settled for sitting on the lip of the tub again.

After several deep breaths, I was able to stand. I couldn't believe the effect he had on me. No, it wasn't him, surely. It was being touched by someone. The same would be true of anyone willing to look beyond my shadows.

The steam battered my already flushed skin, and I hastened to complete the job the Ferrier had abandoned. Reaching behind my back, I swiftly unfastened the remaining buttons. I'd gotten myself into the dress, I could get myself out, but I'd seen an opportunity and ran with it. Unfortunately, I'd pushed too far.

For a few minutes, the Ferrier had been different, not exactly forthcoming, but far more open than I'd known him to be. I thought I'd managed to chip away at some of the walls he'd built around himself, only for him to disappear again.

What was it about his name?

I froze, holding my dress up as I remembered where I was. The room might feel empty, but my two shadow guards lingered nearby. The Ferrier had mentioned that they were an extension of his power, but to what extent? Could he see me through them?

The idea seemed preposterous, but I couldn't shake it.

I cleared my throat and searched the shadows for the living ones. "Do you mind waiting outside?"

Two forms detached from the wall to my right. They glided by in a rush, ruffling my hair as they passed, and slipped through the crack beneath the door.

My gown slipped to the floor, followed swiftly by my petticoat. I made quick work of undoing my stays and finally pulled my shift over my head.

Fully nude, I walked over to the large mirror that hung on the wall. I ignored the state of my hair, assessing my mark for any places it may have expanded in the days since I'd checked it. While it hadn't disappeared upon my bargain with the Ferrier, I had hoped that being here would at least halt its progress across my body. Looking now, it would seem that hope was also in vain. New shadows stretched across my abdomen, snaking up toward my breasts. My fingers touched the mark, but, as always, it felt no different than the unmarred places of my body, which were becoming fewer and fewer.

A tear traced down my shadowed cheek. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and balled my hands into fists, wishing I had the power to rival this King Behryn.

I'd intended to bathe quickly and be done with it, but the soothing warm water had other plans. By the time I pulled the plug to drain the tub, the sun had set. I dried, dressed, and plaited my wet hair back before stepping into the hall.

There was no sign of the Ferrier. With nothing better to do, I decided to head back to the library. Perhaps I'd be able to uncover more clues without the fog of exhaustion hanging over me.

A chill skittered over me, and I knew without looking back that my two shadow guards flanked me. I pivoted to face them but continued walking backwards.

"Do you have names?" I asked the shadows. It was foolish, but I was tired of referring to them as simply shadows. I wanted to differentiate my shadows from the rest of the Ferrier's gloom.

The shadows, being shadows, said nothing in return.

Squinting, I glanced back and forth between the two, seeking any defining characteristic that set one apart from the other. They weren't identical, but their constantly morphing forms made it difficult to pinpoint the differences.

The one on the right appeared smaller and less dense while the left one was larger but more opaque. The left rolled like a thundercloud, but the other spilled like water down the hall.

"I will call you Storm," I told the left shadow then turned to the right. "And you, Inky."

Inky and Storm seemed to swell with pride at their new monikers. I smiled, feeling like I'd finally accomplished something after days of sitting on my arse.

"Have you always possessed a preoccupation with names?"

I realized too late that the Ferrier's deep, rich voice sounded from behind me. Colliding with him felt like hitting a wall, and he made no move to catch me as I stumbled. I recovered swiftly, crossing my arms and glaring at him as my mind fought to latch onto the words he'd said.

"I'll have you know that it is perfectly normal to wish for something to call those around you. What is strange is refusing to give your name to someone who lives in your house and with whom you have a magical contract." I raised my brows, daring him to respond.

One corner of his mouth tipped up, and I counted that as a point in my favor.

I looked away from his face, noticing the pitch-black robes for the first time. "You're leaving?"

"The dead do not collect themselves, Miss Fil'Owen."

"Might I accompany you?" Another night alone in the manor was the last thing I wanted.

"No." He turned away, stalking down the hall.

I hurried after him, taking two steps to keep up with each of his. "Please, I'll—"

"No."

"What if I hide in the carriage without you knowing?" Though I dreaded meeting another dead soul, two days into my stay I was already restless.

"Your guards would inform me."

We'd arrived in the main foyer, and I collapsed onto a nearby chair. "You mean my captors?"

This drew the Ferrier up short. He turned, giving me his full attention. "You are not a prisoner here. I have sworn to keep you from Death. Right now, the safest place for you to be is here. If you've reconsidered your choice to avoid him," he pointed to the grim world beyond the window, "the gates are always open. You need only walk until the fog clears."

"Truly?" I locked that knowledge away lest I need it someday in the future.

"Thinking of quitting after only a week?"

"No, I just… I thought our vow was more binding than that. Does that mean you can walk away at any time as well?"

"I vowed to keep you from Death until a year has passed or you leave of your own free will. In exchange, you swore to provide the agreed upon payment for fulfillment of my duties at the end of the term. No more. No less. You are the only one that can end it."

My eyes unfocused as I chewed my lip. In the aftermath of our trek through the manor, I'd grown quite warm again. Using my hand as a fan, I hoped to find some relief, but I only grew more flushed.

"Has it gotten warmer in here?" I asked.

The Ferrier whipped his head to me, eyes wide. "Hide her."

Inky and Storm sprung from their place along the wall and scooped me into their cool embrace. They were surprisingly solid as they pressed me into a corner. Stretching in all directions, they formed a wall between me and the Ferrier. I opened my mouth to protest, but a cold touch against my lips told me I should remain quiet.

I bucked against their hold, and the shadows shifted, a small transparent opening appearing at eye level. It was still shaded, but through it I could see the Ferrier pacing. He stopped as if sensing my eyes on him.

In a flash, a blazing inferno sprang to life in the center of the room. A searing blast of heat penetrated my wall of shadow, and I turned my face away. The fire was gone as quickly as it ignited. In its place stood a man.

No, a demon.

He faced away from me but stood tall, shoulders thrown back and head held high. Even without the circlet on his head, he radiated haughty grace. Gold trimmed the edges of his deep blue jacket, cut to emphasize the strength of the physique beneath. The hands clasped behind his back boasted several gold and gemstone rings which glinted in the candlelight. The only things out of place amidst his highbred finery were the jagged patterns of ink covering his shaved head.

All of this I observed in an instant before my attention was drawn away by the Ferrier. In one fluid motion, he swept his robe aside and knelt before the newcomer, head bowed in deference.

"Behryn," he growled. "To what do I owe the pleasure of Your Majesty's company?" His sardonic tone belied the sight of the loyal subject still genuflecting before the demon.

"You disappoint me, Evander."

I gasped at the use of the Ferrier's given name, unwittingly catching Death's ear. As his head turned to track the sound, the shadows closed off my viewing window. Encased in darkness, I held my breath.

"Excellent," said the Ferrier— Evander .

I clung to his name, to the normalcy of it, as the shadows parted to allow me sight once more.

Without being given the order to rise, the Ferrier stood to his full height. "I would hate to have done something to make you proud." His eyes met mine over Behryn's head, conveying several things in one pointed look.

First, I needed to stay quiet. Second, he was as surprised by this visit as I. And finally, perhaps unbeknownst to him, Evander was just as terrified as I was.

I nodded, not knowing if he could see me through the darkness.

"You forget yourself." The King bristled, fists clenched at his sides. "I am the one who holds your indenture. I am your master. It is to me you've sworn fealty."

Evander winced, but his voice remained calm. "As you like to remind me."

Behryn growled, the sound as inhuman as that of a wild animal. It may as well have been a bear between Evander and I, though I'd have rather faced my chances with a bear. The hair on my arms rose at the perceived threat, and I retreated as far as I could into the wall behind me.

"There is the matter of this month's pay." Death prowled forward, tucking his hands into his pockets.

Evander rocked back, forehead creased as he looked anywhere but at Death.

"I'll save you the trouble of counting," said the King. "You're two days late on your last payment. I hate to add a penalty to your already staggering debt, but neither can I abide such blatant disrespect."

"Respect is earned."

The two men leaned into one another until less than a handbreadth remained between them. Muscles bulged on the side of Evander's neck, while Death appeared calm and relaxed, the easy victor in a rigged fight.

I didn't know how Evander managed to keep from tearing into the King, but there was more to their working relationship than I'd ever imagined. Perhaps his contract prevented him from harming Behryn. If so, I may have overestimated the protection he could offer me.

Death spun, and I had a split second to see dark eyes in a pale face before the shadows closed over me.

"Interesting."

My heart stuttered at the King's utterance.

Had he managed to see me before the shadows converged? I reassured myself if he had, he'd have stormed over to me or demanded answers.

"Have I not delivered my part of our bargain? Did I not resurrect your beloved after her untimely demise? It is you who desires to change the terms of our original agreement." Death's voice grew louder, closer.

"I desire nothing but to own my own soul again."

Was Evander always this combative or was he trying to distract Death from me? Unhurried footsteps moved away from me, and I exhaled slowly. The shadows did not open my viewing window again, so I strained to hear the rest of what was happening.

"Ah, but it is mine now." Death's words held a hint of a smile. "Until you pay the price that I have set, you answer to me. Do I make myself clear?"

A choking sound was the only answer. My hands clapped over my mouth to keep the despair from leaking out.

There was a heavy thud, followed by a woosh and the crackle of flames. "I'm adding fifty gold pieces to your debt. I expect you will not be late again."

The shadows disappeared, and I blinked at the sudden brightness. The King was gone, but the oppressive heat remained. I rushed to the Ferrier where he knelt with his hands on his knees, hoping Death had left him unharmed.

His head was bowed, dark hair spilling across his face. Up close, I could hear the breaths sawing out of him. He shuddered, and I placed my hand on his back, feeling the muscles tense beneath my touch.

"Evander?"

"Do not call me that."

My hand retracted at his harsh words. "Is that not your name?"

"Evander is dead."

I sighed. "No, he's just melodramatic."

This earned me a laugh. Though it was more a dark chuckle than a hearty guffaw, I considered it another point for me. He sat back on his heels and peered at me through thick lashes I'd envy at any other time. I noted the angry red marks around his neck but knew better than to bring them up. As though sensing the direction of my attention, he tugged his collar higher.

I sank to his level, hugging my knees to my chest as I balanced on the balls of my feet. "I'm sorry if I'm the reason you were late on your payment."

He waved a gloved hand. "It's nothing," he said. "I've been distracted of late."

"I can't imagine why." I smirked, and his eyes narrowed in challenge.

"A mystery, to be sure."

I stood, shaking out my skirts then held out a hand to Evander.

He glanced at my outstretched offering and rose through his own power. I dropped my arm, looking away while he rebuilt the invisible barricades around him.

"What is the cost of your soul?" I wondered if the price we bargained would see him freed, if that was the reason he'd agreed to help me.

"More than I care to think about." Donning his hood, he stalked over to the door and threw it open. "Come along then."

"What?" I asked, unsure if I'd heard him correctly.

"Come along." He enunciated each word with careful diction. "I can't very well leave you here with him popping in whenever he feels." He nodded toward the space Death had vacated moments before.

Before he could change his mind, I hurried through the door, all too eager to return to the land of the living.