Chapter 27

I n the stillness of night, the ripping of fabric seemed as loud as a strike of thunder.

My gaze snapped to the door while I yanked the last panel of salvageable cloth from the curtain rods and tied it to the other curtains and sheets I'd found in the bottom drawer of the dresser.

Despite the bad memories of my demise, I loved this room and it saddened me to destroy any part of it. Like most of the furnishings in the house, I vaguely remembered picking everything out myself—or rather its exact predecessors. Whatever else I thought of Skrain, it was true that he had always been generous.

My heart hung like a millstone around my neck, the throbbing pain across my rear a reminder of the violent passion we shared earlier.

I blushed, trying to tell myself that I had only fallen asleep in his arms afterward because I was exhausted. Not because precisely that exhaustion allowed my racing mind to quieten, letting me feel nothing but the comfort of his heat, the calming beat of his pulse, the even stream of his breath.

I shook my head, dragging the makeshift rope to the balcony. As I opened the doors, a gentle night breeze flitted over my face, and I stepped outside to fasten one end of the knotted cloth to the balustrade.

When Emily woke me to help me wash and care for the welts on my ass, I'd asked her to unlock the balcony. To my surprise, she had agreed that I needed some fresh air. I hadn't thought her that gullible. Maybe she simply didn't consider me stupid or desperate enough to attempt an escape from up here, but I was determined.

Or was I?

Heart pounding, I leaned over the railing. It was a horribly long way down into the empty, lantern-lit garden. Intrusive thoughts flashed in my mind, images of my twisted body, bones sticking from my broken skin as I laid in a pool of blood. It would be a pity to stain the lovely mosaic.

Hands shaking, I checked the knot once more, leaning all my weight into it before tossing the length of rope down.

I squinted. It almost reached to the ground, a small drop remaining. Short of dresses, tunics and trousers, I had nothing more, so this would've had to suffice.

I swallowed hard.

Hopefully .

I hiked up my loose dress and slid a boot into the curling metal ornaments of the railing, holding on while I swung one leg over. I straddled the balustrade, forcing myself to keep looking at the house.

Just don't look down .

Don't .

I found a foothold and swung the other leg over.

Look .

My hands were getting clammy.

Down .

As if my eyes were drawn by an overpowering, magnetic force, I looked down, and vertigo hit me.

Creators, hanging on this side of the railing was entirely different from appreciating the impressive view from safety.

I shifted my feet, knees quaking. With bated breath, I reached for the rope, when my other hand slipped on the smooth wood. My body tilted backward, as if I wasn't a part of it anymore, as if I had no command over my limbs.

My heart forgot how to beat.

I lashed out, flailing, trying to grip the balustrade or the rope—and missed.

My stomach jumped.

I fell.

A scream surged in my throat, but before it could sound, I was yanked to a halt.

I hung, pathetically dangling upside down just below the balcony. Blood and shame pooled hot in my face. Something was wrapped around my ankle, a smooth vine—not green like Skrain's, but pitch-black—and another slithered around my waist, hoisting me back up to safety before putting me on my feet.

Trembling from adrenaline, I braced myself against the railing as I followed the dark appendages to their owner's hand.

"Aculeus," I squawked.

The demon dipped his head and let go of me with a hissing snicker.

"Thank you," I mumbled, brushing imaginary dust off my dress just so I didn't have to look at him.

What an embarrassing episode … and now I felt like I owed him. The urge to smack my forehead became overwhelming, but I resisted.

"You're most welcome," Aculeus crooned, one of his vines pulling my rope back up, out of view from down below. "I saved you for purely selfish reasons, of course. I couldn't let you die before I had your answer. We'd make such a good team."

I smacked my lips in annoyance. Ideally, my plan had hinged on escape without his help, then taking my time to plot my own revenge.

"And if I were you, dear Keryssa, I wouldn't try this method again. I doubt your knots would've held anyway." He shrugged. "Besides, that rune etched on the back of your neck is a nasty piece of work."

"The w-what?" I slapped my hand across my nape, tracing a thin, subtle scar, its lines winding into a symbol I didn't recognize.

"You didn't notice?" Aculeus hissed a snicker. "I've seen things like it before. A sort of proximity bonding spell, and I sense traces of Skrain's blood in it, plus the magic signature of his hemomancer, Emily. Quite talented for a maid, that one." He raised a hand to his face and his chin dropped as if he was lazily inspecting his claws.

Anxiety tightened my belly. How could I not have sensed the spell? I still couldn't, no matter how hard I focused. Clearly, I underestimated Emily's abilities.

"What does this bond do?" I asked.

Aculeus looked up. "From experience, I'd say that if you stray too far from Skrain, you'll die a very slow, very painful death."

"How far is too far?"

The demon shrugged. "I wouldn't try it out."

Damn, there went my chance at figuring out my escape without the demon's assistance.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Let's get this over with then."

The demon's head tilted expectantly.

"I'm in. We'll help each other," I snapped.

This was my only option. I wouldn't give up. I would play the hand I was dealt, even if it was precarious.

Aculeus grinned as he spoke. His tone told me as much. "Wonderful. I'm delighted. If I may make a suggestion?"

"Sure." I didn't bother to hide the disdain in my voice.

"Why don't you tell me which ingredients you need, and I'll collect them for y?—"

"You must think I've lost my damn mind, demon." I shook my head. "Just so we're clear, I don't trust you. If I tell you the spell recipe, you'll leave me to rot or kill me, and find someone else to do it for you."

Aculeus raised his hands, palms facing me, his laughter crawling along my pebbling skin like centipedes. "You caught me," he hissed.

I cleared my throat, shaking the shiver from my shoulders. "Besides, gem enchanting is a fusion of alchemy and magic. A magical science. And soulstones, even normal ones, are delicate. Only the creator may harvest the ingredients, bind them to their magic the moment they are collected." I pointed a finger at him, my other hand on my hip. "This also means that you can't steal the stone. It will be bound to me and me alone—unless I willingly forfeit ownership to you. Even with Skrain's soul in it, it will be useless to you if you take it by force. The jewel will stay in my possession until you've fulfilled your end of our agreement."

The demon growled. My hackles rose, but I stood my ground.

If he wanted my expertise, he had to play by my rules. I wouldn't be screwed over by arrogant men any longer, and I didn't care if they were a Xar'vathi or a demon or whatever else.

"You drive a dangerous, dangerous bargain," Aculeus snarled. "And those are many complicated promises to make for a helpless mortal who can't even leave this house. I could torture the spell recipe out of you."

I scoffed, but nerves bubbled in my stomach as I glared at him. "Stop bluffing, Aculeus. This soulstone is everything you've wanted. Power at your fingertips. But I promise I would rather perish than tell you the recipe, and if I'm dead, you lose your chance. Believe me, I've already died once—I'm not afraid of the second time."

My heart slammed into my ribs.

Actually, it was me bluffing, but I hoped my reckless grin convinced him I really wasn't scared of death. At least the other part was true, and from the way he clicked his tongue, vines lashing across the ground, he knew it, too.

Necromancy wasn't my forté, but there was one cardinal rule every spell caster heard of sooner or later: When a mortal soul had been brought back to the realm of the living once, a second time would shatter it beyond mending.

"I will find a way to get what I need, and I can earn Skrain's trust back," I said, projecting steadfast confidence into my tone. "But you'll have to let me do it my way, Aculeus."

The demon stood immovable. Silence pressed down on us, and I wondered if he'd just decided to kill me after all, when he let out a vile snicker.

"I agree to your terms, devious little Keryssa," he said. "We both want the same thing—to see Skrain suffer, make sure he gets what he deserves. And you're a smart girl, aren't you? You've witnessed how strong Skrain is, and you know you can't fight him. Imagine how helpless you'd be if you turned against me ."

"I'm aware," I said through clenched teeth.

"Then get some rest, you'll need all your charm to convince your murderous husband of your sincerity. But before you lay down your weary head, you should do something to hide that adorable escape attempt." Aculeus gestured to the rope. "I'll see you soon."

With a wave of his hand, he disappeared into thin smoke, drifting on the wind.