10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

I had just finished a rather silent breakfast, no one being in the mood to speak. Not even Soren was in the mood to pepper me with questions. Callum could tell that I was angry and opted not to say anything, knowing that if I needed to let off a little steam, I would seek him out. Which I was sure wouldn’t be long as I was itching to dig my claws into something.

The aggravation that riddled my body could also be due to lack of sleep. I kept waking in the night once my venin wore off and the nightmares wouldn’t stop plaguing me. The worst part about the nightmares? I remembered every single fucking detail. Each one. Every single night.

I moved the porridge around my plate with fresh berries that Callum had picked earlier this morning, knowing that I liked them right off the vine. This was the first time that Bastian had cooked for us without me having to intervene and force him to comply. I was glad that I didn’t have to threaten him so early in the morning. I truly didn’t have the energy.

I had checked on Emilia earlier and she was still asleep, which was worrisome. I had hoped to talk to her last night, but I couldn’t think of waking her until her body deemed her well enough to wake.

I lifted a small spoonful to my lips and nibbled at it. It tasted divine, but I just wasn’t hungry, though I wouldn’t tell him that. My appetite was nonexistent from the nightmare.

Sighing, I stood up from the table and left without a word.

Wake up. Check .

Eat. Check .

I spent the rest of the morning with my hands in the soil of the greenhouse, lost in my own thoughts. A pinch of regret lingered. I shouldn't have let him touch me, let him see that there was a softness in me. How would he try to use it against me moving forward? Again, I thought about killing him, how burying them both in the dirt would save me all the trouble.

You’d be no better than your father.

I started to yell at Circe, but it wasn’t her in my head this time, just me. My consciousness, somehow alive after all this time.

Garden. Check.

By the time I emerged from the greenhouse, I could tell that the sun had made its way far across the sky. I had been in the greenhouse longer than originally planned. No matter.

I began to head over to the library, wondering how much Soren had cleaned, and wanting to return to a little bit of normalcy since yesterday's events. I crossed my hands behind my back as I made my way there. The door was ajar and a strange noise came from the other side of it. I opened it slowly and saw something that made me pause.

Soren was on his hands and knees, covered in sweat from head to toe, making a noise that could only be described as a mix between grunting and cursing.

“Scholar, you’re not being very kind with your words.”

He jumped the moment I spoke, knocking over the pail full of water, soaking my bare feet and his clothes even more. So lost in his own mind that he didn’t hear me enter.

He clutched his heart. “Your grace.”

“Scared you, did I?”

He replied, “I didn’t hear you.”

“Clearly.”

I looked around the room and saw puddles of water in various sections on the ground. The shelves were patchy with areas still covered in dust. I walked over to the fireplace and picked up a vase made of brass, full of fingerprints.

“I had no idea that one person could make a space that was already moderately clean, dirty again.”

“As I told you—”

“Just because you’re a scholar doesn’t mean that you can’t be good at other things. Even someone as smart as you knows that.”

“It is not expected of men to take part in cleaning the home. So there was never an opportunity for me to learn.”

“Your poor mother,” I muttered. “Everything was left to her, then?”

He thought about it, longer than I expected. “I suppose it was.”

“Well, I am not your mother. Until I find use for your knowledge, your hands will find use.”

I walked to one of the bookshelves. “And what do you think of the library?”

His eyes softened in fascination as he took in the room and sighed. “It is my favorite room in the entire castle. It’s surreal that I finally get to see it in person.”

“You seem to know much about this castle. Why?”

“I’ll answer your question if you answer mine.”

There it was. Back to the questions.

“I don’t have time for any of that,” I said while picking up a random book and walking over to my chaise lounge. “You have much to clean.”

“Your grace, I believe we have nothing but time.” He gave me a crooked smile, his glasses sliding down his nose a little.

How right he was. However, it was I who had all the time in the world, and for them, it would be short-lived.

I didn’t answer him verbally. Instead, I sat, raised the book up, and began to read, or pretend to read while he resumed cleaning the floors.

I pondered while watching him. None of my usual tricks were working on him, no. It seemed as though the crueler I was the happier he became. So unlike his brother. So happy to please.

Do you think that his mind is simple?

No, Circe, I think that he is anything but simple , I answered in my head.

I focused back on Soren, who looked over at me right at that moment and patted the spot next to me.

He looked so gleeful, that I was surprised I didn’t see a wagging tail behind him. He stood, untucked the shirt from his trousers, and wiped the sweat from his face.

I stared at him. How he could get his hair wet while mopping the floors was unknown to me, but I loved how it forced him to pull it back out of his face. Every sharp curve of his jaw was on display. The water clung to every inch of his muscles on his stomach, dripping down the skin that was showing. If it were up to me, I would have him drenched in water constantly. My eyes roamed down to his trousers that had stuck to his lean thighs, showing me just enough of him to make me want to see more.

I wasn’t blind; like his brother, he was fairly handsome. Met all of the requirements that I needed to want to see every inch of him. Just another plaything, but I didn’t need to overcomplicate things further. Not after what just happened with Bastian. And yet, I took pleasure in unabashedly staring at his physique, until he coughed, once again garnering my attention.

“May I please go and change? It is uncomfortable and I would rather not sit on this antique chaise lounge soaked through.”

“I don’t care. Sit.”

He looked hesitant and instead of sitting on the lounge, he opted for the floor.

It was awkward for a moment because I had never had a normal conversation with anyone who wasn’t Callum, Emilia, or Mariam in many years. And even then, I always kept them at a distance, never wanting to get too close. But now—now I felt slightly nervous.

I called him over, thinking I could tease him and get back at everything his brother made me feel yesterday, but now I couldn’t think of anything that would work. I looked away to collect my thoughts, and when I looked back I saw Soren thrumming his fingers against his leg. He was itching to say something.

I sighed and waved my hand in his direction. “Out with it.”

He smiled wide, grabbed the quill from behind his ear and the leather-bound journal from under his shirt, and began to write furiously in it. He wasn’t even looking up as he shot out a list of questions at me.

“How exactly does your magic work? What are the extent of your powers? The cut on your hand healed within seconds of mixing our blood—does it do that often? You look to be the same age as you were when I saw you fourteen years ago. How old exactly are you? Is this a result of your magic? Is there anything you can’t do?”

I sat there staring at him, overwhelmed by him. He didn’t seem to care that I had magic nor did he seem afraid, rather I was more of a science experiment that was completely at his disposal. It was both perplexing and terrifying. I had lost control with Bastian, and now I wasn’t even sure how to handle Soren.

“Why do you care to know so much?” I couldn’t help but ask.

He shrugged. “I want to know everything about you.”

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his confidence.

“Humans are strange creatures indeed.”

“Humans?” He inquired, then mumbled to himself, “She said that yesterday.” He looked me directly in the eyes and asked, “What do you mean by that? Do you really not consider yourself human? If you don’t, then why?”

I had no words. I was growing agitated the more he spoke. I could feel my nostrils flaring. I wanted to hurt him to quiet him, but I resisted the urge with great effort. He wasn’t his brother. He’d done nothing to insult me yet.

He laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. “I apologize. Sometimes I get a little carried away.” He set the leatherbound book to the side of him on the floor. “May I please ask you a question, your grace?”

Changing tactics, are we?

I gave him a guarded look. “Now what?”

“Bastian said that you both made a deal. May I ask what that entails?”

I smiled, seeing this as my chance to rile him up a bit. I leaned forward, resting a hand on my knee, placing my chin on my palm.

“When he first arrived I thought that he was here to bring harm to this castle and its inhabitants, but it turns out that it was all a misunderstanding. Though as you know that doesn’t matter, so he made a wager. We would fight, and if he won, he would leave with my head, but if I won, he would stay…and be mine.”

He contemplated everything I told him, and I waited, staring at him to catch his disgruntled reaction, but it didn’t come.

“Why didn’t you make a similar deal with me?”

“I didn’t need to. You were already willing to stay to save your sister.”He nodded, then asked, “Could we make a deal?”

“You have nothing to offer me.” He placed a hesitant hand on my knee, the knot at his throat bobbed. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Is this the deal that you made with my brother? Isn’t this what you want?” It all felt mechanical. He was hesitant, not knowing what to do, as he lifted onto his knees and leaned toward me. “I would like to be your whore.”

He was shaking. I knew that he was infatuated with me, his eagerness gave him away, but this felt wrong. I placed my hand on top of his to stop him and asked, trying to redirect the conversation, “And what would your brother think?”

He lifted his hand from my thigh and bowed his head. “Take me instead of Bastian. He—” There was a pause, heavy, lingering. “He doesn’t need another reason to hate himself.”

What the hell did that mean? Did I sense self-loathing in Bastian? Yes. But I didn’t understand where it came from, and why it continued to grow in my presence.

“You are presumptuous. I’m well satisfied with Callum.”

“If that were true, you wouldn’t look at Bastian the way you do.”

My mouth went agape. “I look at him and you the same way. Inconvenient little deer that wandered onto my property, and every day I contemplate gutting for meat.” I stood from the chaise lounge and was about to leave when his hand flew out and he gripped me around my wrist.

“Wait.” I looked down and raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. “I have nothing to offer you. All I have is my mind, my intellect.”

His mind.

I remembered what he said yesterday about traveling the world. I briefly imagined it—all the things he’d seen that I couldn’t. Maybe he did have more use.

“Your mind, you say?” I turned my body around to face him. I placed my hands on his shoulders, pushed him back against the back of the lounge, and lifted a knee to rest against one leg.

“I thought you didn’t want me as your whore.”

“I don’t. But this,” I rested the other knee against his other leg, straddling him, and roved my hands up his neck and into his hair. “I want this.”

“My hair?”

He was so smart and yet so simple. I laughed.

“Your mind.” He opened his mouth to ask me to elaborate but then shut it as my hand covered his. “You want to make a deal? Fine. Mind for mind. I will answer one of your questions if I can see your memories willingly. One question for each memory.”

I dropped my hand.

He asked, “What are you hoping to see?”

I felt myself slip; my gaze lost. “Everything. I want to see what you’ve seen during your travels. But you will keep this between us. A word of it to anyone, even your brother, and I’ll—”

“Gut me for meat?”

I gave him a nod of approval.

“Is that part of your powers?”

“Is that your question?” He scolded himself, realizing his mistake, and shook his head. “Seeing into one’s mind is one of my powers, yes.”

“Wait! That isn’t what I wish to know!”

“Calm down, little scholar. Let’s just count that as an explanation of what I plan to do to you and not a question.”

He let out a breath and smiled.

What is wrong with him?

If he was freaking Circe out then there might actually be something wrong with him.

“Why are you so happy?” I couldn’t help but ask him, I was growing weary of it.

He blinked back his surprise. “I am just happy to have something that you covet.”

It didn’t explain everything, but it seemed as though that was all I was going to get out of him for the time being.

So instead I asked, “What is your question?”

“I need to ask you now?”

“I suppose not.” I lifted off of him completely. “We will meet back here at this time tomorrow. Have your question prepared.”

I walked out of the room without any more interruptions, leaving him to finish. I knew I should go and see Emilia. She had to be up by now, but I wasn’t ready to face her. Not yet.

This is who you are.

“Will there ever be a day when you leave me alone?” I asked curtly, back leaned against the wall, wrestling with what to do about Emilia.

I wouldn’t count on it.

Just a little bit longer, then I would go and see Emilia, I promised myself. I kicked off the wall and headed to the kitchen.

I took the stairs down to a lower level of the castle where it was considerably colder, following a delicious smell I couldn’t place. The walls were made of stone. There were a few tables in front of the sink and counter space for the larger animals to be butchered. Only a few windows lined the tops of walls, allowing in much needed light and fresh air.

I found Bastian gliding around with his back to me. This was the most carefree I had seen him.

The light cascaded down from a small window toward the ceiling and hit his front, highlighting the bulging muscles under his shirt, sleeves rolled up his forearms. Bastian was the shorter brother of the two, but he was stockier than Soren.

I licked my lips, hungry for more than just food, but I told myself that I would make him beg me before I ever fucked him or let him touch me again. He would lose at this little game, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t play with him. And yet, I also cursed myself for wanting him in any way. For even thinking about complicating things further.

You’ve never been good at self-restraint, Circe tsked.

I opened my mouth to respond but resisted.

I was about to walk over to him when I heard him humming to himself, a familiar tune.

“A cook and a singer? A man of many talents.”

He jumped high and turned toward me, his arms clutching a bowl of something tightly to his chest.

He answered, out of breath, “It was my mother’s favorite song.”

“How sweet.”

“Don’t patronize me, witch.”

I smirked. “Back to the name-calling, hunter?”

“I don’t see a reason to call you anything other than what you are.”

I didn’t have a witty retort because he was right.

Bastian had since thrown a towel over his shoulder, curly black hair falling over his eyes, wanting to go back to cooking. Actively dismissing me, yet I found myself coming closer to him. When I was a foot away, he asked, “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“What are you cooking for us tonight?” I asked, genuinely curious.

He had something brewing over the stove, a bundle of rosemary and thyme were tied together with twine next to chopped vegetables set to the side, and he was currently washing some fresh raspberries, blueberries, and pears.

He ignored me. I sighed and walked over to stand next to him, and he stilled with the knife in hand, halfway cutting through one of the pears. He set the knife down and moved over to the large stone oven to pull out a fresh loaf of bread. I sniffed the air as the smell permeated the room. He set the bread down and then checked on whatever was boiling in the pot.

It was obvious that he was doing his best to ignore me, but I wouldn’t make it so easy for him.

“Did your mother teach you how to cook?” He didn’t reply, and we stood there in silence for a few moments. The only sound was our breathing until I surprised myself and said absentmindedly, “My mother didn’t have to do anything related to keeping up with the castle. But she loved to make us tarte bourdaloue .”

I had turned away from him as I thought about the last time Mother had baked for us, and before I could spiral into despair, he said, “I loved watching her cook in the kitchen. She would always show me each step she did and why she did it. What spices went with what foods. It was the only time…” He seemed to come back to his senses and proceeded to go back to ignoring me.

I rolled my eyes and eyed a bowl of cream on the other side of him. I smiled to myself and reached past him, brushing my breasts against his arm. I placed my finger in some of the cream that he made for dinner and brought it to my lips, sucking it off. I made a little moaning sound which made Bastian lean toward me involuntarily.

“Tell me something. Did you suck on your fingers last night? Could you still taste me on them?”

He looked away, but I looked down at his pants as they began to swell and then smirked up at him. “I don’t even have to touch you to get a reaction out of you. You want to bend me over this counter and take me, don’t you?”

“You would let me, wouldn’t you?”

I swallowed, praying my nerves weren’t visible. He was getting too good at saying just the right thing.

“I wouldn’t.”

It was his turn to smirk and lean forward into my side, whispering in my ear, “Tell me, if I put my hands under your dress, would you be dripping?” He ground his hardened length against my body.

I returned to stare at him and we both knew it was true.

“Do you want me to touch you? Admit it.”

“No,” he snapped, as if all his senses had come back to him. “What you do to my body…it’s magic.”

I bared my teeth at him. “I already told you that I don’t do—”

“Maybe it isn’t something you’re doing, but it’s something about you. Something I have no control of.” His voice began to edge with frustration. “When I’m around you, I feel like I don’t even know who I am. You make me hate myself.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but the words rested on my tongue. In an instant, I felt every shattering emotion I’d buried for years. Once upon a time, I was alone, seeking acceptance wherever I could find it. I was weak then, but not now. Why did his words burn me so much?

“Anything else you need, your grace?”

I gripped his chin with a strength he didn’t see coming, squeezing the bone and forcing him to look me dead in the eyes.

“Father didn’t raise a good boy, did he? Good boys don’t disobey or give in to fleshy temptations. Good boys follow the rules.” I laughed richly. “You don’t even know who you are, but I’ll show you.”

I pushed his chin away from me, and a muscle in his jaw ticked.

I walked back up the stairs into the dining hall, ran my hands down the red silk chemise with nothing on underneath that hugged my curves, my nipples peeking through the fabric, and leaned my hips against the edge of the table, hands resting at my sides, waiting for Callum to enter as it was sunset. I didn’t have to wait long to hear the sound of footsteps outside the door, until it was opening to reveal both Soren and my little bird. They both stopped and stared at me, most likely confused that I had arrived before them.

“Run along, scholar, I don’t think you’ll want to partake in the game I am about to play with your brother.”

“But it’s time for dinner,” he said dumbfoundedly, clearly confused.

“Don’t worry. I’ll let you back in when we are done.”

Soren was still staring at me, so I flicked my finger, forced him backward until he was in the hallway, and slammed the door shut.

“Hey! I’m starving! Can you at least—” I created a small opening with my shadows and set down a platter of bread and berry jam next to him. “This is not what I meant. I mean, it’s, well…” His voice grew muffled. “Oh, this is excellent jam.”

I tuned him out as I looked back toward Callum, who was walking to me, eyes roaming my body hungrily. He was smiling large enough that his dimples were showing.

“Your grace, you are as ravishing as you were this morning.”

“You’re just saying that because you know you get the privilege of helping me out of my gown.” He looked down, red staining his cheeks; even after all of these years, he could still get flushed when simply thinking about fucking me.

He looked back up and asked, “So, a game? What are we playing tonight?”

At the same time, Bastian was walking up the stairs carrying a platter of food and stopped to stare at the two of us.

“Where is my brother?”

“Take a seat.”

He narrowed his eyes, but did as he was told, and set the platter of food on the table and sat in his chair.

While looking into his eyes I commanded Callum, “Help me with my dress.”

His eyes became hooded; he knew where this was going. Like he said, he was mine to fuck where I pleased, in front of whomever I pleased. And this pleased me.

Callum undid the back of my dress, and I slipped it off slowly, standing bare with both of their eyes drinking me in.

Bastian hadn’t moved an inch, but I could see his hands grip the sides of the arms of the chair. I knew he would move the moment I got close enough to him, so I waved my hands in his direction, sending my shadows into his mind.

“Fuck! Not again.”

“Let’s do some self-discovery, shall we?”

Neither male said anything.

“Come on…admit it…” I smiled at his silence. “Very well. You asked for it.”

I climbed on top of the table, widening my legs so close to him that if he only were able to move freely and lean forward, he could run his tongue over me. The thought made me shiver in anticipation.

“Callum, show this pet what true devotion means.”

“As you wish, your grace.” I moved my legs until I was kneeling on the top of the table and bent forward, never taking my eyes off Bastian. I could tell that he was uncomfortable because of the growing strain in his pants that he was unable to touch.

We continued glaring at each other until I heard clothes being discarded on the ground. Bastian’s eyes left mine, looking to the right at Callum. His breathing quickened, pupils dilating, cheeks crimson. He hastily looked away as Callum climbed onto the table laying on his back, feet moving under my legs so that I was straddling him. Placing one hand on my hip and the other gliding his cock to my entrance he stuck the tip barely in, coating his length on my already dripping pussy.

“Oh, hunter…” Bringing his attention back to me.

Callum pushed inside me without warning, pain interlaced with the delicious feeling of elation coursing through me as I screamed out Callum’s name, staring at Bastian the entire time. His throat bobbed as his eyes never left mine.

Callum stilled inside me and rolled his hips in the way that made my toes curl. He wrapped his hands around either side of my waist, bending his knees slightly, causing me to hold onto his legs for stability.

He then quickened his pace, slamming into me as I scraped my nails up his legs trying to gain some traction. I could feel raised skin where my nails had dug into him over the years and though I could have healed them, he insisted that I leave them. He said he wanted to wear these marks proudly, proof that he belonged to me.

I was brought back to the present when Callum squeezed my hips hard enough to make me groan deliciously at the pain.

Callum was relentless, hitting my cervix with every thrust which caused a little bit of pain, but I didn’t care—I reveled in it. All I cared about was that Bastian was here to watch. Heat flooded my system even more when I thought back to that first time in the tower.

Tied up.

My blade against his thigh.

My hand wrapped around his cock.

The thoughts ran rampant through my mind as I could feel my orgasm fast approaching while listening to my favorite sound. Flesh against flesh.

I was right. Having an audience was even better than not.

In a moment I was being flipped around, back hitting the table, my feet being lifted until my legs rested on Callum’s shoulders, and before I was about to protest, he moaned, “Fuck. You feel so fucking good.”

My orgasm shot through me, and I screamed out Callum’s name as he continued to pound into me relentlessly, his arms securely wrapped around my knees, holding me to him, as the orgasm waned, finding his own moment after mine. He leaned his head on the side of my foot, still resting on his shoulder as he caught his breath, slowly pumping in and out. He pulled out of me after a moment and readjusted himself until his clothes were back on his body. My legs were weak, and I was still trying to catch my breath, confused about what had gotten into Callum when my entire body shuddered. I looked down and found Callum’s face between my legs, licking me clean.

“Enough.” I sat up as he got off the table to lean against it, his own legs shaking slightly.

I smirked in Bastian’s direction as Callum’s cum dripped down my legs and asked, “Did you like the show?”

I still had him restrained, while he moved his eyes down my body and to the mess that Callum and I had made of the dining table. Heat rushed his features and I knew without having to look that his cock was so stiff that it was painful.

But his only response was, “You expect me to eat my food on this table after that pathetic display?”

I laughed as I put on my dress that was haphazardly tossed on the ground. That mouth of his would only continue to get him into more trouble, but I was ready to deliver the pain he obviously desired.

Callum stood straight at that, leaned forward, grabbing Bastian by the collar of his shirt. “I warned you not to speak to her that way!”

He brought his fist back.

“Stop!” My voice rang through the room. I could see Callum’s hand wavering, still not letting go of his shirt. “Callum, I gave you an order. Let go of him.”

He turned to me and asked, “What is wrong with you?”

“What?”

He paused for a moment, gathering his courage.

“Ever since these parasites came, it has been nothing but chaos, yet you do not kill them. Emilia is in ruins because of their mere presence here.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “They’ve done nothing to deserve death.”

But his comment on Emilia wasn’t lost on me, and the guilt that I had been trying to suppress all day began to spread throughout my body. I should have gone to her sooner.

I always knew you were such a coward , Circe teased.

“I saw what happened when you came in from the hunt yesterday. You kill them and everything goes back to the way it was.”

“Like it or not, this is our new life.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and gathered himself before speaking in a softer tone. “Please… I know you are growing fond of them, or rather, you are having fun, but you can’t allow them to live and leave Emilia to her madness.”

“Enough.” My voice was barely above a whisper. Anger radiated from my body. I opened my eyes and knew that they were a stark violet as mist swirled around me. Callum effectively stopped talking and bent his head, shaking. I grabbed the plate that Bastian had brought in from the kitchen and threw it whizzing past Callum’s head.

My my… Look at that temper…

“Shut up, Circe!” I waved my hand in the direction of Soren’s chair, removing the top part of it, and splintering it into thousands of pieces.

I had finally caught my breath when I saw that tiny pieces were in Callum’s hair, and some had cut into Bastian’s face and arms as he got hit with the brunt of the force.

I bit into my hand hard enough to draw blood and shoved my palm against his mouth as he gagged, trying his best to not swallow it. Once he had swallowed just enough, I stormed out of the room and found Soren sitting on the ground with an empty platter at his side, head resting on his elbow, bored.

“Are you quite finished with whatever it is you were trying to prove?”

I left him sitting there because if I didn’t leave right at that instant, then I would have killed him just to spite his brother.

As I was about to turn the corner, I could hear Soren exclaim, “What the hell did you guys do to my chair!”

It was almost sunset by the time I made my way back to my chambers and walked to the balcony to bid farewell to my nemesis, the sun. A beacon of hope that would never come, my castle meant to be forever isolated and covered in fog.

When I was a child, I was so full of life that I never knew a day of turmoil. That is until Circe. No. I would try and go on one moment without her consuming my mind.

I stripped my clothes off and let them fall on the ground, walked to the chair on the balcony, and sat down, loving the feeling of the moon's rays licking my naked skin, even if it was through the fog.

Callum entered, walking next to the chair, and asked, “May I speak freely, your majesty?”

“I wouldn’t stand too close, Callum. I can’t promise that I won’t kill you where you stand at this moment.”

I could hear his shuffling movements, and when I looked over, I saw that he was kneeling again next to my chair, his head bent low to the ground.

“I beg for your forgiveness. I just do not trust those two and I was upset that they came in here and began to make your life a living hell. And Emilia…”

He looked up just as I stood up from the chair, grabbed his neck, and pushed him against the railing of the balcony.

“Who the fuck are you to tell me what constitutes a living hell? Do you even comprehend the word?” I was squeezing his neck so hard that he was writhing in pain, begging me with his eyes when his voice wouldn’t work. I knew that I needed to let up on his throat, but I couldn’t stop. “To have every single person in your life die right before your eyes. To live alone for hundreds of years, with no one else but yourself! Now, tell me, do you know anything about hell?”

His eyes began to droop, life slowly slipping from them.

I think your little bird has had enough, Callie.

“Fuck.” I let go of him and he crumpled to the ground.

Good Callie.

“Say another fucking word and I will end you. I am not in the mood for your antics tonight,” I cursed Circe aloud.

I turned my back to him and sat back down, thrumming my fingers against the arms of the chair.

There were a few moments of silence until he whispered, hesitant, “I should have spoken with you privately about Emilia. I am thoroughly concerned about her health. I heard her crying throughout the night.”

She did? Circe was right. I was useless.

I rested my palm against my forehead, rubbing my temples. He was right. He was always fucking right.

“Why are you avoiding her?”

I crossed my arms. “I am not necessarily avoiding her. I just…” I grumbled, trying to find the right words. “I don’t know how to talk to her. I don’t know how to comfort her. I am not good with emotions.”

“Emilia thinks highly of you. I am sure she will understand. Is killing them really not an option?”

“The brothers aren’t their father. You should understand that better than anyone.” I paused, allowing it to sink in. “I will speak with Emilia first thing tomorrow morning.”

“I don’t want anyone to die. I feel guilty wishing death on another, but I want to protect what I have found inside these walls. I will do anything to protect you and Emilia.”

“I understand.”

He turned around to stare out into the forest. I stood up and ran my hands up his back, leaning into his strength. “I will forget that dinner and this conversation ever happened. Let me remind you that they are both staying, and that is final.”

“You are too…” Upon seeing the look I gave him, just as he was about to use that word, he changed course at the last second and said, “Generous. I don’t deserve it.”

“No, you don’t. But I know that you will do anything to try and live up to my expectations.”