Chapter 20

ChapterTwenty

Varya lost track of how much time she’d been in this place. It was beautiful, and the luxury certainly got to her head. Every morning, she woke up with sunlight playing over her features through the leaves. Cool air caressed her skin, and even cooler silk pooled around her body.

Greed had been more than attentive. And strangely enough, it made her feel a little better to see him so concerned over her wellbeing. He was always close by if she needed him. The moment she sat up, he was there. If she was hungry, he was already bringing food in. And though he hadn’t touched her again yet, she knew that he wanted to.

He looked at her with heat in his eyes and plans on his mind. She knew that. She could see it every time he brushed his fingers through her hair or asked if she was feeling better. But he never once touched her as she wanted him to.

Why? She had no idea.

And today she was going to find out.

Rolling out of bed, she searched through the entire room for clothing. Greed had kept her in here to heal, and he insisted that her broken ribs and plentiful cuts required her to stay out of clothing so that his healers could check her over easier. At least he’d stopped dragging those poor healers into the room twice a day. They’d always looked like they were about to fall over from a single push of his finger.

Why was there no clothing in this room? Not a single article. She’d even gone through the trunks that were hidden behind the giant fronds on the opposite side of the room.

Blowing out an exasperated breath, she stared at the bed again. It was a shame to rip up that lovely silk that would have sold for a year’s worth of food, but he didn’t give her much of a choice.

If she tore the sheets with a little more zeal than she should have, Varya wouldn’t tell anyone. It wasn’t like there were witnesses to what she did, after all.

“Should have given me some clothes,” she muttered as she tore arm holes in the sheet and started weaving it around her body. “What a shame.”

But she didn’t feel like it was too much of a shame as she strode over to the door, finally clothed for the first time since arriving here. She felt a little proud of herself, and more like the tomb raiding adventurer she had been born to be.

Now, she had no idea what to do. Just that she felt more like herself and less like the shell of a person she’d been while injured. Which meant... what? Should she explore the grounds of the castle? That was ridiculous. She couldn’t go get Greed because frankly she’d seen enough of him.

So she just... opened the door.

Her feet would lead her to where she needed to go. They always had. She would walk forward into the unknown and adventure would reveal itself. That was how it had always worked before, at least.

But there was a broad back in front of her door. A tall man who stood at attention as though his life depended on it.

Ivo glanced over his shoulder, looking down. Varya hadn’t realized how small she was compared to him. Her head barely came up to his shoulder. Was he as tall as Greed?

No, not quite. But she was much smaller than these men. It should have made her a little afraid but... Ah, she’d lost all ability to be afraid a long time ago.

“You’re awake,” Ivo said, the words falling a little flat.

“I’ve been awake for a few days now,” she muttered, trying to dodge past him. “I’d like to go, if you don’t mind.”

“Go where?”

“I don’t know.” She tried again, but for a big man, he was quick. Huffing out a breath, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him. “Well?”

Was he amused? That was a new expression on his face and she swore he looked down at her like she was a rather adorable kitten he’d found on the street. “Well what?”

“Are you going to get out of my way?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I’m supposed to watch you.” And there it was. His damnable loyalty to Greed that he had shown time and time again.

“Did Greed tell you that?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

He gave her a nod and crossed his arms over that massive chest. Eyeing her now with no small amount of worry, he looked her up and down as if he could see her injuries just by staring at her body. Surely he knew she was feeling much better? Taking a deep breath didn’t even hurt!

“Well, you can watch me from wherever we go. Didn’t Greed say this was the safest place in the kingdom?” Throwing his master’s words back in his face seemed to do the trick.

Ivo looked a little confused, as though she’d somehow managed to stump him. That success was all she needed to duck underneath his arm and start down the stone pathway.

“What is this place?” she called out over her shoulder. “I didn’t realize there were so many different kinds of plants in this kingdom. I thought it was all cacti.”

Nor had she expected to find an actual treasure trove here. There were so many beautiful things surrounding Greed’s home, and no one else saw them. She’d barely even seen servants in her time here, but now she saw them. A few people meandered through the leaves, brushing them aside as they moved to the glass domes that bubbled up through the greenery. They were easy to miss, though. All that glass made them almost disappear into the oasis.

Ivo grunted and then she heard his big footsteps trailing along behind her. “This is the oasis, Greed’s home.”

“Yes, I know that.” She turned, walking backward with her arms wide. “But where did all this come from?”

“I do not know.”

“Have you ever asked?”

His shoulders rounded in a bit, and Ivo shook his head. “I have not.”

“A man of many words,” she muttered before turning around. The last thing she needed was to fall off one of these large walkways and injure herself again. Then Greed really wouldn’t let her out of the room again. “What’s your favorite place in this oasis, then?”

She kept walking even as the wall behind her remained silent. He didn’t have to tell her his favorite place if he didn’t want to. All of it so far was her favorite.

Varya kept moving, and she poked her head into every glass dome they walked by. Most seemed to be empty rooms, some filled with treasure, others filled with beds. She wondered if servants slept there, but they were far too nice. Maybe they were for guests? One door blasted heat, and she peered into the kitchens that bustled with countless servants and three cooks who were shouting orders.

It was all so domestic. Everywhere she looked, there were people living in this jungle or rooms just waiting for people to join.

Another dome had Ivo’s sister sitting in it. She cleaned her blades, sharpening them while she instructed the two others. One of those two was just as tall as Ivo and Morag, but something about the woman made her think that she wasn’t the same as the other two guards. The other person in the room was a tiny little woman with spectacles on her nose. Her eyes looked far too large as she blinked up at Varya.

“Come,” Ivo said, his hand on her shoulder as he pushed her away from them. “They are busy.”

“Your sister and...”

“The large one is another of Greed’s personal guards. She’s been stationed in Lust’s kingdom for a while and only now returned. Perhaps she will remain there for good, I do not know. The other helps with numbers.”

“Numbers,” Varya repeated, eyebrows raising. “And yet she was in what looked like an armory?”

He grunted again. “She counts things.”

“Ah.”

Varya didn’t care to push more than that. Instead, she tilted her head back to the cool breeze and the sunlight. The air smelled so herbal in this place, and that mixed with florals as they walked by giant flowers the size of her head.

“Go left,” Ivo said.

“Left? Why?”

“Left,” he repeated.

Who was she to argue? Varya was just happy to stretch her legs. She would have walked right out onto the sands if he asked her to. Instead, she listened to his directions until they stood in front of a massive garden.

Rows upon rows of vegetables grew so large she wondered if they were there by magic. All along the rows were carefully tamped sections where people could walk, and the food. Oh, the food was so impressive. Watermelons larger than her head. Countless peppers and tomatoes and bright green things she couldn’t name but looked delicious and made her mouth water.

And it smelled like earth. She inhaled and filled her lungs with the scent of dirt and loam and healthy plants. It made her heart flutter in her chest. She’d wanted to see this at least once in her life, and here she was.

“Oh, Ivo,” she whispered. “What a gift to see this.”

“Indeed,” he replied. “This is my favorite place in the oasis.”

“I can see why. Look at all the—” Varya’s words froze in her throat.

Because at the very end of the garden was a young woman pulling weeds. She had a smear of dirt across her forehead and the riot of red curls bursting around her head was so lovely that she looked like a rose that had come to life. And as Varya looked up at Ivo, she could see how he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the young woman.

“Oh,” she said. “I see.”

“It is most useful to keep everyone in the Oasis fed.”

“Right. Of course, that’s why it’s your favorite place.” She nudged him with her shoulder, forcing him to take a step forward. “Why don’t you go talk to her?”

He stared down at her with wide eyes filled with fear. “I cannot.”

“Why?”

“Because she...” He swallowed hard and the panic really set in. “She is a servant.”

“So are you.” Varya shrugged. “Why does that matter?”

“It wouldn’t be right. She’s human, and I’m....”

He froze, and she realized he wasn’t supposed to say that. So Greed’s guards weren’t human. She’d find out exactly what they were soon enough, but she needed to win his trust. And pointing out his mistake would only make him run.

Varya patted his massive shoulder and shrugged again. “I think nothing matters all that much unless you let it. It’s just saying hello, Ivo. You can do that.”

“I do not know if I am wanted.” He seemed confused by the words, though. As though he’d never thought about whether or not someone might wish to speak with him.

“You’ll never know unless you try. Just go say hi.”

“I’m supposed to watch you.”

“And where am I going to go?” She opened her arms wide and gestured all around them. “I have no idea where I am.”

That sealed the deal. He gave her one last stern look before turning his attention to the lovely woman in the dirt. And she was excited to see him. The redhead stood, wiping her hands off on her skirts before loudly saying his name.

It was cute. They seemed so young and so innocent and so unaware that she was going to disappear the first moment she could. What a shame for the guard who would realize that he’d been tricked.

Ah, well. Who was going to get mad at her? Greed?

Sneaking into the undergrowth of the jungle, she slipped into the cool shadows and explored. She didn’t want anyone to find her, so she stayed hidden. Servants meandered past her, all of them plump and healthy with jaunty steps as they walked to their next task. They didn’t know what it was like to starve.

Did Greed think his entire kingdom was living like they were? That would explain a lot.

She’d gotten lost for about an hour when she found another garden. This one seemed to be more filled with plants that looked... dangerous. Some of them even had teeth that opened and closed toward her, as if they sensed where she was.

Varya lifted a hand, shifting one of the giant fronds in front of her so she could get a better look.

An arm slid around her waist, firm and broad and all too strong for his own good. Maybe she should be embarrassed that she knew exactly whose arm it was the moment it touched her.

“What are you doing spying on my gardens?” Greed growled in her ear. “I thought I’d locked you up.”

Shivering, she leaned back against him. She had no other choice. Varya wanted to stay away from him, but even thinking such a thing was impossible. She had her needs, and he was a very handsome man with all those hard muscles all pressed up against her back as though he belonged there.

“Your guards are easily distracted,” she replied.

“Did you slip away from Ivo?”

“His attention was more on the pretty redhead in the garden than it was on me.”

He cursed, his fingers spreading wide on her belly as he drew her closer. Did he even realize what he was doing? “I’ll have to talk with him about that.”

“Please don’t. I got to explore this beautiful place you call home, and he got to talk to the girl he’s very interested in.” Varya turned in his arms, wrapping one of her own around his neck. “Besides, you wouldn’t have found me all alone like this.”

A low groan rumbled in his chest. “You are injured.”

“I’m fine.”

“I will not tarnish you any more.”

Tarnish. Like she had been ruined by what had happened to her. And all of a sudden, she heard their voices in her ears. Whispering words of torment with a weapon only men could wield against women.

She’d thought it hadn’t bothered her. That they weren’t there anymore in her head because nothing had happened. They’d just threatened. They hadn’t actually touched her. And yet...

His thumbs traced underneath her eyes. “What shadows haunt you, treasure?”

“None that you can fight.” She tried to pull away from him, but he didn’t let her go. Greed held her there, staring into her eyes, forcing her to look at him. And she gave in. “They intended to tarnish me, but I assure you they did not succeed.”

His eyes searched hers, and she had the distinct displeasure of watching him understand what her words meant. The rage that poured over him was icy cold, and then it turned into a despair unlike any she’d seen before.

“Ach, my treasure.” He drew her tight against his chest, those massive arms holding her close to his heart. “Nothing would ruin or wreck you in my eyes. I do not wish to harm you any more than they already did. You are so very small.”

“I am not weak,” she muttered against his chest, angry that tears were pricking in her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m healed and I can leave now.”

“Not until I show you all my home has to offer. Yes?” He drew back and stared down into her watery eyes with a soft smile. “You will let me show you my home before you go.”

She didn’t have it in her to say no.