22. Rusalka

22

RUSALKA

My irritation at Azazel’s ambush lasts until we arrive at a medium-sized round table. I’ve attended state dinners here on occasion, and at those, we always dine at a massive beast of a table where you have no hope of talking to the people on the other side. Clever when it comes to having borderline-warring leaders attend. This is different—intimate. This is where the demon king eats when he’s not trying to impress anyone.

Which begs the question of why he’s brought us here.

I hold a chair out for Belladonna and give her shoulder a squeeze before I perch on the chair next to her, positioning myself between her and Azazel. I don’t think for a moment that he’s a threat to her, but she’s practically quivering with nerves, and I don’t want her to be more uncomfortable than she has to be.

I point to the fourth plate across from me. “Is someone else joining us?”

“Perhaps.” A new tension tightens his shoulders, telling a story if one cares to look.

Normally, I wouldn’t say anything, out of courtesy, but fuck that. I would rather be back in my territory, coaxing Belladonna into screaming my name a dozen times before dawn. I tap my claws on the table. “You took the fifth woman.”

He flinches. It’s a tiny movement, practically microscopic, but I see it all the same.

I lean forward. “You did, didn’t you? But why? That must be against your lauded bargainer demon morals.”

“It wasn’t against my morals to add a secondary bargain to the others.” He nods at Belladonna.

“Cute dodge, but a dodge nonetheless. Your bargains bring the humans here, and then you allow them to find the work they’re happiest with.”

He narrows his eyes. “And here I thought they were all sexual workers by contract.”

“Don’t play with me. That might be what the others think, but I know better. You’re precious about your humans, and I wager most of them aren’t suited to sex work or wouldn’t choose it if there were a choice—and there is a choice.” I grin. “It’s interesting that you’re still dodging my question, though.”

“Leave it alone, Rusalka.” He turns that fearsome glare on Belladonna but seems to try to temper it. “You seem well. Are you enjoying your time with Rusalka?”

He knows damn well exactly how much she is—and what challenges we’ve faced. Ramanu reports everything they learn on their check-ins to Azazel. That was part of the contract I agreed to. I don’t point it out, though. This is a small kindness, to give Belladonna the courtesy of asking instead of lording his knowledge over both of us.

Azazel’s a pain in the ass, but I can’t fault him in his treatment of those under his power.

“I, uh?.?.?.” She glances at me, her eyes a little too wide.

I reach over beneath the table and clasp her hand. “It’s okay. You can talk freely. Azazel isn’t going to sweep in and take you away from us.”

“Unless you want me to,” he rumbles.

“No!” Belladonna clears her throat. “No, that won’t be necessary. I’m enjoying my time with Rusalka and her court and the people I’ve met in town.” Her grip is so tight on my hand that it grinds my bones together. I don’t like the way her nerves saturate the very air around us. It’s a change, and not a welcome one. She wasn’t afraid of Azazel when I met her. What’s changed?

Azazel pauses as a servant comes in and pours deep glasses of wine. Four deep glasses of wine. I give the empty seat a significant look, but Belladonna speaks before I can question him further. She eyes the wine and gives him a tentative smile. “I’ve been spending time in the gardens. I find it very relaxing, and I’m learning a lot from Bogdan.”

“Bogdan.” He chuckles. “Even I know his fearsome reputation. The board of gardeners for Odonhert once bargained with him for a specific variety of flower he had grafted or?.?.?.” He waves a hand in a charming helpless motion. “I’ll admit that I’m out of my depth when it comes to the topic. But the flower increased pollination capacity or something to that effect. He drove a hard enough bargain that my people still talk about it.”

The Insomnior Court still talks about it, too, though not with quite that flavor of admiration. Bogdan hadn’t wanted to make a deal at all. I spent weeks persuading him to even see the bargainer demons and then ran myself so ragged during their time in my village that I was incapacitated for a solid week after they left. Not sick, at least not with any illness, but riddled with an exhaustion so intense, I could barely get out of bed.

But we got a good deal out of the mess, one that’s benefited us to this day, so I counted the cost worth it.

Belladonna’s grip relaxes slightly in mine. “You sound almost admiring.”

“I am. Bargains are sacred among my people.” He lifts his wine, the glass looking absurdly small in his massive hand, and takes a sip. “I trust both parties came away pleased with the bargain.”

“They were,” I say. “We gained access to a new technology that none of the other territories possess, and the bargainers have had a particularly bountiful harvest in the years since they put the flower into circulation.”

The sound of a door opening causes all three of us to turn as a short blond woman with pale skin and a curvy body walks into the room. She pointedly doesn’t look at Azazel while she moves to the table and delicately sinks into the chair across from me. She’s pretty, bordering on beautiful, but there’s a deep unhappiness in her that feels like a prickly weight against my skin. It’s evident in the way she downs half the wine in a single drink, in the tension in her shoulders, in the shadows beneath her eyes.

Azazel clears his throat. “This is Eve. Eve, this is Rusalka and Belladonna.”

“I remember you.” Eve looks at Belladonna, some of the tightness fading from her expression. “You were part of the auction.”

“Yes.” Belladonna leans forward. “It’s been an interesting experience.”

“Interesting. That’s one way to put it.” Eve finishes her glass fast enough that I can’t help looking at Azazel. Surely she’s too small to be downing demon wine so quickly without consequences. The look on his face stops me short. I’ve never seen such yearning. And it’s combined with resignation and a slow-building fury that makes me want to get Belladonna out of here as quickly as possible. We may have nothing to fear from Azazel, but that doesn’t mean seeing him yell at his prickly human won’t upset Belladonna.

But in the span of that realization, Belladonna has made one of her own. She sits back and extracts her hand from mine so she can cross her arms over her chest. “You’re not happy here.”

“Ding, ding, ding.” Eve raises her glass, but Azazel shakes his head and moves the bottle out of reach. She shrugs and reaches over to grab his glass. He tries to catch her wrist, but she’s too quick, easily slipping from his grasp.

Belladonna frowns harder. “If you’re being mistreated?—”

“Mind your tongue,” Azazel growls.

Thatsparks my anger. “I don’t care if you made the initial deal that got her here. If you use that tone again, I’ll rip out your tongue.”

Eve laughs bitterly. “Down, Daddy.” She turns to address Belladonna, some of the venom in her tone eases. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. I’m safe.” She practically spits the word. “What reason do I have to be angry?”

Azazel sighs. “Eve . . .”

“I think I’ve had enough. Good night.” She rises unsteadily to her feet, sweeping up Belladonna’s wine as she does, and wobbles out of the room.

Even with the magic of the castle, I don’t like her chances of making it back to her room without issue. I glance at Azazel, but he’s already rising. “I apologize. This isn’t how I’d hoped things would go. I have to see to Eve.”

“Wait.”

He pauses and looks at Belladonna, who seems horrified that she barked a command at him. “Yes?”

She swallows visibly. “I know you said time moves differently, but?.?.?. My sister?”

The frustration in his expression disappears, but the feeling compounds out of sight, where only I can see it. “She was gifted with an anonymous medical scholarship to cover her treatment the moment you signed the deal.” His lips twist, apparently despite his best efforts. “Your parents believe it’s a reward for her faith that your god would provide.”

“Not my god. Not anymore.” Belladonna shakes a little but nods. “Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course.” He turns toward the door once more. “Stay as long as you like. One of my people will escort you to the portal when you’re ready to go.” He stalks out of the room, eating up the distance between him and Eve, whom I can hear using the wall to walk her way down the hall.

Belladonna throws her napkin on the table. “Can we go now?”

“Absolutely.” I rise and take her hand. “No reason to linger.”

We barely make it out the door before Ramanu appears, looking a little frazzled. Or as frazzled as they ever get. “Please follow me.”

I wait until we’re down within throwing distance of the portal to dig in my heels. “Ramanu.”

“I know.”

“No, I don’t think you do. What the fuck was that about?” In all my years of knowing Azazel, I would have bet a large amount of money that he’d never take a bargain with someone who truly doesn’t want it. The way he’s handled Belladonna only reinforces that truth.

What I just witnessed with Eve contradicts all of that.

Ramanu scrubs their hands over their horns. “It’s complicated.”

“Uncomplicate it.” I glance at Belladonna. “I’m sorry, little one. I know you don’t want to make waves, but this is worrisome.”

“It’s okay.” She squeezes my hand and nods at Ramanu. “Eve seems deeply unhappy.”

“She is.” Ramanu sighs and props their hands on their hips. “I’m only sharing this because I know you won’t leave it alone.”

“Accurate.”

“I know.” They shake their head. “Eve and Azazel have?.?.?. history. They knew each other before the deal. He wasn’t entirely honest in his negotiations for her contract. She isn’t taking it well. She’s upset, but she’s safe, and the expected rules of the contract hold.” They nod at the packages sitting next to the portal. “Your things are there. I’ll be around in the next couple of weeks to check in again.”

Belladonna frowns. “Weeks? Why so long?”

“I have a task that needs tending to.” Their grin goes wolfish. “A little witch is in need of my help.”

“ . . . Oh.”

“If you need anything, of course, you can always contact Azazel.”

She shakes her head rapidly. “That won’t be necessary.”

“We’ll see.” They step out of the way and motion for us to move past.

I waste no time gathering up our things and urging Belladonna through the portal ahead of me. Azazel has his hands full, even if it’s with a situation of his own making. I don’t envy him the battle ahead, especially when every time he looked at Eve, his longing filled up the room until I could barely breathe past it. There’s desire and there’s desire, and the latter going unfulfilled for too long will only sour and end in misery for everyone. I truly hope he figures it out before that point.

As for me? I have a precious little human to take to bed.