Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I remained silent as Seraphine promised to email a report summarizing the day's session. Her demeanor towards Alexander was a blend of deference and awe, a testament to his esteemed status.
"Thank you, Matron," Alexander responded, his tone carrying that same sense of authority that seemed to fill the room. As we prepared to leave, he acknowledged Selena with a brief, almost imperceptible nod.
Her response was a mix of respect and something else—a flicker of emotion quickly masked.
“What did you think?” he asked, slowing his pace on the stairs so I kept up without falling on my face.
“I’m still trying to figure that out.”
As we made our way back through the Chapel, I felt the weight of Alexander’s influence not just on me but on everyone within his orbit.
The ride back to the estate was quiet—the kind that weighed heavily in the air but wasn’t unnecessarily uncomfortable. I actually appreciated these fleeting moments of silence after days like this. It'd be nice if I had a day to decompress and think, sort through what I knew and what I didn’t.
Alexander was engrossed in his phone, his focus seemingly in another world. It made me wonder about my own phone, wherever it was now. A sardonic thought crossed my mind. Who would I call to help me even if I had it in hand? My mind raced through the futile options.
The police? That idea seemed absurd and hopeless. Even if I managed to contact them, Alexander would know. He always seemed to be a step ahead. I had no family. There were a few people I could call acquaintances, but that was a stretch, and my best friend was here somewhere. I’d already known I was on my own, but the reminder was still a glum one.
I gazed out the window at the passing scenery. A conflicting sense of appreciation and resentment stirred within me. The Isle, with its hauntingly beautiful landscapes, held an allure that I begrudgingly acknowledged.
The lush greenery, the mysterious shadows cast by the towering trees, the serene water—all of it was captivating. I despised the fact that I continued to find beauty in this place that I should detest.
Alexander kept one hand on my knee for the duration of the ride, absentmindedly tracing patterns on my skin.
By the time we reached the estate and he’d instructed me to wash up before we ate, darkness had come calling. I went through the motions, my mind a whirlpool of the day's revelations, the unsettling lessons, and, persistently, Anya. Where was she in all of this?
Dinner was another extravagant affair, but Nicolette and Esther were absent and whoever had set the table had done so before we’d entered the room. The subtle sounds of people moving around the house were impossible to miss. When Alexander took notice of my curiosity, he answered my unspoken question.
"The staff are returning. You'll meet them tomorrow.”
“Do they live here too?”
He cut into his steak and nodded. “They have their own quarters, beyond a door on this level.”
I took a bite of sweet potato, not hungry but remembering all too well how he felt about that.
“Your thoughts are quite loud. Tell me what’s on your mind,” he probed.
I wanted to ask about the men that had taken Keres and Pandora away. About Anya. Selena too, because I knew I hadn’t imagined the way she looked at him. But Nicolette’s warning was still ringing in my head, nearly drowning out everything else. It was the reason I hadn’t broached the topic of his wives yet, either.
“The other women…the ones that were in the room with me. Where do they go?” I questioned, edging around mentioning the men.
“They belong to two of my Magistri Tenebrarum. Do you remember what that is?”
“Yeah, I remember.” They were essentially two of his right-hand men, which meant they lived on one corner of the Isle I needed to stay away from.
“You’ll be spending quite a lot of time with them going forward. We decided it would be good for you all to establish healthy, platonic relationships.”
If I hadn’t already swallowed my water, I would’ve choked on it. Did he really have the audacity to mention healthy relationships? Him? And I didn’t have an issue being around Keres or Pandora, but I couldn’t help seeing this as yet another means to entrap me. If I grew close to them—which seemed highly likely—I would definitely struggle to leave them behind.
He changed the subject before I could comment on it, and the next one was so unexpected I simply sat there for a moment.
"Selena and I had an arrangement once," he began, his voice devoid of emotion. "It's long over. Our relationship is purely professional now. Loosely at that."
Did this man miss anything? I rubbed the back of my neck, unsure how to feel now that he’d confirmed what I’d suspected earlier. There’d been a longing in her eyes, a quick shift of her gaze when she looked at him. I wasn’t going to acknowledge the pang of possessiveness that slithered through my chest. I’d ignored it then, and I intended to keep doing just that. It was wiser for me to focus on the bit of kinship I’d felt than wanting to rip her eyes out.