Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
My chest started to hurt as she walked away and a heavy sense of dread descended. That wasn’t good. Not good at all. A shower wasn’t on the cards for me for the foreseeable future, but it seemed I had bigger worries to deal with. Now, I had to fret about when or if Cassandra Leone would tell others who I was. Now, more than ever, it was paramount that I get my undercover mission completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.
10.
The following morning at breakfast, I couldn’t afford to sit alone again. I needed to start working on Vasilios, and the only way to do that was to become the third wheel in his and Sven’s party of two.
I approached the counter, where I was again served the same bowl of grey soup and a chunk of dry bread. I hadn’t eaten since lunch the day before, so I was too hungry to care what I ate so long as I ate something. Vasilios and Sven sat alone at a table, and I quietly took an empty seat next to them.
I hungrily shoved down the bread and soup, sensing the two of them watching me the entire time.
“Well, clearly, you didn’t manage to charm the elves into letting you use the showers,” Vasilios surmised, his eyes traversing my unkempt appearance. “And it doesn’t look like you’re going to save any of your food to give to them, either.”
“Too hungry. Besides, I’ve gotten used to being dirty and stinky,” I replied. “I think it suits me.”
“That doesn’t suit anyone,” Sven commented, and I glowered in his direction.
A silence fell. I glanced at Vasilios and found him frowning at me. “What happened?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I replied with a shrug.
“Darya, I can tell you’re hiding something.”
I huffed a breath, keeping my voice to a whisper as I replied, “One of the elves who guards the entrance to the showers knows who I am. My father sentenced her, so she’s declared that there’s no currency great enough ever to grant me entrance.”
“That’s not good.”
“No,” I agreed. “It isn’t.”
Another silence fell. Vasilios emitted a beleaguered sigh.
“Well, in the meantime, can you at least use the sink in my cell to clean yourself up and take the goddamn change of clothes I offered? It’s not hygienic for you to go around as you are. I’m surprised your wounds haven’t become infected.”
“The perks of being a dhampir. I rarely get infections. And, as I said, I’ve gotten used to my grubbiness. I don’t need your pity offerings.” The easy route would be to give in and take his help, but I couldn’t give in to him completely. Sure, I had to get close to Vasilios, but I wouldn’t let my guard down regarding the little things. Because those little things could add up, and I refused to be indebted to him in any way. I’d already allowed him to help me get Macalister off my back. I couldn’t afford to allow any more than that.
“Is the elf going to tell others who you are?” Sven asked, and I couldn’t help bristling every time he spoke. I’d painted him in my mind as a murderous psychopath, so it was unsettling to sit with him like we were casual acquaintances.
“She hasn’t said for sure if she will. She enjoys the idea of me living in fear of the possibility of her telling.”
“Well, you can’t just leave it up to chance,” Vasilios said. “You’ll need to do something to earn her favour.”
“She said there’s nothing I can do. She despises me because of my father—”
“Speaking of your father,” Sven cut in. “Being as powerful as he is, why didn’t he fight harder to keep you out of prison? Surely, there must’ve been a loophole he could’ve exploited to save you.”
I stared at him. It was a very astute observation, but not one I hadn’t been prepared for. I expected them both to wonder about it, and I had a response all lined up. I allowed a slow frown to form as I dropped my gaze to the table, then cleared my throat. “When he found out what I’d done, it was like I ceased being his daughter. I’d soiled myself in his eyes, and the love that used to be there just … died.” I paused and tried to funnel as much emotion into my voice as possible. “He told me that I’d broken the law, made my bed, and now, I would have to lie in it.”
“But you said you were framed,” Sven replied, his yellow eyes clouding. “He didn’t believe you?”
“No,” I answered quietly. “He didn’t.”
A pregnant silence elapsed before Vasilios broke it, his voice solemn. “I’m sorry your father proved himself to be the man I told you he was.”
My eyes flicked to his once more. I wanted to rage because my father was a better man than he would ever know. But I had to tamp it down and play along. Weirdly, Vasilios seemed genuinely sad for me, like a part of him wished he hadn’t been proven right. Though that was probably just him acting again. “Don’t bother. Your feeling sorry isn’t going to change anything.”