Page 44 of This Dark Descent
She thought of the man whose finger Damien had broken, of the Anthir flooding the hall the first day at the manor and his conversation with Hyle. But she’d seen him do good too, things Rezek would never do, for people he owed nothing to. Had it all been a performance?
As if summoned by their discussion, she heard Damien’s voice at the door. “Move aside, Kyvin.”
“My lord has asked not to be disturbed,” an oily voice replied.
Rezek raised his pale brows. “Last chance.”
“Fine,” she growled. “I accept.”
“I won’t ask again.” Damien’s voice turned sharp.
Rezek stood. “Let him in, Kyvin.”
Damien burst into the room. “What is this?”
Rezek laced his fingers behind his back. “I was just telling Miss Rusel that I’m willing to let her back into the race, for a price. What do you say to upping the stakes of our bargain, old friend?”
Mikira stilled—oldfriend?
Like a clock shifting gears, Damien’s face changed bit by bit. The anger melted as he adjusted for the situation, no doubt sensing the opportunity to turn the odds in his favor.
“What do you propose?” he asked.
“Simple,” Rezek replied. “In addition to our current bargain, you will wager all of House Adair’s verillion fields.”
Damien regarded Rezek without expression, but Mikira could guess what he was thinking. If they lost, House Kelbra would have a monopoly on two of Enderlain’s main trades: racing and verillion. They would own over half the city, and House Adair would be broken.
Of course, Rezek didn’t know what they did about Atara.
Damien looked to her. She recoiled. He couldn’t mean to let her decide.
No. But he doesn’t know what happened.Damien didn’t know how the horse had lost herself to blood like a lion tearing into a kill. How Mikira hadn’t been able to control her, had been afraid of her. If winning was impossible, he wanted to know.
She didn’t know what to tell him.
Damien’s jaw set. “Very well.”
Rezek clapped his hands together in delight. “Wonderful.” He brushed past Damien to where a narrow-faced man with slick black hair waited. “Best of luck, Miss Rusel.” He lifted one red hand before closing the door behind him.
Mikira expected Damien to yell, to close the space between them like Rezek had and make her feel even smaller than she already did.
Instead, he let out a quiet breath and said, “Let’s get you home so Reid can look at your arm.”
She blinked at him. “That’s it?”
“We’ll discuss the race in the coach.”
Because they were too exposed here. These were the sorts of things Damien Adair thought of that Mikira did not, and yet somehow, she was supposed to spy on him? Rezek wanted damning information he could use to crush Damien, but Mikira needed him. And if he found out she was involved, there was no telling what he would do.
But she didn’t have a choice.
CHAPTER 16
ARIELLE
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
Ari didn’t know what it was, only that it was off, like a picture frame slightly askew. The feeling needled at her, lingering ever since she’d created Atara early that morning, but every time she tried to examine it, it slipped away.
