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“I… I think I need a moment to catch my breath. Please excuse me.”
Nevelyn turned. Everyone gathered behind the stage watched her go. She walked back to the second makeup room on the right. My makeup room, whispered another voice. She did not rush or hurry, as that would draw unnecessary attention. But there was a quickness to her step as she crossed the room to look in the mirror. The girl who stared back at her possessed a cold beauty. She was tall and blond and had cheekbones that looked quite capable of severing an artery.
Nevelyn stared at herself for a moment and then smiled.
Tessa Brood smiled back.
36 REN MONROE
They were intercepted before they reached the southernmost castle.
Marquette Brood fell abruptly silent. Ren looked up to see Thugar Brood crossing the family’s manicured lawns with impatient strides. Theo’s brother was broad-shouldered and built for war. He possessed all the features she’d once enjoyed about Devlin. Muscled and confident and eye-catching. It was a facade. Lurking beneath was a ravenous creature who had nursed a reputation around Kathor for having an endless appetite. Nothing sated him. He picked fights for no reason. Openly flirted with women in front of his own wife. Ren had witnessed his dark bravado a handful of times. Apparently, that sort of reputation was better than Theo’s sin of falling in love with a commoner.
“Ren Monroe. I’m glad you arrived in one piece,” Thugar said. He was speaking to her, but his eyes were locked on his mother. “And what a surprise to see you, Mother. I was finishing up some work and was just about to come down and let Ren inside the gate when Beck told me that someone already had. I didn’t know you would be here on the estate today. I thought you were attending the commerce briefings in the city.”
Marquette’s lips pursed. “I see now why I was asked to attend them.”
“You were asked to attend them because they might provide vital information for our house and its holdings,” Thugar said in the most tongue-clicking way ever. “It’s not too late. You could always catch the latter half of the meeting.…”
“We have a guest,” Marquette replied, stone in her voice. “Let’s get her some tea.”
It was nice, Ren supposed, to finally have them fighting for her attention. Before she could follow them inside the castle, she glanced north. The hills in that direction tumbled upward, straight into a great veil of trees. Ren knew that just beyond the forest’s edge—and just beyond the magical sensors of the Brood estate—there existed a field of ankle-high grass. The space was walled off on all sides by the surrounding forest. The perfect place for a small army to gather, unseen by the rest of the world. Theo had admitted that he used to sneak away to the place as a child. He didn’t say why, but she got the sense that it was where he went whenever his older siblings bullied him. What had once been his shield was now the tip of their spear.
Ren marched inside the castle like an honored guest.
They settled her in one of the fancier sitting rooms that overlooked the rest of the estate. She sipped honey-flavored tea and could vaguely hear Thugar and Marquette arguing down the hallway. Whatever the argument was, Marquette lost. When the door opened once more, it was Thugar who returned.
“My father has been informed that you are here. He’s in the city, conducting an important meeting, but he will be back as soon as time allows.”
Ren nodded. That was expected. She’d learned that from her interviews and her time at Balmerick. The wealthy and powerful rather enjoyed making people wait.
“Thank you.”
“For what it’s worth, I agree with my mother.”
His confession startled Ren. A second Brood family member was ready to give their blessing? It was hard to imagine she’d misjudged them so much. Maybe the shadow of Landwin Brood simply loomed over all their previous encounters?
“You do?”
Thugar smiled, all teeth. “Yes. I think you and Theo should get married. And then you should be allowed to live out your boring lives in that cold mountain pass for the rest of time. Theo is a spoiled prat. He always has been. And you? You’re just the girl who stumbled upon the weakest member of the family. The great flaw in our armor. I suppose you deserve credit for being smart enough to drive the knife home when you had the chance.”
Ren nearly smiled. This was the reception she’d actually expected. The pretty room and the tea and the pleasant greetings had felt so strange. This was much more the Brood way.
“I’m not sure what you mean. Theo and I fell in love.”
“In love?” He laughed without mirth. “He’s not here. You can drop the act. I’ll admit that I didn’t think much of you. I expected Theo would eventually get bored. I mean, look at you.”
His eyes casually roamed her up and down.
“But my father read me your letter. Such a clever girl. Positioning yourself this whole time. Wrapping pathetic Theo around your finger. I can respect the strategy. You’ll get a fine payout for your efforts, and you deserve it.” He scratched idly at his beard. “It’s funny. I told Father that we should just… kill you. Bury you out in the hills where no one would ever find you. He told me that wasn’t very ‘diplomatic.’ Whatever that means.”
Ren had been on the verge of taking another sip. Thugar’s words—so casual and cold and cruel—left her frozen, the cup a few inches from her lip. Her hand itched to reach for the horseshoe wand tucked in at her waist. It wasn’t time. Not yet. She stared at him over the rim of her cup until he broke out another forced smile.
“Let that be a reminder. When I run House Brood, we will not suffer a slight like this from a girl like you. Come knocking at our door again, and I will show you what the Broods of old were like. None of the stuffy politics and handshakes. I will gut you like the greedy pig that you are. Understood?” He did not wait for a response. Instead, he turned his back to her and started walking away. “Make yourself comfortable. My father will be back from the city before long. I think your payout will depend quite a bit on what he’s discovered. Goodbye, Ren Monroe.”
His footsteps quietly faded. Ren settled back into her chair, teacup abandoned on the nearest table. She’d never felt more certain of herself. Landwin Brood was an evil she knew. Thugar was an evil in waiting. All this house would ever do was feast on those below them. Ren could feel that familiar anger stirring deep within. A storm thrashing at the gates of her heart.
Soon, she promised herself. It will not be long now.
