Page 50 of Dhampira

My father raised his eyebrows. “You insult me, Daughter. Humans are beneath my notice.” He looked at Vander. “Seat our guest.”

Vander’s expression was inscrutable as he shuffled Duncan to the table and pushed him into the chair next to Lorcan.

“Stay put,” Vander said, shoving in Duncan’s chair. He stepped back but remained just behind Duncan’s chair.

Duncan gaped at me, his bandaged hand resting on the table. Red stained his cheeks, and his eyes were glassy with fever. “You look gorgeous, Corinthe. I hardly recognize you.”

Rasimir chuckled. “An interesting way to court a woman.”

Duncan startled, then looked at Rasimir. His lips parted, and he paled under his tan. It was as if he’d just noticed Rasimir. “You…” he whispered, trembling. “You’re—”

“Koyno,” Rasimir said, black flashing through his eyes.

Duncan turned back to me, the tension melting from his shoulders. His lips curved in a lopsided smile. “I looked all over for you,” he said, slurring his words a little. “Mother said I was wasting my time.” He giggled, the sound lifting the hair on my nape.

“The human speaks the truth,” Rasimir said, pulling my gaze to him. He frowned at Duncan, a mystified note entering his tone. “He sold his cow to finance a reward for your safe return.”

Tess. A fist squeezed my heart. When we were teens, some of the other boys in town teased Duncan for bringing Tess to the schoolhouse. She gets lonely when I leave her at home, he’d confessed to me one afternoon, the tips of his ears turning red. The silly old girl finds a way out of the paddock and follows me here. I don’t want her to get hurt, you know?

Rasimir drummed his fingers on the velvet-padded arm of his chair. “You must be hungry, Mr. Bagley.”

Before he’d finished the sentence, a servant swept into the dining room with a covered plate. Duncan continued gazing at me with a slack smile as the man set the dish in front of him and removed the lid. Steam rose from a bowl of thick stew. Another servant entered and placed a napkin and cutlery next to Duncan’s plate. Then both servants inclined their heads toward Rasimir and left.

“Eat, Mr. Bagley,” Rasimir ordered.

Immediately, Duncan lifted his spoon and began to eat. Chunks of carrots and cubed meat floated in the stew’s thick brown sauce. Duncan slurped and swallowed, his spoon descending again and again. But something was wrong. He ate too quickly, barely pausing to chew. Stew dribbled down the front of his shirt. Steam rose from every bite, but he continued to eat. He flinched, his mouth hanging open as he lifted a spoonful of steaming meat.

“It’s too hot,” I said, my dinner churning in my stomach. “He’s burning his mouth.”

Rasimir said nothing. Lorcan and Vander were both quiet, their faces hard.

I pushed back my chair. “Duncan, slow down.”

“Stay in your seat,” Lorcan told me in a low voice.

Rasimir clapped his hands together, a look of childish excitement on his face. “Oh my, this is a tantalizing development. Two suitors vying for the same woman’s attention.”

Duncan slurped and coughed, more stew slipping from the corners of his mouth. Sauce dripped onto his shirt and drizzled down the fabric.

Tears burned my eyes as I glared at my father. Wrangling back my hatred, I forced calm into my voice. “Duncan is a farmer. He’s no threat to you. Please, let him go.”

Rasimir held my stare. Then he tilted his head. “You want me to release him?”

Duncan’s spoon clinked sharply against the side of his bowl. Swallowing against my thickening throat, I nodded. “Release him, and I’ll do whatever you want.”

An indulgent smile curved my father’s lips. “My dear daughter, you’ll do that anyway.” He turned to Duncan. “That’s enough for now, Mr. Bagley. Stop eating.”

Duncan dropped his spoon so abruptly that it clattered to the table. Leaning forward, he let the bite he’d been chewing fall from his mouth. Sauce and chunks of vegetables splashed into the bowl. A piece of meat hit the edge and tumbled across the table. It stopped halfway between Duncan and me.

It was the tip of a severed finger, the pale pink nail still attached.

My stomach pitched, a cry catching in my throat. For several seconds, Duncan blinked at the finger. His brow furrowed, and he looked at his bandaged hand.

“Unwrap it, Mr. Bagley,” Rasimir said.

I gripped the arms of my chair. “Duncan, don’t!”

Sweat broke out on Duncan’s forehead. Slowly, he lifted his hands.