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Peri laughed, a soft, almost bitter sound. “Sadly, no… not today.”

Bonegrundle nodded sagely and then set about filling a tray with bowls of cut fruit. She handed it to Peri, before loading her own tray with wide-brimmed cups and a couple of steeping teapots. “Don’t be a stranger, little hellion.”

Peri offered her a small, grateful smile, nodding in return. She took the tray and headed back to the dining room. The familiar gazes of her family followed her, their eyes heavy with unspoken words, until she left the room again.

Soft footsteps followed her as she left, and Peri turned to find Sia there, concern etched onto her face. “Peri! Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine!” Peri said with a combination of laugh and scoff. “I just—you know how I tend to overthink everything. I guess, I’m just doing that and it’s made me nervous.”

Sia pulled her into a hug and pushed her back slightly, staring into her face with genuine concern. “What are you nervous about?”

Peri shook her head, then asked, “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” Sia nodded slowly. “Anything.”

Peri dropped her tone so low that only Sia could hear. “Are you happy? With Rocco?”

“What?” Sia jerked back as if struck.

“I’m sorry! I’ve just been… I don’t know, thinking about everything and I—”

“Of course I’m happy. I love Rocco.” Sia whispered harshly. “How could you even ask that?”

Peri couldn’t hold herself back, everything poured out like a dam breaking. “Really?” Bitterness bled into her tone. “You’re happy with a life that revolves around him?”

Sia’s expression twisted, her eyes darkening with a strange emotion. “Peri,” Sia trembled as she spoke. “I know you think you’re so clever. But no matter how smart you are, you don’t get to go around telling people they’re unhappy. You don’t get to judge me for my life. My choices.”

“What choices? You’ve never made a choice in your life!” Peri snapped back, her shouted whisper grating against her throat.

“You know nothing about my choices.” Sia’s whisper was thin and scalding, a kettle’s hiss just before the boil.

Peri tried again, her voice now low and pleading. “I always thought… I don’t know that you’d maybe end up with a demoness?” Sia’s eyes were about to bulge out of her head and she glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

Peri continued, “Even if it’s not a thing we do in the Holy Circle. Maybe you and I could change things together. I mean it seemed like you and Ve—”

“Don’t.” Sia cut her off sharply. A strangling silence pulled taut around them. “Of course, I would have loved to be with… somebody else.” She hugged herself tightly. “But that’s not the way things work. You can’t just… I—” Sia made a strangled sound in the back of her throat, as if she was about to come out of her skin. “Sprits below, Peri! I know better!”

The words struck Peri harder than any slap.

They stared at each other, chests heaving, the air between them thick with something neither of them could name.

Then Sia laughed—sharp, humourless. “I was trying to give you the chance to talk about your own problems, because obviously, you’re miserable.”

Peri opened her mouth, ready with another scathing retort, only to slam it shut again.

Sia was right. She wasn’t happy. But it was impossible to be happy when everything you’ve ever been raised to believe in was turning out to be a lie.

Sia scoffed. “Do you know I wake up an hour before Rocco? To get everything ready for him?” Her voice wavered, but she pushed forward. “I make sure his favourite breakfast is on the table. I lay out his outfit for the day. I get myself ready so that when he sees me, he always sees me at my best.” She met Peri’s gaze, defiant. “Would I do all that if I didn’t love him?”

A thousand retorts flashed through Peri’s mind, but she was too tired to keep fighting.

“That sounds like you must love him an awful lot.” Her tone was careful; an attempt to smooth the jagged edges between them.

Sia gave a curt nod and looked away. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. “I love him more than anything.”

Sia’s perfume wafted over Peri just then—cloyingly sweet and at odds with everything she knew about her sister’s tastes. Rocco must have bought it for her, and Sia was so dutiful that she would wear the proof of his disinterest in her with pride.

Peri hesitated. Then softly asked,“Does he love you just as much?”