Page 28 of Rite of Blood and Secrets

Chapter 15

The leather of Pip's new lead doesn't cut into my hands as easily as the rope did, and as I sit down in the dining room opposite my brother, I find myself missing the course fibres and the way they could ground me even when faced with impossible situations.

"I'm glad you came," Bastian says, looking genuinely relieved.

"I wasn't aware I had a choice," I respond, picking up the goblet I assume contains blood. I take one sniff of it and then drink. It has the same sweet taste as last night and it goes down easily, far more than I would wish it to. I put the goblet down and make eye contact with my brother.

He sighs. "I know you're angry with me."

"I'm many things," I respond coolly.

"I'm sorry."

I stare at him for a moment, trying to make sense of the apology in light of everything else. "You're sorry?"

"For keeping you in the dark about all of this. I realise now that I should have been more honest with you about what was happening."

"I'm still not entirely sure I understand all of it," I admit.

"What do you want to know?"

"What exactly did you promise Lord Fallmartin?"

Silence hangs between us, and for one moment, I don't think he's going to tell me anything.

"We should eat," he says. "The food is better than any we've ever had."

"I don't care about the food, Bash."

He sighs. "Please, Bea. I did everything I could to make sure you didn't end up dead this morning, don't let it be for nothing."

I nod and look at the spread in front of me. I don't think we've ever had this much food to choose from when it's just been the two of us. I reach out for a slice of bread and put it on my plate while considering what to have next.

"One of Lord Fallmartin's guards approached me a few months ago," Bastian explains as he helps himself to an apple and starts slicing it open. "At first, they insisted that it was only me who was invited up to the castle, but when I learned it would mean that you'd die if I left you, I demanded to speak to Lord Fallmartin."

I raise an eyebrow. "And that worked?" I tear off a piece of bread and hold it out under the table for Pip. She takes it eagerly and finds a spot to lie down with her prize.

He shrugs. "Pretty much. From what he said, he was in need of an heir and here I was, willing to do everything. A daughter isn't so bad either. There's plenty you can do to advance the House."

"Marriage?" There's a bitterness in my voice that I can't keep out. But after several people have mentioned that to me, there's no denying it.

"No," Bastian responds a little too quickly for my liking.

I raise an eyebrow, not entirely certain I believe him. "Then what?"

"Just your cooperation for being part of House Rothorne. That you'd let Lord Fallmartin and I guide you where necessary."

"Sounds a bit like you sold me out so you could be Lord Fallmartin's heir," I say.

Frustration is evident in the set of his jaw. "You have to see it from my point of view. My options were to agree, or for you to die. I didn't want that. Surely you can understand? Wouldn't you have made the same choice in my place?"

I soften a little inside and end up nodding. "Yes, I can understand."

Relief crashes over him. "Thank you. I know I should have told you before, but I couldn't really work out how to. And then I was being given all of these instructions on what we were supposed to do and how we were supposed to behave by Lord Fallmartin's men, and I didn't really know what to do with it all. I didn't mean to hurt you, Bea."

"I believe you," I say. "But what about the woman?"

"What woman?" There's genuine confusion on his face.