“What’s going on? What did you do to her?” Corrine eyed me suspiciously, making it rather clear that she didn’t trust me the way her ancestor, Cora, did.
“I didn’t do anything to her,” I replied indignantly, saying the words through gritted teeth. “I found her this way when I checked on her this morning.”
“One of the other girls in his harem was found murdered – bled dry – inside her bathroom,” Vivienne added.
Corrine kept up her suspicious perusal of me. “And you didn’t do this?”
I glared at her, trying to maintain my patience. “Did you not hear me the first time, witch?”
“Can you blame me for thinking that you had something to do with this? You took one look at her when you woke up and threw her up a pillar, more than ready to devour her. Who knows what sick things you have in mind to do to her?”
“Corrine, he didn’t do this,” Vivienne spoke up knowing that if she didn’t, I might not be able to keep myself from maiming the witch for her insolence.
“Well then, who did?” Corrine raised a brow. “You creatures sicken me.”
She wrinkled her nose and looked at Vivienne and me as if we were the most despicable things she’d ever laid eyes on.
I wasn’t so sure she was wrong. That morning wasn’t exactly our kind’s most shining moment, but the witch’s hypocrisy was getting to my nerves.
“If you hate us so much, why do you serve us? Why help protect us?”
“Your kind took me captive much like you did this girl. I had no choice in the matter.”
My brow rose at this news. “Is this true, Vivienne?”
“We needed a witch to keep the spell going…” my sister tried to explain.
I was perhaps losing half my mind because I looked at Corrine and without a hint of a joke on my face, I said, “You’re free to go anytime you please, witch. No one will stop you. You have my word.”
“Derek…” Vivienne gasped. “We can’t…”
“Be quiet, Vivienne.” I lifted a hand to silence my sister. I stared at the shocked expression on Corrine’s face. “You’re no longer a prisoner of the Blood Shade, Corrine. You may leave today if you wish. I’ll even see you to the port myself.” I was calling her bluff. She was Cora’s descendant and if she was anything like her ancestor, no one would have been able to keep her in one place against her will. She was here for a reason and it certainly wasn’t because we kept her locked up.
Corrine eyed me for a couple of seconds, her lips sealed tight. Afterwards, a small sideward smile formed on her face.
“I see now what Cora saw in you.”
Vivienne stepped forward, looking absolutely confused. “Corrine… you mean you’re not leaving? You’ve been harping about being held against your will since you got here.”
“You really are quite a lovely thing, aren’t you, Vivienne? I’ve inherited hundreds of years’ worth of power and knowledge from Cora down to every descendant she’d had. Do you really think that you can hold me captive with four walls or a cage?” Corrine then gave Sofia a glance. She heaved a sigh. “Now let’s get back to the matter at hand. If I’m to find out what really happened, I can’t have either of you lurking around, threatening her.”
“I would never threaten her,” I spat out.
“Don’t kid yourself, Derek,” Corrine smirked. “Your presence alone is a threat to her. Now, go on… leave.”
I cast a lingering gaze at Sofia, feeling like I was being ripped apart on the inside. My fists clenched as I gave the arrogant young witch a heartfelt plea. “Do everything you can to make things right for her…just…fix her.”
There was a spark of confusion in Corrine’s large brown eyes. Perhaps she was wondering why I cared so much, but she didn’t address the matter and instead, simply herded Vivienne and me out of the room. “You can see yourselves out. I will have a guard alert you once she is ready to return to the Pavilion.”
I stood outside as Corrine slammed the door on our faces. I didn’t budge from my spot, determined to stay there and wait until Sofia was okay.
Vivienne grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Sofia’s going to be fine. Corrine was in her senior year of psychology when we dragged her down here. She’ll know how to help Sofia.”
“I’m not leaving here until I know Sofia is okay.” I announced.
My sister knew me well enough to know that once I put my mind to something, I could be as stubborn as a mule about it. She nodded, knowing that nothing she could say would convince me to leave that place.