He did neither. What he did was worse.
He turned to me, a bitter smirk on his lips. “So,” he said. “That’s it then. You’re a whore. That’s the life you chose for yourself. That’s what you chose over a simple, but wholesome life with me.”
Tears burned my eyes as I stood there, unable to speak, unable to move.
“Enough, boy,” Thomas said, taking me by the arm and pulling me away. “I will not have you speak to her in that manner. Show some respect.”
“Respect?” Martin asked. “Why should I respect either of you? Celine was a good woman. Now, she’s merely a good to be bought and sold, and you’re the monster who paid money for her. Damn the both of you.”
After one final look of disgust at me, Martin pushed past us and headed down the path toward his house.
I fell to my knees, watching him go, wishing I could have said something…anything to make that whole exchange go better.
“That boy proposed to you, and you said nothing of it?”
As I sat on my knees in the middle of the path, Thomas left me, walking back toward my cottage.
I couldn’t chase him. Not now.
The damage was irreparable.
Later that day, I finally gathered the courage to return to the cottage. When I arrived, there was a man on a horse talking to Thomas.
“Are you Lord Thomas from Ivandelle estate?” he asked, trying to pull the horse closer towards us.
“I am,” Thomas said, ignoring me as I walked to stand beside him.
“William and George have requested your assistance. One of the lord’s life is in danger.”
Chapter Nineteen
Thomas
“What exactly happened?” I asked the rider.
He was one of George’s men, and I knew that the other lords wouldn’t have bothered me during my time with Celine unless it was serious.
“I do not know, my lord. They simply require your assistance immediately.”
Celine stood by my side. Though I was cross with her for keeping her relationship with the village boy from me, I couldn’t think of that right then. There were more important matters at hand.
“All right, we will leave right away. Let your master know that I’m on the way,” I told him. He nodded and rode off from whence he came. “Come on, Celine.”
“Of course,” she said, but without the usual vigor and enthusiasm I’d grown accustomed to. We packed our things and boarded the carriage.
Then we were off. I hated that we were at odds and wanted to repair things, but there were serious worries haunting me. She looked utterly forlorn, despondent. So, I put her at ease the best way I could.
I closed my eyes, collecting the energy from the air. It sparked and glowed between my hands, and she looked at me with shock in her big, green eyes. With a wave of my hand, I ignited the sleeping spell, and she fell into my arms, in a deep slumber.
I lay her across the seat and looked out the window. Ideally, I would have to shift. That’s what William was expecting me to do, but I couldn’t just leave her alone. She was too precious.
The journey to my estate didn’t take long. The carriage was enhanced with my spells, and within hours, we were back at the estate. I went straight to my study, searching for the potions and books that were needed. The healing spell was always complicated; besides I had no idea what to expect. At the same time, I couldn’t arrive unprepared.
I packed what I thought was necessary and then I instructed Alfred to pack some food for the road. Celine was going to be hungry. William lived in another province, so we still had an hour or so in the carriage.
“What is going on, Thomas?” she asked, waking, and sitting up in her seat across from me.
“Yes, darling, you slept most of the way. We should be arriving at William’s castle soon.”
She lifted herself back and smoothed her hair.
“Already? But it seems that we just left my mother’s. Was I asleep for that long?”
“Yes,” I told her, simply.
The carriage stopped in the courtyard of his estate. I frowned, seeing all of the other carriages lined up outside.
“What is happening. Are we here already?” Celine asked, peering out the window. “My goodness. There is a party going on.”
“Yes,” I said. “He organized a grand ball. And, didn’t invite me.”
I wasn’t ready to share Celine with him yet, so maybe this was for the best.
She smoothed her dress, adjusting herself, and fussing with her hair. “I’m not prepared for a ball,” she said under her breath.
Tim opened the door to the carriage. Scores of guests were filing into the main entrance of the castle, while others lingered outside, chatting under the strung-up lanterns that littered the courtyard, and made it glow like a vision from a dream. People were standing outside. The women were cooling themselves with elaborate hand fans. Inside, the staff were walking around offering drinks. The musicians strummed and drummed, while young and old alike danced in two rows; smiles on their oblivious faces.
Did they not know of the trouble? It seemed not. They went on as if everything were completely fine.
William’s estate was larger than mine, and as I walked through the halls, I could smell the intense stench of dark magic hanging in the air. Dark waves of energy hovered in every corner, clinging to the ceiling. They weren’t visible to human eyes. But, to me, I could see the black coils and smoke, and loosened my tie. Heat filled my throat and made my chest tight.
Whatever was at work here was truly dark and dangerous. I knew William wasn’t responsible. He knew better than to work such powerful spells around humans.
“Lord Thomas Cunningham. My lord is waiting for you upstairs,” the butler said.
We headed upstairs, and I charged my fingers with magical energy. I sensed another form of magic on the property. It wasn’t William or George. Something different. Something darker.
Once we were led upstairs to William’s private quarters, the butler knocked three times.
“What the hell is she doing here?” William asked as soon as he opened the door, looking from me, then back to Celine.
Once we stepped inside, it all began to make sense.
George lay on the sofa, pale, and barely breathing. Yes, this was dire, indeed.
I walked to George, stunned by the amount of blood gushing from a wound in his side.
“She knows our secret,” I said, kneeling beside George. “She saw me shift and knows about the curse.”
William breathed in a sigh. “Brilliant,” he mumbled, eyeing Celine.
“Now, tell me what’s going on here,” I demanded, touching George’s forehead which was cold and damp. “How long has he been like this?”
“The sorceress is here,” William said, and I could feel the blood and color drain from my face.
I knew of whom he spoke but didn’t want to believe it.
“She poisoned him using dark magic. We can’t seem to revive him. She was after the things in the vault,” William said in a whisper, as he raked his hand through his hair. “I fear he’s dying, Thomas.”
I swallowed, speechless for once. No matter how much I competed with the others, or whatever quarrels we’d had in the past, they were like brothers to me.
Brothers bound by the same curse.
“Are you sure it was her?” I asked, not wanting to believe it. But, as I looked down at George, who barely breathed, I knew the truth.
“Yes,” William said. “The Sorceress of Sherfire.”
It was then that our darkest nightmare materialised in the middle of the room.
Surrounded by red flames, a woman appeared. Long, dark hair floated around her slender, pale body as she looked to us with golden fire in her eyes. She was young, about our age, with a full mouth and beauty that was only rivaled by Celine.
If she hadn’t been our mortal enemy, we probably would have all fought for her. But, as it stood, she wanted us dead.
A smirk cam
e to her blood-red lips, and she looked directly at me.
“So,” she said, her voice filling the room; soft, husky, and seductive. “You’ve done it. You’ve actually found his heir.”
“Enough of this, Eva,” I said, trying to keep her calm as I stood from George’s side. “You’ve done enough for one night. Let us be.”
Her grin curled over her white teeth. “Are you afraid of my Thomas? Or are you worried the virgin will learn how much you want to fuck me?”
My jaw clenched. “Leave us be.”
She tossed her head back and cackled into the air. “No,” she said. “I don’t think I will. I think I’ll take the pretty little virgin with me. I think I’ll take everything from you the way you’ve all taken from me.”
William shook his head, holding an arm out in front of Celine, shielding her from Eva. “We won’t allow you to take her.”
“Oh?” Eva lifted a brow. “I wasn’t asking.”
Chapter Twenty
Celine
The shock that filled me was only rivaled by the moment I witnessed Thomas transform into a werewolf. Magic crackled and sparked all around us, and the strange woman had declared that she would take me.
“Stay back,” William said, taking me by the arm and pulling me into him. “She is protected by our magic. You cannot touch her.”
Eva hissed. “But, I will. I’ll take her and show her the truth.”
Thomas stood, with his hands out before him; he cast a spell that sent silver cords flying through the air. “Enough,” he said, and clasped his hands.
The cords wrapped around Eva, slamming her to the ground.
She cried out and fought to free herself. Her arms were pinned to her sides, and she was pushed down to her knees by the weight of the silver cords.
I escaped William’s arms, and rushed to George. I touched him. He was cold, his breaths faint, and when I rested my ear to his chest, I found his heart beat to be almost nonexistent.
I gulped. “We are going to lose him.”
Thomas joined me at George’s side.
“I have a potion I brewed with unicorn feathers. That should help him,” Thomas said, taking a vial out of his bag.
Nodding, I glanced at Eva who still struggled to free herself.
We didn’t have much time. Whoever she was, she was powerful. I could feel that. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew she was a formidable opponent, and by the way the others showed fear when she appeared, I knew she held something over them.
I wasn’t sure what I’d gotten myself into, but all I knew was that we couldn’t let George die. I barely knew him, but something pulled me to him, something magnetic and feral. I felt it with all of them, and though it confused me, I couldn’t deny it.
Frowning down at George, I rose my hands and placed them on his chest.
“What are you doing?” William asked as I closed my eyes.
I didn’t reply. Somehow, I knew I needed absolute focus. My head felt a little heavy as the tiny voice reminded me that I often sang to my mother when she was ill. My palms started to tingle. Warmth filled my veins and flowed through me in waves.
The candles and torchlights all blackened, and a gust of cool wind swept in pushing the balcony doors open. The night entered the room, the moon glowing directly onto George and me.
“What is she doing?” William asked, kneeling on my other side.
Thomas shook his head. “I don’t know. But, I dare say, she’s healing him.”
I opened my eyes and watched as the color began to come back to George’s cheeks.
“Stop, you stupid girl,” Eva shouted, and I ignored her plea.
The warmth escalated, and a jolt of energy shot through me. My hands grew hot, and for the first time in my life, I wondered if there was magic within me. Was that what I was feeling?
I gasped. Was that what I’d felt all of my life?
Red light beamed from my palms, and lit George’s chest with the same crimson glow. George screamed, but I knew I had to carry on. The wind started blowing and my heart thumped in my chest.
The outburst of power knocked me off my feet, and my connection with George was broken. When I opened my eyes, Eva stood over me.
She smiled at me, revealing perfect, white teeth. Black smoke rose from the wooden floor and filled the room like a thick fog.
“Come with me now, or die with the trio,” she said, lowering herself to straddle my chest.
Disoriented, I shook my head. When I looked up at her, all I saw was beauty, but within her eyes was sorrow and darkness.
What had they done to her to make her want to exact revenge like this?
She sparkled and caressed my face.
“I will only ask you one more time.”
Her eyes shimmered with gold then, and her warmth filled me as she kissed my forehead. “I will show you truth. I will make you whole.”
She was sparkling with electricity, and her eyes were shimmering with gold.
I struggled to free myself from beneath her, eyes darting from one end of the dark room to the other in search of the lords.
“I can’t,” I said, licking my lips. “I’ve made a bargain, one I cannot break.”
“Is it worth your life?” Eva asked in a whisper.
I froze, tensing, my eyes meeting hers.
Before I could reply, William emerged from the smoke and shadows, a wand held outward, and with foreign words, he cast a spell that sent Eva flying out the window—but not before she sliced my arm with her knife.
The doors slammed shut, and I scrambled to my knees, looking after her.
My heart drummed in my chest, and sorrow filled my soul.
Whoever that woman was remained a mystery to me, and as I held onto my arm, blood fell between my fingers. There was no pain, only questions. So why did I miss her presence and promise to make me whole?
Chapter Twenty-One
Cecile
It was so dark around me, and I couldn’t open my eyes even when I tried. Voices filled my head, and fire danced behind my eyelids.
The pain in my arm was dreadful, and I wanted to see my mother. She always knew how to make me feel better. It didn’t make sense. When Eva sliced me, there had been no pain. Perhaps I’d been bewitched. It would explain my desire to follow her when she was cast out.
“How did she do it?” George asked.
“You’re alive, so stop complaining,” William said.
“We should be worried about Eva. She has Celine’s blood, and she’s going to use it,” Thomas added.
My head hurt, and I just needed to get out of that darkness. Magic—that’s what they were talking about. I didn’t have any magic. I was ordinary girl who only wanted to pay some of her debts.
“I’m not complaining at all that she saved my life, but this is very strange. Don’t you think we should have known she had such abilities?” George asked.
“Of course, she does,” William said. “She’s a Tyrell.”
The pain in my arm was slowly beginning to fade. I told myself that I needed to breath in and out. I had to get away from that fog. What nonsense were they discussing while I fought to awaken?
A Tyrell?
I’d never heard that term before.
Once I finally had the energy to open my eyes, my vision was blurry. I lay in bed, but it wasn’t my room.
“She’s awake,” Thomas said, and the three of them rushed to my bedside.
I looked down at my arm realising that it was covered in black paste that smelled practically horrid. Despite the smell, the pain had subsided. Someone had taken off my dress, and I now wore a white gown.
Heat rushed to my face as I brought the cover up toward my chin when I realised they were all staring at me.
“What’s happened?” I asked, but my voice was faint.
“My dear,” Thomas said. “Don’t you worry. We will find that witch and stop her. You’re safe now.”
William took my hand into his, and Thomas eyed it, his jaw twitc
hing, but remained silent.
“I don’t want you to fret,” William said, his voice calm. “We will take care of you.”
“Yes,” George said. “And, protect you.”
My brows lifted. It was strange having them all dote over me, but I liked it…considering all that had happened.
Having William hold my hand was nice, and when he kissed it, a jolt of energy shot through me and settled in my chest, buzzing like a bee. I bit my bottom lip as our eyes met.
Thomas stood, and raked his hands through his hair.
“Settle down,” George said. “Don’t get so worked up.”
“You two know nothing. Celine and I have grown close. We have something special,” Thomas said.
William groaned, and let my hand go. “Can I not touch her? Does she not belong to the three of us?”
Thomas frowned, but stopped pacing the room and looked down at me. Sadness filled his eyes, and I had to catch my breath at seeing it.
“Yes,” he whispered, closing his eyes. “But, I don’t like it.”
William nodded. “Of course, not. Your time is coming to an end. I understand.”
Thomas slumped into a sitting chair and pulled the top of a bottle of port off. He didn’t bother to pour himself a glass, and simply drank directly from the bottle.
The tension in the room rose as silence filled the room.
Mum was right. This was going to be very complicated. Soon I’d have to part ways with the first lord.
“She belongs to me for now, for another two weeks, and I don’t give a damn what any of you may think. You didn’t seem to care about her when you and George were having fun at your ball,” Thomas scowled, and William rolled his eyes.
This wasn’t good. I didn’t want them to fight over me.
“Gentlemen, calm yourselves. Let’s not quarrel over Celine’s bed. It isn’t appropriate. Let’s give her some space to rest. How about we all cool down and chat over lunch once she’s had some rest?” George asked, standing from my side.
The Courtesans Bargain: The Courtesans Harem Book 1 Page 7