Rhea wants nothing more than to kill her father. But not just because he's any run-of-the-mill scumbag. No, he's a god. And he's the one who cursed her with being a goldblood -- half human, half godling. Good for her, she's willing to do anything to...
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IN THE CONFUSION, I GO BACK TO MY ROOM.
I know I have but a few precious seconds while everyone is gone. I don't want to stay too long, in case someone comes back in.
I rip off the covers of my bed, unveiling the body of Shiva. I had unearthed it earlier in the evening, before I went to the son's room. It had served its purpose well.
I study her face, pale, and already to start the process of decay. A pity, because Shiva was quite pretty, for a human. We wouldn't look alike enough for the Mistress, if she sent her spies out, but I was hoping it would buy me some time.
But the poor humans would be completely convinced that little Mel had died.
I rip my servants' uniform off and spread it across Shiva, stabbing the bloody dagger through it a couple of times. I bit my necklace off, and opened up the vial dangling from it. Rich, warm human blood poured out, concentrating it around the dagger cuts.
I had collected it from Bran the day before, and kept it warm and close to my heart.
There isn't enough blood to make it a spectacle, but I only needed the scene to be convincing.
I wipe my hands on the covers and take one last look around the room.
I will have to trust that I have been careful and thorough.
I wonder what they will say about my death. A lover's quarrel, perhaps?
I sneak into the garden, running noiselessly through the crawling ivy and high hedges. When I reach the open road, I stick close to the shadows.
It is only when I am safely within the old stable that I stop. Even so, I do not relax yet.
I pat myself down. The vials are all accounted for. My bag of money. The still-bloody dagger, sheathed by my thigh. The other one in the lining of my boots. I take the ribbons out of my hair, which is mussed and close to falling out of its once-tight braid, and use it to tie up the overly large white shirt I'm wearing.
One of his that I had stolen. I hadn't brought much other clothing with me when I came on this assignment, so it was not a choice I wanted to make, but unfortunately needed to.
As I am combing my hair with fingers, and straightening myself out, Rowena slips into the stable. She nods at me and waits for me to finish.
I don't ask how she knew I would come here. But perhaps it wasn't a hard guess.
The sun is coming up quickly now, and we need to get underground soon, so I gesture for Rowena to open up the trapdoor. She does so, and we scramble down.
As we walk through the dark tunnel, I think perhaps I should feel nervous or thrilled. Nervous to be entering a den of gold-blooded lions. Thrilled to be free of the Mistress' clutch.
