You Are Mine (24 page)

“
You can think it over,
but it'd be best.” His expression eases. “Didn't you want to know
something about the council and not things about me?”

After talk of guns, my brain feels
muddled. “I don't know what to ask. It was silly of me.”

“
Not silly. You were
willing to put yourself through a spell of honesty. If you ever
think of anything, please come ask me.”

“
You asked me what I know
of your family, is there something I should know about
them?”

“
I guess if we're to be
married, you should know something. They're nice. Different from
your parents. A lot different. Mom never lets Dad tell her what to
do. In fact it usually goes the other way around.”

I'm stunned. “Your mother punishes
your Father?”

“
No, never that. Mom's
just the bossy one.”

“
Oh.” The concept is still
foreign to me. How can she be bossy without getting punished for
it?

“
Do you have any other
questions?”

The only one I can remember right now
is the major slip I let out about going to a council meeting. I'm
not bringing that up again. “If I think of anything, I'll let you
know.”

“
Good.” He pushes some
rocks around with the toe of his boot. “If there's anything else
you'd like to ask me or do with me, I could fix that,
too.”

For some reason, the statement makes
my face hot. There's nothing for us to do together until we marry
and that's not a part of my life I want to contemplate. “Like
what?”

He gestures at nothing.
“Anything.”

“
What did you do with your
other fiancee?”

An unhappy chuckle snorts from him.
“She's not like you.” I try not to bristle as he gets a faraway
look in his eyes. “We danced at balls, had dinner together with our
families, had tea together with our mothers. Talked. That sort of
thing.”

So the dancing thing is one of them,
and he has met my family and talked to them. “We haven't danced at
a ball, but how's the rest any different?”

“
She's
just
—
”

“
Serena,” Cynthia calls
out, interrupting our conversation before I can learn how his
fiancee is better than me. I'm not sure if I want to know more
about her anyway. Zade seems more attached to her than I thought
and it makes my insides give an odd twist.

Chapter
Twenty-Two

F
eeling resentful, I watch Cynthia round a hedge, her
chocolate-colored dress trailing behind her, a matching set of
jewelry with it. “There you are. Father's carriage is coming down
the lane.”

The resentment is replaced by
excitement. “He sent word that Bethany's joining us.”

“
He's letting her come?
Why aren't we out there yet?”

She races back to the house. I follow
her as fast as my legs will let me without running. Chancellor Zade
strides ahead and opens the door for us. Once inside, we follow him
through the halls to the entryway where he once again holds the
door open for us.

I rush outside, then remember myself
and take the last few steps at a more sedate pace. Cynthia dashes
all the way to the carriage. I suppose I should just be grateful
she came and found me before running out.

At the bottom of the steps, I wait.
The Chancellor must have decided to wait inside or went to do some
work because he doesn't follow. A footman opens the carriage doors.
Bethany emerges looking as if she's grown since I last saw her. Her
dark-blonde hair is pulled back away from her face showing off her
sparkling green eyes and innocent face. She smiles as Cynthia
launches into a narrative of our dealings. At one point Bethany
nods, but Cynthia doesn't stop long enough for her to do any
more.

Finally, Bethany gestures to the house
and the girls walk toward me. Every bit of lightness is instantly
gone. My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. I want to cry, but
hold it in and let myself seethe. Bethany is limping.

Any accident would have been healed
already. Father punished her and thought the crime warranted
natural healing. But she's never been rebellious or as outspoken as
me. I can't imagine her doing anything to cause such punishment.
Maybe it's meant as a reminder to me. Breakfast sours in my
stomach. I can't get away from him even here. I'll always be owned
and I or someone I love will suffer because of it.

I think back to the letter he sent. It
implied that the Chancellor has been punishing me, so maybe I
really have nothing to do with why she's been hurt. Besides,
Father's never hurt one of us to teach another. Though he did
threaten to if I wouldn't drink the tea, but I'm sure it's only
because he knew it would work. I don't know if he thinks it would
be an effective punishment for me or not.

Bethany manages a smile when she
reaches me, but her eyes are tight with pain. She's hurting worse
than she'd like us to know. Cynthia falls silent.

“
Hello,
Serena.”

“
Bethany.” I try to pour
all of my love for her in that one word. “Welcome to the
Chancellor's house.”

Her gaze travels over the manor behind
me. “It's huge. I wonder how many times Father's would fit inside
it?”

“
About seven and a half,”
Cynthia says. We both look at her. “What? I know I shouldn't have,
but I was curious as well.”

Bethany giggles, but it doesn't last
long. I'm hurt, angry, sad for her too much to bother with more
than half a smile. She still has to get up the stairs to the house
then there's all the stairs to her chamber. Even with servants
help, she'll hurt too much. It won't do.

Bethany says, “I'm excited to see the
room we'll share. If the outside is like this, I can't imagine how
big it is inside.”

“
There's absolutely no
sharing involved,” Cynthia says. “Serena wouldn't let me, even when
I tried.”

“
How do you manage to
sleep without an elbow in your ribs?”

“
It's easier to overcome
than you might think,” I say. “Cynthia, would you mind taking
Bethany to the parlor? A little refreshment would be good before
setting her loose on the place.”

Bethany glances at me as if she knows
I'm trying to help ease her pain, but doesn't say a
word.

“
Certainly,” Cynthia says.
“Cook makes the most wonderful treats.”

We start up the stairs. While I hover
around Bethany in case she needs me, Cynthia prattles
on.

“
And Serena will have to
show you the new wardrobe she's acquired. It's the most wonderful
thing I've ever seen. Just look at the dress she's wearing now.
Those laces in the front, see them? Those are the ones that tie so
she doesn't have to have help getting in and out of it. Isn't that
wonderful? Her seamstress, Katherine, is fantastic. I can't wait to
see what she comes up with for Serena's ball gown.” She stops long
enough to open the door. “I'm glad you're here to help. We've so
many things to do.”

Something is weird with Cynthia as
well. She's always chatty, but not to the point of excluding
other's from the conversation completely. Doesn't she think
anything about Bethany's pain?

“
I'm glad, as well,” I
say, forcing myself to be heard over Cynthia's next sentence. “In
fact, I'd be rather lost without you.” We reach the top of the
stairs and enter the house. The Chancellor is nowhere in sight.
Blast him.

“
I'm glad to be here,”
Bethany says, her voice betraying her pain.

“
Good.” I don't want to
leave, but can't help if I stay. “Now I'm afraid I must attend to
something for just a moment, then I'll be back and we'll get you
settled properly.”

Bethany nods, her face
pale.

Cynthia gives me a look, part
curiosity and part upset. She says. “Don't worry, I'll see to
her.”

“
Thank you.” And I'm off.
I'm being a bad hostess, but I can't worry over it. I stop the
first servant I see. “Do you know where Master Zade
went?”

“
To his room. Just a few
minutes ago.”

I hurry passed him to Chancellor
Zade's section of the house. Once I reach his door, I pound on it.
A moment passes. I knock again. I'll give every bit of freedom I've
tried to gain if it means he'll help her. He opens the door, takes
one look at my face, and opens the door wider. “Come in. Have a
seat. I thought you would be longer with your sister. Is everything
all right?”

Not bothering to move from the
doorway, I fall to my knees. My dress pulls downward but instead of
adjusting it, I clasp his hands. Touching him feels wrong, but I'm
desperate. Plus, the anchor may help my shaking. He's so high above
me. It would probably work better if I lowered my head, but I'm
afraid he won't hear me. He's so tall.

“
What are you doing? Get
off the floor.”

“
Chancellor
Zade.”

“
Just Zade, and please,
please get off the floor.”

I don't move from my kneeling position
but give in to his other demand “Zade, I know you have no reason
to, but I beg of you to please help my sister. She hasn't said
anything, but I know Father's punished her. She's limping. She's
trying to hide it, but she's in pain. So much pain.”

And it's all my fault.

My eyes fill with tears, but I blink
them away before they can make him angry at my weakness.

He kneels in front of me, our hands
still clasped. “Serena, you don't have to beg. You only have to
ask. I don't know if I can fix it, but I will try. Where is
she?”

Relief fills me so violently, I
collapse on the floor. “The parlor.”

He helps me stand and keeps an arm
around me, steadying me, as we head to the parlor. It's not life
threatening, but it feels urgent. My sister is hurting and I wasn't
there to keep it from happening.

When we get to the tea room, Zade
opens the door and ushers me inside. Cynthia's next to Bethany
biting her lower lip. Bethany rests in a chair with her head
relaxed against it, her eyes closed. I cross to her side and Zade
follows. As we near, she opens her eyes and gives a polite smile.
Though the pain isn't as obvious as before, her face is still
masked. Sitting must help.

“
It's nice to finally meet
you, Bethany. Your sisters have talked a lot about you.”

“
And you as well,
Chancellor.”

“
Your sisters care a great
deal for you. In fact, Serena mentioned she noticed you had a bit
of a limp. Could I take a look? I'll need to take your ungloved
hand, if you'll allow. It's easier to detect and heal injuries that
way. Nothing more.”

“
I'm feeling better since
I sat down. You needn't worry yourself over me.”

I give her shoulder a squeeze. “Would
you please let him? It would make me feel better and I'll be right
here with you.”

Her head hangs. For a moment the room
is silent. Finally, she lifts it. “Father did say Chancellor Zade
was over me while here.”

“
That's right. We can't
have it any other way.” I keep my hand on her shoulder as Zade
ambles over. After removing her glove, she holds her hand out to
him. Slowly, he takes it in his own and concentrates on the
floor.

Time passes. More than I expected.
Cynthia's face is scrunched with worry.

Beneath my hand, Bethany relaxes. Deep
blue sparks dance across her. It looks more like a hex than a
healing spell. I want to scream, but the lines are easing from her
face. It's the only time I've ever asked for one of my sister's to
be spelled instead of taking the hex for them. Yet, whatever he's
doing must be helping, not hurting. I force myself not to
move.

After a few minutes, the sparks
disappear and Zade releases her hand. She stirs and opens her
eyes.

“
You're going to be pretty
tired,” he says. “Rest here a while and then let Cynthia show you
to your room. I'll have cook send something to eat. We'll have
dinner together when you're feeling better.”

“
Thank you,” Bethany says
and closes her eyes again.

Zade glances at Cynthia. “If you need
help, let one of the servants know.”

“
I will.”

After watching me a moment, he leaves
the room. Bethany's breathing deepens. Cynthia and I move to the
side of the room.

“
I think she fell asleep,”
I say.

Cynthia nods. “He's a good-hearted
man.”

Watching Bethany sleep, I can't help
but feel the same. There has to be something to his statement that
he wouldn't hurt us. Not only has he stayed true to it before he
even made the promise, but he's gone farther by healing her.
Something sparks within me.

Chapter
Twenty-Three

I
head for my room, but decide to search Zade out instead.
Bethany was right to thank him and I should do the same. Is he back
in his room or did he go to the study or gardens? The study is a
place I'd prefer to avoid. Since he was in his room when I sought
him out before, I head that way. A few hallways later, I find him
staring at a portrait on the wall.