Страница 21 из 146
I get to my feet and dust off the bottom of my too-short minidress-slash-skirt. I have to admit I want to hear what they’re saying. I cross the room and take my way winding through the crowd that remains.
I sidle up to the two men engaged in furious conversation in the corner of the room. They haven’t noticed I’m approaching, and so I move ever so silently closer, trying to stealth in on their chat.
“It should be obvious which one he is,” the prelate is murmuring. “The question is, what do we do about it?”
“What we have to,” the soldier—my old owner—says. “If she can’t be controlled, and he can’t be swayed, Aventine might be better off…”
I accidentally kick a half-eaten piece of fruit that squelches against my foot as I move forward, and both men look over at me. Shit. I smile brightly, putting on my most vapid expression so they won’t see the fear pounding in my heart. I don’t understand most of their conversation, but I’m pretty sure it’s not good news. “Hi. The god is ready to go to sleep for the night. Is there a room prepared for him?” And just because I can’t help but be a little catty toward these two jerks, I add, “Something appropriate for his amazing godhood, of course.”
Both men exchange a look. Neither one moves from their shadowy corner. “My rooms are the finest in this temple,” the prelate says after a moment. “I can have them readied for him. And you? What do you require?”
They stare at me so hard that I feel like I’m on the spot. I get the sense that this question is loaded. “Like…sleep-wise? I’m pretty sure he wants me to sleep with him. In his room,” I add because that might sound a little slutty. Truth be told, I thought I’d be getting into this gig and doing that sort of thing to save my hide, but so far Aron of the Cleaver has shown zero interest in my person. It’s kind of a relief…if only he wasn’t so insulting about it.
“Sleep-wise or anything else,” the prelate says. “Do you require money? Wealth? Jewelry? Do you like pretty things?” He smiles creepily.
At first, I’m insulted. Is he asking if I like shiny objects because I’m a fucking girl? Then I realize there’s a far more sinister aspect to this. I’m being bribed. At some point, because I’m now attached to that sparking, pale asshole of a god, I’ve become important. I can switch allegiances and go with these guys and whatever nefarious shit they have pla
All I have to do is work with these two.
I consider it for a brief, shining moment. Aron hasn’t won any love from me. Guy’s an enormous dick and loves to make me feel small on a regular basis, and I’ve only known him for a few hours. I don’t have anything in this world and these two are offering me safety and security…sort of.
But then I think of how Aron saved the lives of all the blonde slaves. Maybe there’s something under that asshole exterior after all. I’ve been brought here for a reason, and Aron’s that reason—I think. I can’t betray him. Not when he saved me, too. He could have looked me up and down like the prelate did, sneered at me, and picked a different blonde. Instead, he tied himself to me and me to him.
I might be a lot of things, but I’m not a traitor. “I’m good, thanks.”
Their expressions grow cold. Shuttered. The prelate nods. “So be it. I will have my slaves prepare the chambers for the Lord of Storms.”
“Spiffy. I’ll tell him.” I keep the bright smile on my face though everything in me is screaming to run away. This feels…wrong. I can’t quite shake the feeling that these two are going to try something, and I need to be aware of it.
Aron does, too.