Raymond flicked his gaze to Alis in question, receiving a short nod in return. I should have seen it coming, but I still vastly underestimated the potted plant: I was backhanded across the face.
A sharp sting erupted across my cheek, and a couple drops of warm blood trickled down my face from where his large ring split my skin. I caught the blood with the back of my hand before any could drip to the ground below.
I could get myself out of this mess; I couldn’t fight being possessed by the Shadows again so soon. That frightened me more than Alis and his friends did.
“What’s wrong with your blood?” Alis asked in disgust, noticing the black color.
I lifted a shoulder. “Been dabbling in black magic.”
His expression grew intrigued at that, but he didn’t ask any more questions about it. “I will not hit my future pledged. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have someone do it for me.”
I wanted to laugh once more. It was an itch I desperately wanted to scratch. But I really didn’t want to be hit again; that had really hurt, so I only dryly replied, “How courteous of you.”
The man behind me scoffed. “I do not know why you want this woman, Alis. I can think of one good use for her, but she will drive you mad before you can get there.”
Alis shot him a look. “Don’t speak of her that way.”
My Prince Charming . . .
The man put his hands up, taking a step back behind me.
“I wish I could get your acceptance of free will so that we could go into our pledging with a clean slate, but if I have to force you to swear your agreeance to me then so be it.”
“I hope you have a lot of time, then.”
He raised a brow.
“Because you’ll be here forever. I won’t do it.”
He closed his eyes with a sigh, then waved his hand toward Raym
ond, who backhanded me once again. The sting spread across my face like little needles, the scratch in my cheek splitting further open.
I turned my head back around slowly, hate seeping into my chest with each heartbeat, and pinned my hard gaze on Alis. “If you wish to be a successful villain, there is something that you should know.”
He raised an intrigued brow, that stupid piece of straw still bit between his teeth.
“Make sure there aren’t any more corrupt ones in the vicinity. It’s the number one rule.”
“I thought that was being mad,” Weston returned, walking into the area like he washed laundry here daily.
“I suppose you’re right.” I lifted an indifferent shoulder. “It’s worked for you.”
All of the men froze as if there was a sudden chill that blew in, watching the Titan Prince with stunned uncertainty. Stunned at what I said, even more stunned that Weston only glanced at me with amusement.
Alis’ posture stiffened, the straw dropping from his mouth, while looking from me to the Titan. Confusion waged in his eyes. All I felt was a sweet relief because as much as I wished otherwise, I hadn’t quite thought of an idea to get out of this mess . . .
To my surprise, Weston looked . . . sane, as if he’d gotten ahold of the madness between now and last night. Involuntarily, the weight on my chest drifted away. “Don’t you look well this afternoon! I thought for sure you’d taken ill after yesterday. Your appearance was . . . quite worrisome.”
Weston chewed on his cheek thoughtfully, holding back a smile. “I’m feeling much better today. Thank you.” His eyes wandered down to the cut on my cheek, his gaze darkening as he rubbed a thumb across his bottom lip—a behavior I’d thought was to keep his hands busy. But I vaguely noticed his reaction, because I was still trying to process Weston saying the words ‘Thank you.’
‘Pardon me’ and now ‘Thank you’—who was this man?
The air was tense, quiet, filled with the questions of how this was going to play out, and why a person of Weston’s status would know me at all.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced, milord,” Alis said to Weston.
“Don’t believe so,” Weston replied, but he didn’t make the slightest movement to introduce himself, only swept his gaze around the area. He nodded his head in my direction. “What did she do? Talk back?”