“No. I didn’t have much of a relationship with her, but that was neither her fault nor mine. It is a very long story,” he quickly added when he sensed she’d question him further on it. “One I will share with you some time. But not now.”
Wynter looked like she might press him, but then she dipped her chin. “Okay. If she’s a captive of sorts, is it because she sided with you in the war or something?”
“No. Eve’s gilded cage was created long before then. Unlike the other Aeons, she didn’t betray me or the other Ancients. She chose to stay neutral, all the while hoping everyone on both sides of the war would throw down their swords and wave a white flag.”
“Out of optimism or naïvety?”
“The latter, mostly.”
Wynter nibbled on her lower lip. “I guess I can understand why Lailah would think you’d jump at her offer.”
“I will personally retrieve Eve once I’m free, providing she wishes to come here. Given that Aeon is wasting away, I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t.”
“So this is what Ishtar meant when she said that the Aeons had something you want.”
“Yes. But I don’t believe that Ishtar truly thought I’d give you up to them in exchange for my mother or anything else. I think she simply wantedyouto believe it might happen. Sowing seeds of distrust is a favorite game of hers.”
“I have to say, I struggle to understand what it is about Ishtar that once appealed to you. Yeah, okay, she’s beautiful. But she’s also a pain in the ass.”
He pursed his lips. “She didn’t used to be so petty and vindictive. Those qualities crept up on her during our imprisonment. But she was always a person who needed to be the dominant figure in a relationship. I was never going to be a submissive partner. In that sense, we were each a challenge for the other. Challenges give you a reprieve from boredom.”
Wynter sniffed. “I guess.”
Cain bit back a smile at the slight note of jealousy in her voice. He didn’t think his little witch would appreciate that he liked it. “I didn’t care for her. She didn’t care for me either.”
“You sure about the latter? Because she seems intent on snagging you.”
“Ishtar has a habit of wanting what she can’t have. She pursues it because to actually obtain it would shine her ego and make her feel empowered.”
“And a part of her doesn’t like others playing with her old toys.”
“There’s a little of that, too.” Cain stroked a hand over her sleek, dark hair. “She’s no threat to what you and I have, Wynter. She never held even the slightest bit of appeal to me that you do.”
“Did you put one of those barrier things inside her?”
He shook his head, watching as some of the starch slipped from his witch’s shoulders. Once upon a time, his monster had wanted Ishtar plugged, but it hadn’t pushed Cain to do it, just as it hadn’t attempted to take the matter into its own hands. And Ishtar had hated that his creature showed no real possessiveness toward her.
“You know, you said this barrier you put in me would fade. It hasn’t.”
He smiled. “And how would you know? Tried pleasuring yourself again, did you?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Actually, no, I simply decided to check. You thoroughly see to my needs, which means I don’t have to do it myself nowadays.”
“I intend to see to them again once we get to my Keep. Or … perhaps I could do that right here before we—” He cut off as a crash came from above them that was quickly followed by muffled feminine oaths. “What was that?”
“Anabel, tell me you’re not testing shit on yourself again!” Xavier yelled from downstairs.
“I knocked over a lamp, that’s all!” the blonde shouted.
“You don’thavea lamp!”
Another crash, another female curse.
“Dammit, Anabel, don’t make me come up there!”
“Try it and I’llfryyou!”
Both continued to bicker loudly until a monstrous wild-cat roar split the air.