Chapter 38: Convincing Sonia

“What do you mean?” Sonia asked. “Of course he’s your mate. That’s why you’re here.”

Lavinia wanted to retreat, to find a way to change the subject and forget the whole thing. If Sonia found out she and Isaac were not there to celebrate, she could tell Marco and they would never be able to get Arabella free. But at this point, they had said too much. Lavinia looked at Arabella waiting for her to say something first.

“Marco wants me to be his mate,” Arabella said slowly. “I don’t know if he feels something instinctually or if he just made a decision.”

“He must feel something,” Sonia persisted. “This is one of our most sacred rituals. You can’t just claim that someone is your mate. Are you sure you don’t-”

“I don’t feel anything,” Arabella dropped all pretense. “I didn’t want to come here with him. He took me from Astor Manor. Threatened me with-”

“Marco wouldn’t do that. He isn’t that sort of person.”

“Sonia, that’s why Isaac and I came,” Lavinia siad. “We came here to rescue Arabella.”

“There’s nothing to rescue her from. She’s right here, unharmed. She isn’t trapped anywhere, she isn’t being physically held against her will. If Marco was up to something he wouldn’t just let her go out where he cant’t watch her.”

“No, he wouldn’t,” said Arabella. “That’s why you’re here. To keep an eye on me while he keeps Isaac busy.”

“But he knows I wouldn’t help him hold you here against your will.”

“Maybe he assumed we wouldn’t risk telling you.”

Sonia was quiet. She looked between the two of them, looking for any chink in their united front. Her brother, like Isaac, had a reputation. Though in comparison, the rumors about Marco were far less specific. Isaac was known as the more bloodthirsty of the two, Marco was far more elusive. While he was more threatening in a bodily capacity when compared to the slender Isaac, his actions tended to be more sly. She never would have suspected that Marco would do something like this, but Sonia could not see why Lavinia and Arabella would lie.

“Will you help us?” asked Lavinia?

“What?”

“Your brother is trying to bind me to him and his pack,” Arabella started to pull the herbs out of her hair. “You yourself talked me through the ritual. Once it’s over I’ll have no escape, right?” Arabella did not wait for an answer. “We have to stop this before it’s too late.”

“Then why not just leave now?” Sonia asked. “We’re nowhere near the castle. Any guards on our property would be out of range. You could just go.”

“And leave Isaac here?” Arabella shook her head. “I can’t. Lavinia and I discussed running, but we can’t. I don’t want to risk it. I can’t get trapped here. No offense.”

“Is there any chance your family will help us?” asked Lavinia. “Your father seems pretty earnest.”

“No. No way,” said Sonia. “No matter how nice he seems, his true loyalty will always be to his immediate family. Even if he knows Marco is lying he would still take his side.”

“Sonia, can I ask you something?” Lavinia questioned. She waited for Sonia’s nod before continuing. “Why do you believe us?”

Sonia did not answer immediately. She ran her finger through her thick hair, starting to pull it up into a high ponytail. “I’m not really sure. I suppose part of it is that this would be a wildly dangerous thing to lie about. What would you possibly have to gain? And,” she smiled, “I think my prospects are better with you two. I see a future on your board of trustees after you are in debt to me.”

Arabella smiled. “That’s something you’ll need to take up with Isaac, not me.”

“Oh I intend to,” Sonia clapped her hands together. “Well, we need to sort some things out then. First of all, these herbs are all wrong for what we’re doing. Everything we’ve picked is for happiness and marriage and what not. The yarrow can stay, but the lavender has got to go.”

“Won’t they notice the plants are different?” asked Lavinia, still picking leaves out of Arabella’s hair.

“You’re right,” Sonia considered for a moment. “Here’s what we’ll do. We will redo her hair. Rebraid it with new herbs for protection and courage. There are a few that can even repel my kind, so I’ll need to stay away. But it should help with Marco. Then we will make a separate crown out of the traditional herbs to cover our work. It will need to be large in order to cover it.”

“Just tell us what to pick.” Said Arabella. “Oh and Sonia?” She reached out and took her hand. “Thank you.”