CHAPTER 81

CHAPTER 81
For several seconds, neither of us speaks. The night air hangs thick around the gazebo, carrying the scent of roses and cold stone. Then something occurs to me. Slowly, I narrow my eyes.

"Wait."

Cassian arches a brow.

"You keep talking as though you know exactly what happened." I cross my arms over my chest. "You weren't there. How do you know I locked Erin inside that house?"

"As if it matters,” he mumbles. 

"It matters to me."

Cassian exhales sharply. "Nico told me."

For a moment, I simply stare at him. "Nico..." I repeat.

“Why? Do you really think that Nico will not tell me about it?” 

A hollow laugh escapes me before I can stop it. Maybe the entire dinner was a joke to him.A performance to keep me relaxed while the noose tightened around my neck.

"What?" Cassian asks coldly. "Surprised?"

I let out another bitter laugh. "No. Of course not,” I mutter but I am really surprised. 

I almost believed Nico was different. I thought maybe there was a tiny piece of him that enjoyed helping me. A tiny piece that didn't see me as a toy. How pathetic!

"He sold me out."

Cassian's brows pull together. "Sold you out?" he repeats. "You committed an offense against the future Luna!” 

I look directly at him. "That's not the point!” I snap. 

His jaw tightens. "No. The point is that you deliberately endangered Erin! Wait, are you upset because Nico reported your actions to me?” 

"I'm upset because he's a liar!” 

Cassian studies me carefully. "He never claimed to be your ally."

He is right. Nico never promised me anything. Those were assumptions I made all on my own and now, I feel like a fool. 

Finally, Cassian straightens. "I've said what I came here to say. If you ever put your hands on Erin again, I won't overlook it."

I laugh humorlessly. "You mean if I defend myself again."

"Vivienne!” 

"No, let's be honest, Alpha."

I meet his gaze without blinking. "If Erin locks me in another building tomorrow, you'll ask whether she's comfortable before asking if I'm alive."

The muscle in his jaw jumps. For a second, I think he might deny it. He doesn't and that hurts more than my answer.  Cassian turns toward the exit of the gazebo. Then he pauses.

"Stay away from her,” he says.  

I stare at his back. "No. Tell her to stay away from me."

Without another word, he walks away. I remain standing there long after he's gone. The night suddenly feels colder and the food on the table has lost all flavor. My fingers curl into fists.

"Stupid," I whisper to myself.

For a few minutes, I stand motionless in the center of the gazebo, staring at the half-finished meal. The steak grows cold. The wine sits untouched. Somewhere beyond the gardens, footsteps come and go but I no longer care.

Nico can keep his dinner. He can keep his smirks and his clever little games. If he wants to explain himself, he can do it to someone else. I don’t wait for him to return.

Gathering what remains of my pride, I turn away from the table and leave the gazebo behind. The gravel crunches beneath my shoes as I walk back toward the servants’ quarters. By the time I reach my room, the anger has settled into something heavier. Betrayal. Disappointment. Foolishness. 

I lock the door, strip off my uniform, and collapse onto the narrow bed without bothering to undress completely. Sleep comes quickly, not because I am peaceful, but because I am spent.

When morning arrives, pale light spills through the cracked window and wakes me before the first bell rings. My body aches from yesterday’s labor, yet another ache pulls me from bed. Training. After everything that happened with Cassian, I need the training more than ever.

I wash my face, braid my hair tightly, and slip into the warrior’s uniform that was given to me before Erin arrived in the packhouse.  The servants are already moving through the corridors when I leave, carrying baskets and buckets, but I head in the opposite direction, toward the training grounds.

Cold air greets me as I step into the courtyard. The arena lies open beneath the morning sky, its dirt still marked with yesterday’s footprints. A few warriors are stretching near the weapon racks, and for a brief, foolish moment hope rises in my chest. I barely make it to my destination when one of the senior trainers intercepts me. 

He shifts uncomfortably. “The Alpha has postponed your sessions.”

My stomach sinks. “Postponed?”

“Training will resume soon,” he says carefully, avoiding my eyes. “Those are the orders.”

“And until then?”

He glances toward the main house. “Until then, you return to your assigned duties.”

I look past him at the empty center of the arena where I had nearly beaten Cassian twice.  “I understand,” I say, though I don’t. So, he was really serious about his order before. Anyway, I was just hoping he made a mistake.  

“Thank you,” I mumble and the trainer nods with visible relief.  

I turn away before anyone can see the frustration on my face. By the time I reach the path leading back to the servants’ wing, the first work bell is ringing across Crescent Moon.  

After having a quick meal, I go to work by scrubbing the stone steps of the eastern wing. I am doing my job pretty well when I hear Erin’s familiar voice. 

“You missed a spot.”

I don't look up. Instead, I keep scrubbing. I believe that if I ignore her long enough, maybe she'll just slither back to her room. But then again, Erin is never the type to back down quietly.

"You must feel special now, huh?" she sneers behind me. "Got off with just a warning, like a pampered little pet? After what you did to me, Vivienne? After you locked me inside that horrible place?"

Alright, I hear her, but I don't respond right away. Instead, I dip the brush back into the bucket and squeeze it until suds slip through my fingers.

“I'm talking to you, mutt!”

I stop, my fingers tightening around the brush. Then slowly, I look up at her. “If I'm a mutt,” I say coolly, “then you must be the mongrel they dressed in silk and pretended to be a lady.”

Her nostrils flare at my statement. Did I go overboard with that one?

“You think you're safe just because he didn't punish you?” she hisses.

“Safe? Says who? I will never be safe here, Erin, and you know that. So, what's your problem today?”

“Seriously, Vivienne? How can you act so nonchalant after what happened? You should apologize to me!” she demands, her hands planted on her hips like she's some queen issuing royal decrees.

I turn slowly, letting the bristles of the brush fall into the soapy water. My spine straightens. Then, my eyes meet hers, unflinching. “You want me to apologize?” I ask. “You mean after you locked me in that house for hours without food or water?”

She blinks, and that small pause in her expression says everything. She's guilty. But of course, she won't own it. “That was different!” she snaps.

“Different how?” I shoot back. 

She doesn't answer right away. She just can't. Instead, she stares at me because she knows she's losing this round. So, I use that moment to talk some sense into her.

“You want an apology?” I continue, every word a deliberate dagger. “Then get down on your knees and beg me for what you did first.”

“Are you crazy? You should be the one groveling for forgiveness right now, bitch!”

“You're not worth it, Erin,” I answer.

Her eyes flare. “You bitch—!”

She lunges, but I'm ready. Her nails come first, like claws aiming for my face, but I step sideways and catch her wrist midair. The impact jolts up my arm, but I hold on.

Then her other hand comes swinging toward me, but I duck just enough for her fingers to graze my cheek instead of slapping me hard. She's a monster, but I'm not in the mood to let her have her way.

So, I shove her back, especially when I can already feel the adrenaline surging through my veins like fire. Then, I smirk. She might be a bitch, but I'm a trained warrior. When I use just a little of my strength, she stumbles several steps backward.

“You really want to do this?” I ask, my teeth clenched and my chest heaving.

But Erin doesn't answer. Instead, she charges again. This time, she tackles me, and we crash to the ground. Her weight bears down on me, but I bring up my elbow and drive it into her ribs hard enough to make her gasp. We roll across the floor and my knees dig into the stone while her fingers claw at my arm.

“You don't belong here, Vivienne!” she hisses through gritted teeth. “You're nothing but a whore! A mutt!”

“And you're a pretty snake in lace,” I growl, flipping us over.

Then, I get on top and pin her wrists to the ground.

It's been a long time since I've had this kind of exercise, and a dark thrill races through me as I wonder who's going to win between us.

“I survived death, Erin. You think I'm afraid of you?”

Before she can respond, a roar suddenly thunders nearby.

“Enough!”