Chains of Silver (Alchemy Empire Book 1)

Chapter 16b

I strode down the hall, scrubbing fiercely at my tears. Vaguely, I heard another door open, but I didn’t look where I was going. I smacked into a solid, male chest. He grabbed my arms to steady me, and held me close. I knew it was him before he even spoke.

“Whoa.” Dietrich’s voice was low and calming. “What cranked your gears, Minx?”

All Nadine’s accusations flooded through me. I was so embarrassed I couldn’t even look at his face. Another tear slid down my nose, and I flicked it away. “I had a…discussion with Nadine just now.” 

“Ah.” 

And just like that, I felt this invisible wall go up between us. He stepped away, leaving the space between us as chilly as a winter draft. When I glanced up, he was looking down the hall toward Nadine’s door. 

Dread settled in my stomach like a stone sinking through deep water.

“I’m afraid this won’t make you feel any better,” he said, “but I need to apologize to you. I should not have asked you to dance with me last night.”

“Bloody hell. Not you too.” 

The way he was eyeing Nadine’s door, I wondered if she’d already given him the same scolding she gave me.

“She’s right,” he said, confirming my fears. “I’ve been stepping over the line with you, trying to help you. It’s unfair to you, and wrong.”

Wave after wave of humiliation pummeled me. “This is ridiculous. We danced. In public. That’s what a dance is for. Nothing happened.”

“It’s what happened in private that shouldn’t have.”

That sounded so intimate, and his eyes so intense, my breathing quickened. I knew he noticed, and it only made everything worse. I had to regain a little pride. I held my chin high. “Nothing important happened in private. Not between you and me. In fact, you want to know what I was doing in private last night? Kissing. And not you. I was kissing Raymond.”

His eyes widened the smallest bit. “Really?” A shade of uncertainty crept into his tone.

I nodded, advancing a step toward him. “Hot, steaming kiss. With tongue.”

He took a step back, his face unreadable. His eyes were dark and piercing.

“And I liked it,” I continued, my voice almost a growl. “I wanted him. Not you. Him. I wasn’t even thinking about you. I was thinking about how great it felt to kiss a chap and enjoy it. And not be afraid. And I wanted to do more than kiss. So did he. That’s what happened in private. And You. Weren’t. There.”

His shoulders tensed as if each of my words were physical blows. Hurt shadowed his face. “That’s…good. Good that you’re moving past whatever it was—”

“Stop it. Stop trying to fix me. I don’t need your help or your pity.”

“I’m not—”

“Stow it. I don’t have time. I’m going to spend the day with the fellow who doesn’t apologize for liking me. There’ll probably be more kissing involved. I’ll be very busy. See you at rehearsal.”

I stalked away from him. 

“I wasn’t trying to fix you!” he hollered after me.

I held up my palm like a wall and kept walking. I really did intend to find Raymond, and when I did, I was going to throw him against the nearest wall and kiss him senseless. Partly because I felt like it. Partly because everyone would hear about it, and then Nadine and Dietrich would see how cogged they were.

I didn’t even notice my surroundings until I was almost to the apprentice wing. I nearly ran over Arabella Monk, a seventh-year vicimorph who was the theater’s biggest gossip.

“You look awful, Minx!” She touched my arm, real concern in her eyes—but also a hunger for the next juicy story.

I stared at her, a sea storm churning inside me. So much for being good or noble. I’d rather be strong and fight back. She wanted a story? I had one for her. 

I let my eyes fill with tears. “I’m all right, I suppose.” I sniffled and blinked hard. “I just heard the most upsetting news, though.”

She made a sympathetic sound. “What happened?” Her tone was like honey. 

I shook my head, looking away. “I shouldn’t say. It’s too awful.”

“You know I won’t say a word.”

I wanted to laugh at that. But I just put more distress into my voice instead. “I can’t.”

She took my hand. “You know it’s better to talk to someone when something is troubling you.”

“You think so?” I let the words waver.

“Definitely. Please, tell me what upset you.”

“You mustn’t say a word.” I bit my lip, frowning.

“No. Of course I wouldn’t.”

I think we both knew we were both full of shit. But we went through the motions of being ethical anyway, for the sake of appearances.

“Very well.” I pulled her to a quiet corner in the hall. “I heard from a very reliable source that Miss Birdwell…well, she has an unfortunate family.”

Arabella’s face perked up. “How so?”

“It pains me to say it, but her mother is nothing more than a two-bit dollymop. Sells herself down at the docks.”

Arabella gasped. “How awful!”

“What’s more, I heard that Delphine herself has gotten into a bit of a money problem.” I gave Arabella a meaningful look. “And another apprentice who I cannot name says she’s been sneaking out in the evenings and not returning until almost morning.”

Arabella’s mouth dropped into a little “O.” “You think she’s—”

“I don’t know what to think. But it does make me wonder. Like mother like daughter, they say.”

“Oh my god.”

“I know. That’s why I’m so upset. Can you imagine being that desperate? Not that that’s what she’s doing, of course. But I can’t think of any good reason she would sneak out.”

“That’s so, so sad.” Arabella shook her head, but her body tensed.

I knew she was eager to leave me—so she could mull over this secret in private, of course.

“Promise you won’t tell. Miss Birdwell’s reputation would be utterly ruined if word got out.”

“I promise.”

I squeezed her hands, trying to ignore the pang of conscience. “Thank you—I really do feel much better.”

“Of course. Anytime.”

She rushed off, and I raced to my room and threw myself on the bed. Feel better? Hah. I only wished.

*******************

Oh Minx! You DIDN'T! Uh-oh...I have a very bad feeling about this... (*wink*)

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Next Thursday: Find out what the fall-out is from Minx's retaliation against Delphine. No quotes...I shall leave you in suspense. What do YOU think Delphine will do?

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