Chapter 56: The Weight of Small Things
Ruelle could still feel the dull throb and heat emanating from her ear—and it wasn’t from the needle. It was from where Lucian’s fang had sunk in.
Her fingers hesitantly brushed against the spot, feeling the faint, lingering warmth. It wasn’t painful, yet something about it felt... different. Like a whisper of something foreign beneath her skin, something that didn’t quite belong to her.
Outside, the rain drummed softly against the windowpane, a steady rhythm against the cold stone walls.
She hadn’t expected him to bite her. Had it been necessary? To scare her, maybe. A flush crept up her neck, and she forced herself to shake the thought away. It wasn’t a big deal. Vampires bit people all the time. Still, she found herself watching him as he stood.
Clearing her throat, she murmured, "Thank you."
Lucian barely glanced at her.
"Don’t mention it," his tone was so nonchalant that for a brief moment, she wondered if it had even happened at all.
The candle on the chair flickered as he moved away, his presence still heavy in the air.
Ruelle exhaled and turned towards the long mirror. Opening the small velvet box, she studied the earrings her instructor had given her.
Tiny diamonds. Small enough to be unassuming, yet still undeniably expensive for someone like her. How generous though, she thought to herself. For all that Sexton demanded from humans, its generosity in return felt almost calculated.
Would they even be allowed to keep them after the assignment was assessed? Or was this another reminder of their place—something to give, something to take away? She sighed internally. It didn’t matter.