Within These Wicked Walls(55)

But the journey had given me plenty of time to think. If I was going to cleanse Magnus, we would have to find a way to release the hyena. Which meant we would need a well-thought-out plan … and a willing volunteer.

Esjay could help with that, I was sure of it. Of course, he wouldn’t be the volunteer, but he probably had connections, someone who could help. My first thought was Kelela, but there was no way she’d volunteer or he’d allow it. Which was a shame, because I would’ve loved to see her sweat a little, for once.

I was only a few yards from the castle when the door swung open. Peggy stood in the doorway, hands on her hips. I sighed, wiping sweat that threatened to drip off my chin.

“Where have you been, child?” she scolded, blocking the entire entryway so I couldn’t get in.

Momentum had been the only thing keeping me from needing to sit, and now between the heat and lack of water on the trip I felt like I might collapse. “I sent word to Magnus that I’d be a few days.”

“You did no such thing. What you did was take the coach without permission, then send it back to us with nothing inside but a few bags of supplies. We thought you’d died out in the desert somewhere.”

“Did you mourn me, Peggy?” I gathered a bit more strength and shoved past her into the house. The cold felt good for a moment, but I’d need to get a sweater on quickly. My body didn’t seem to like the extreme heat exhaustion followed by the bitter cold, and I suddenly felt nauseated.

“And I’ll bet you convinced Emma to run away with you,” Peggy went on, following me to the stairs. “I read the note she left on her bed. Ungrateful girls, both of you.”

“Emma’s husband is dead.” The conversation was over as far as I was concerned, so I rushed up the stairs before her look of shock could turn into a response.

I looked at Magnus’s bedroom door, then rushed into my room. I didn’t want to greet him covered in sand, as silly as that sounded. I dropped my sandy clothes in one corner to consolidate the mess, then scrubbed myself clean, my impatient heart thumping in my temple. My hair might’ve had some sand left, but I was too eager to worry about it, braiding it into a crown.

I heard rushed footsteps, and then my doorknob jiggled, followed by a knock on the door. “Andromeda?”

“Magnus!” I slapped my hands over my mouth. Too eager, Andi. “U-um, just a minute.”

I dressed in my wool skirt and sweater quickly, blushing as I pulled on my stockings. Magnus would’ve barged right in while I was naked. Thank God I had locked the door.

When I opened the door Magnus was right there waiting, beaming like a little boy. “Welcome home, Andromeda.”

Images of my dream flashed in my head and I closed my eyes to be rid of them. I jolted, feeling a cold hand against mine, opening my eyes in time to see Magnus bring the back of my hand to his lips and kiss it.

“I didn’t expect you so soon,” he said. “Your present isn’t here yet.”

“You didn’t have to buy me anything.”

“Of course I did.” He reached out his hand and my breath caught. The warmth of his hand near my face was … overwhelming. A tingle went through my scalp as his fingertips admired my braid. “Esjay and Kelela are bringing it when they come for lunch. They should be here any minute.”

The mention of Kelela made my stomach ache. I stepped out of his grasp. “That will be nice for you.”

“This is better,” he said, though didn’t close the space between us. He leaned his head on the door and grinned. “I missed you.”

“You shouldn’t say that.”

“You can’t still be mad at me.”

“You’re engaged, Magnus.” He scoffed, but I held up my hand against him speaking. “You must be content to be acquaintances. A friendly, working relationship.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, leaning closer. “Look me in the eye and tell me you’re content with that.”

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath before looking him square in the eye. “I am content to maintain the dignity of not giving myself to a man who is spoken for.”

Magnus groaned as if my words had physically hurt him. “I want you, Andromeda.”

“No,” I said sternly, stepping back.

“And you want me.”

“I don’t. Not like this.”

Magnus huffed in frustration, pushing curls out of his face. “Even if I was engaged—which I’m not, by the way—that is not a legal union. I could break it off whenever I like.”

I saw Peggy heading toward the door—Esjay and Kelela must’ve arrived—and lowered my voice. “Then break it off.”

“There’s nothing to break, Andromeda,” Magnus said, and I shushed him and dragged him into my room. “That’s what I’m trying to make you understand.”

“If it were only Kelela being spiteful, I would believe you. But Esjay is also under the impression you’re engaged. What reason does he have to lie?”

“In what galaxy is a verbal promise from a boy whose voice still cracks legally binding?”

“You promised her and then never took it back. It’s your integrity in question.”

“I’ll take it back at lunch, then, if that will make you feel better.”