You Are Mine (Mine #1)(80)
Councilman Daniel meets my eyes, his brows drawn. Blast. I shouldn't have told her.
“Sorry, Daniel,” Zade says. My chest tightens. He has yet to look at me. “I didn't think this would affect anyone but Serena.”
“Don't worry about it. I've been meaning to tell her, but never knew how. If anything, I'm grateful she's knows.”
I step back from them. Never have I seen a man and woman act as such. Something about it pulls at me. I feel as if I broke Annabelle. Broke her sunny disposition. Broke the way things are done. Broke everything.
Whether Councilman Daniel would have told her or not, Annabelle wouldn't be in tears right now if it weren't for me. I'm surprised he hasn't punished her yet. Then I realize, she always calls him by just his first name, not his title. And they're entwined in such a sweet way. Her fingers clasped behind his neck. His arms wrapped around her. He's whispering things in her ear. Perhaps there are others more like Zade than I thought.
Watching them feels like I'm spying on something I shouldn't. He rubs her back and says things too quiet for me to hear. She clings to him, tears trickling to a stop.
Zade moves closer, no longer ignoring me. “Are you all right? He hit you pretty hard.”
My stomach's fine, but is the rest of me all right? No. Never will I be again. Especially if something happens to him. “Fine.”
“No you're not.” His hands are fisted at his side, jaw clenched. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Which part? I bring up the least bothersome of my problems, though it still seems like too much. “The new tarnished law, when will it start?”
“I meant talk about the sacrifice, how you're feeling.” Not a word about the threat. Maybe he doesn't know I heard. “I didn't tell you because I wanted to see your genuine reaction. I'm sorry. It was wrong. I should've said something.”
Would knowing about it beforehand change how hard it was to go through?
He puts a hand on his hip. “The law will happen when the Grand Chancellor decides. No other really knows.”
I stay silent, contemplating.
“I didn't mean to stop your question, it just surprised me. Is there anything else you want to know?”
Lots of things. Coming here raised more questions than expected. Mostly I want to know how serious Chancellor Ryan was, but I stick to the easier topic. “Are the tarnished who are causing the problems really going to participate?”
“Many will have to participate because they have no way to earn money and pay taxes. But those causing the problems, it's doubtful they will.”
“Then why bother with the compromise? It doesn't make sense.”
“It's just a way to sneak the law in. They've been fighting the tougher law for so long, that the weaker law now looks good. The Grand Chancellor can act on it without anyone trying to usurp him.”
“Is someone trying to take over?”
“He's aware some are unhappy with the way things are,” he says. “And by doing it here, it makes Daniel appear in support of the law. The Grand Chancellor knows what he's doing with this law. It'll probably grow harsher after people get used to it.”
“So, things will keep getting harder for the tarnished.”
“Do you think that's a good thing or a bad?”
Before my name was entered in the marriage pool, it would have meant nothing. Now I know how much it means. “Why didn't you vote against it?”
Immediately his expression becomes guarded. “I couldn't.”
“Did you want to?”
After checking to see where the others are, he bends toward me. “Yes.”
This makes sense with the way he's acted, but why wouldn't he say so in front of the council? Warlocks always say whatever they want, at least, I thought they did. Why is he different?
“The green in your eyes. I've never seen anything quite like it.”
It's suddenly hard to breathe. “My eyes are brown.”
He leans down, closer. “Yes, but there's a ring of green in the middle of them.”
I've never noticed. No one's ever noticed. At least not that they've told me.
“Guess none of us are hungry,” Daniel says.
I jump away from Zade desperately trying to get some air.
Zade is just like he always is, not affected by whatever it is that struck me. “No. We best be on our way. Thank you for taking care of Serena.”
“It's not a problem. Thank you for bringing her,” Daniel says.
“Yes, thank you.” Annabelle smiles. “I'll see you soon, Serena.”
Though her eyes are still red, her cheerfulness is returning. Wish I hadn't broken it in the first place. “You're staying at our house for the ball?”
“We are.”
“We'll see you soon then.”
On the ride home, I can't help but think of the tarnished woman, the glazed look in her eyes becoming lifeless. It's easier than thinking of Chancellor Ryan's threat, and what it could mean to Zade and me. I'm not ready to contemplate it, but the sacrifice...It could have been Katherine on that table. She has to know what they're doing.
Chapter Thirty-Four