perfect.
When I got to my room, I slammed my bedroom door shut, stripped, and threw everything in the laundry before stalking to the bathroom.
Like an old ghost film, my image in the mirror flickered between the real me and the sick me. The sick me didn’t look as wan as before, but my hip bones still protruded grotesquely. In both copies, I wore Piepen’s glowing mark right between my breasts, and my eyes were completely black again. While I was grateful there were no new marks, I was still too angry to manage any state of calm to force my eyes back to their usual color.
Turning away from all the reminders of why my life was a big pile of bull poop, I started the shower. Barely a moment after the water warmed, someone knocked on the door.
“Eliana, darling, I know you’re upset. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Why? So you can tell Adira? No thank you. Please leave.”
Stepping under the water, I let the scalding temperature burn away my shame. Then, I washed from head to toe until the only hint of earth and rain that remained was in my mouth. Even that didn’t linger after a good brushing.
Calmer, I wiped the steam from the glass and looked at myself again. Normal body. Normal eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door.
Adira stood by the window. My anger quickly flared back to life.
“I’m in no mood for your subtle threats and manipulations, Adira. Save them for another time and leave.”
Fist curled around the edge of the towel I’d wrapped around my torso, I turned and stalked into my closet for clean clothes.
“I didn’t believe your mother and needed to see for myself. Will you tell me how you managed to coerce a dryad? They’re very reclusive creatures.”
Seething, I ripped open drawers and grabbed clothes at random. Threads snapped in the seams as I yanked the pieces on. Why did she always need to be right there, constantly involved in everything? She’d at least had the sense not to follow me into the closet. Given my current mood, I might have tried killing her with a hanger.
Once I was dressed, I stalked out of the closet.
“Are you going to answer me?” she asked.
“No.”
I grabbed the coat I’d tossed on the bed and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Use your stupid tracking spell to find out. Isn’t that what it’s for?”
I left the room, slamming the door again. The satisfaction I felt shriveled as I walked away. My display of temper would do nothing but provoke Adira and the Council. Yet, Fenris said not to play their games their way. Where exactly did that leave me?
I jogged down the stairs and made my way to the kitchen. Mrs. Quill was still there. She quietly watched me drape the coat over one of the seats at the island.
“Oanen’s coat is dirty, but I didn’t want to throw it in with the regular laundry.”
“That’s fine. You can leave it with me, and I’ll have it cleaned.” She studied my black eyes, and I saw the hesitancy in her own.
“Thank you.” I started to turn away, but her next words stopped me.
“It’s tearing me apart to see you so unhappy. Please, Eliana. Talk to me. You used to tell me everything.”
“Hardly,” I said. “Even before the Council manipulated my mother’s presence here, I knew that what I said was never just for your ears.”
“I only ever repeated what was necessary to help you.”
I looked over my shoulder at her.
“I never asked for help. What I needed was someone who understood me. But no one here is interested in taking the time to do that.” Her eyes started to water. “I’ll be home after dark.”
Pretending to be unaffected by Mrs. Quill’s tears and walking away wasn’t easy. I’d hurt her. But more than that, I’d hurt myself by openly acknowledging the truth. I’d wanted her to be there for me, and she hadn’t been. My mom, for all of her peculiarities, was the only one actually trying to understand now. That was more than anyone else had ever done.
My anger left me as I started the car and backed out of the garage.
I was a succubus. I should have people vying to spend time in my presence. Instead, I lacked a single friend or confidant.
With tears gathering in my eyes, I thought of Megan and stopped at the end of the driveway to call her.
“Hey, Eliana. I was going to