Darkness Embraced by Winter Pennington Read Free Book Online Page B

because you were afraid of what I would see in you?”
    She shook her head. “I do not know what you are talking about, Epiphany.”
    “I do,” Vasco said, moving around the side of the bed like some deadly panther. “You cast Epiphany out because you didn’t want her power letting her get too close to you. I knew you had the potential to be cruel, Renata. I never realized you were scared.”
    She seemed unexpectedly tired, as if the years were catching up with her. She rubbed her temples, much as I had done earlier. It was a strange gesture for her. “I never claimed to be cruel, Vasco.”
    “No,” he said.
    “You could’ve fooled me,” I said without thinking.
    “Once, you would have never spoken to me that way,” Renata said.
    “What do you want me to say?”
    “I do not want you to say anything. I am merely pointing out a fact.”
    “Does my newfound confidence bother you?”
    She seemed to consider it. “I am both proud and disappointed to see that you are stepping into your own.”
    I hadn’t expected her to be that honest with me.
    “But,” she continued, “I worry for you.”
    “Why?”
    “I do not believe you have the power to reinforce this newfound boldness.”
    “Do you speak truth, my lady?” Vasco asked.
    “I do.”
    “You do not think that Epiphany will pass the other challenges?”
    “No.” She gave a soft shake of her head, tresses slithering around her like a cloak. “Which is why I needed to test her power myself.”
    “If she could break your hold she could break the others,” Vasco murmured.
    “Precisely.”
    “And I failed at that,” I added.
    “Quite dreadfully,” she said with a little smirk.
    I held her gaze, resisting the urge to go to her, to feel her arms around me. “Vasco has a point.”
    “What point is that?”
    “You said you knew I wouldn’t want to fight you.”
    “I thought that might be the case,” she said tilting her head. “I was not certain.”
    “So now,” I said, “I am beginning to think this entire thing is a manipulative ploy in order to deflate my confidence so that I do indeed fail. Yet, what you gain by my failing I cannot fathom.”
    “She has been spending entirely too much time with you, Vasco.”
    Vasco gave a slight bow. “I enjoy her time, my lady.”
    “You would,” she said and there was some spitefulness in it. Spitefulness or jealousy, I wasn’t sure.
    “What does that mean?” I cut Vasco off before he could say anything.
    The look she gave me was long and hard. I realized in that moment that she didn’t like that Vasco and I spent so much time together.
    I actually laughed. “You’re jealous? You cast me out and now you’re actually jealous that I found one person among the Rosso Lussuria to call friend?”
    “I told you to stay out of my head, Epiphany. I will not ask you again.”
    “I’m not in your head, Renata. I’m in your heart. There’s a big difference.”
    She closed her eyes and I wondered if she were counting to ten.
    “You were never this frustrating to deal with.”
    “Everything changed when you cast me out.”
    “You act as if I completely deserted you, Epiphany.”
    “Didn’t you?”
    “Vasco,” she said, “tell her.”
    He put his fist over his heart and bowed. “You made me swear an oath never to tell her.”
    She waved it away. “You are free of your oath. Now tell her.”
    “Tell me what?” I stepped forward, resting my weight on the pad of my foot.
    “Epiphany,” Vasco said, “she did not desert you.”
    I stared at him, uncomprehending.

Chapter Four
     
    “Did you not think to question your friendship?” Renata asked.
    “No. Why would I? Vasco has shown me kindness. I do not question that.”
    “He showed you kindness because I appointed him as your protector,” she said. “I did not throw you to the wolves as you are so quick to accuse me of.”
    I wasn’t sure I believed it. Vasco stood and didn’t bother to say anything in his defense. “It’s true,