Page 20 of Aine
I shrug, unsure what she’s talking about.
“She moved into Damien’s guest bedroom.” Chloe scoffs. “It’s only temporary, but we all think he should’ve moved you into his home.”
“Oh,” I say, unfazed either way.
Honestly, I’m glad he put me in the cabin. It’s nice to have my own space, and I imagine he’s not exactly a fun person to live with.
I speed up as I spot the roof of Damien’s house. The cabin is too small to be seen from this distance, but after a few more seconds of walking, I’m able to pick out the wooden frame through the trees.
“Thank you so much!” I breathe out as we approach, grateful for the help.
Chloe waves away my thanks, her reaction tense as she tries to settle a very fussy child. Nia wiggles in her arms, and Chloe groans before giving in and setting her down. The second Nia’s feet hit the floor, she’s gone, running into the woods as fast as her chubby, little legs will take her. Chloe rolls her eyes before shooting me an apologetic smile.
“I’m happy to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever need something.” She laughs as her daughter disappears between the trees. “I should go find her.”
Without another word, she turns and runs off, her movements unnaturally lithe. It makes me uneasy, and I can’t stop staring until she’s out of sight.
It’s been a long day, and I need some time to decompress before figuring out what, precisely, my next steps look like. Running my fingers through my hair, I let out a low sigh before walking the rest of the way to my cabin. I spot Olivia standing in front of the rickety door as I round the side, her face flat as she fingers through a stack of papers in her arms.
“You look a lot better.” Her eyes widen as she notices me. “I heard Damien gave you two whole pints of blood.”
My cheeks warm, surprised she knows that. Apparently, it doesn’t take long for news to spread here. That’s something this place has in common with my old village.
“Yeah, it was nice of him,” I say dryly.
Her lips purse as she looks me over. “It was.”
I rock back on my heels as I wait for her to tell me why she’s here, my hands clamming up the longer she takes to answer.
“Yes, well, Damien sent me to give you the rundown on your new job,” she says.
A job? I expected to have one, but I assumed they’d give me more time to get adjusted before putting me to work. I’m willing to bet Damien giving me his blood moved things along.
Olivia’s eyes dart along the paperwork she holds, a low hum falling from her lips as she finds what she’s looking for.
“It looks like you’ll be working with Alex in the gardens.” She points in the direction of the fields Jenna took me to yesterday. “You’ll like Alex. He’s nice and is much less intimidating than the other beasts. You’ll find the gardens next to the training field. They’re hard to miss.”
I nod, feeling more than a bit overwhelmed. This is all so much at once, and I’m still struggling to digest the fact that I’m even still alive. I didn’t think I’d get to live to see today, but now here I am living in some dingy cabin with my body full of the blood of some strange man who’s claimed me as his mate.
Maybe I’m dreaming. That would make much more sense than this.
At least I’m getting a good job. I worked in the kitchens back in my old village, and when I fell out of favor, I was forced to do both the breakfast and dinner shifts. I hated it.
Olivia doesn’t stick around for long, the woman mumbling something about running late before she spins and scurries in the direction of Damien’s house.
The door to my cabin is open, and as I enter, I notice some things have been left on the table and bed. An oversized comforter has been placed on top of the thin mattress, and I smile as I feel the thick fabric. I’m glad I won’t have to endure another night of cold.
On the table is some food and clothing. I rush to the food first, so happy I could cry as I sift through the protein bars and fruit that’s been left for me. There’s also a bowl of nuts, and I grab a handful and shove them in my mouth.
I’ve been dreading the thought of having to go to the dining hall with everybody to eat, and this is enough to hold me over a few days.
Smiling, I shift my attention to the clothes.
I’ve been given two pairs of bottoms, and I scan them before changing into the short, black spandex ones. The material is lightweight and comfortable, and I hope will hold up while outside all day in the sun. I do wish they were a bit longer, the seams ending just an inch or two below my butt, but it’s better than nothing.
Looking through the tops, I grab and put on a red exercise tank, happy it has a built-in bra.
I hold back a smile as I look through the rest of the items, glad to find a few pairs of underwear and socks along with two other outfits. One is a dress I likely won’t ever have a reason to wear, but the other is a simple shirt and pair of shorts. I wish I’d been given pajamas, but beggars can’t be choosers.