Page 38 of Blood and Roses

"She is still a brat, except now it's tied up in the body of a willful woman," Balthasar said as he poured another drink. "She'll want to know about her family soon. I suggest you be the one to tell her. She thinks you don't like her now that she is grown up."

"I am the King of Albion, so I like no one," Eli said firmly. "Although I believe I do need to intervene. Pearl will be punished for this, but right now, I need to show the clans solidarity. I need you to check your feelings about this matter and trust my judgment."

"I want to tear her head off."

"You would lose Lily."

"She would recover."

"We don't recover in our long lives. We bury, and we forget, but we do not recover." Eli pinched the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps it's my fault. I refused to turn her for Lily, and in letting her turn Pearl on her own, something has broken in the girl's head. You have all been cooped up here for weeks, so it's no wonder she makes trouble. I have to make one final trip to London, so I'll take them with me to hunt and do whatever they need to do to blow off steam."

"And me?"

"You will stay here and oversee the preparations for the Gathering. I don't trust any of the others enough to see that it is done correctly. The way they have been behaving, I wouldn't trust them with the servants either. I had to compel another girl before dismissing her this morning because of Saul."

"He's doing it because he wants your attention, Father. Give it to him. You made him, and now you are too busy for him. He wants to be a part of something, so let him. Take him with you to some of your meetings with the clan leaders. Let him charm them like he used to charm the Russian courts. Don't let him be corrupted by Pearl and Lily's shallowness," Balthasar urged.

Eli patted him on the shoulder. "You're a good son and an understanding brother. I will think on it. Let me worry about Pearl and Lily."

"Rosa seems to think that there is something more behind her mischief. Pearl's actions might not be as petty as you think. I'd watch her closely while you are away, Father. You wouldn't have to stretch your imagination to believe she could plot behind Lily's back as well as our own."

"Clever Rosa. She has the Wylt trait of seeing through the shadows to the heart of things. Thank you for saving her tonight."

"No thanks is needed. Rosa is stubborn, but she's absolutely fearless. I have no doubt she would chastise you as vigorously as myself if you gave her half a chance." Balthasar smiled. "She's incredibly frustrating, but I like her."

"Make sure that she heals properly. I think we need to do something for her to make up for this. It's not the way I wanted her homecoming to be." Eli frowned. "I will tell her about the Wylts. For now, I leave Gwaed Lyn and the preparations to you. Ysbrydnos is a week away, and I want everything perfect."

In her dream,Rosa could hear knocking at her door. She walked down her stairs in a daze, but her living room was gone. A forest had sprung up, and the darkness seeped towards her like fog, twisting around her ankles and up her body as it threatened to swallow her.

A voice was calling to her, the ghost of a woman pursuing her. She tried to outrun it, following the dull beat of the knocking door. Shoving aside the last of the thick branches, Rosa reached out for a door. She pulled it open, and Balthasar was there,lifting her up in his arms. His hands were in her hair, and just as his lips were about to be on hers, Rosa woke with a jolt. Someone was knocking on the door, and her heart leaped to her throat.

Rosa climbed quickly out of bed, wincing as her aching body protested with every step. She hobbled down the stairs and ran a hand through her rumpled hair. Rosa put a hand on the door, took a steadying breath, and opened it.

"Good afternoon, Miss Rosa. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Eli! Ah, Mr. Vane. I'm sorry. Just hang on one moment." Rosa found her robe to cover up her bunny rabbit flannel pajamas.Lucky you cleaned up last night, she thought as she opened the door. "Come in, please. Can I get you some tea?"

"That would be lovely," he said as he ducked his head to get under the door frame. He was six foot five of lean stately gentleman. If she didn't know the truth, she could have easily believed that Balthasar was Eli's son. Both had impossible cheekbones, height, dark hair, and suits that appeared never to crease. They even had a similar, powerfully calm aura that brought everyone into heel whether they wanted to or not.

"How are you feeling after yesterday's...misadventures?" Eli asked tactfully as he accepted the tea from her. She sat down on the sofa opposite to him, cradling the cup in her hands.

"Sore, but I would've been much worse off if Balthasar hadn't found me," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.Stop thinking about the dream. His dad is here, and he can probably read your mind.

"I do believe you are recovering better from your ordeal than he is. I spent most of the night trying to convince him not to tear Pearl's head off." He smiled, but Rosa knew that he meant it.

"To be honest, I rather feel like killing her myself."

"She tends to bring that out in most people. I believe, despite her preference for the same sex, she has always wanted to impress Balthasar, or get him to fall in love with her at least. Shehas spent the last seventy years trying to win him over. Her ego did not take it well that he seems to enjoy your company."

"That's hardly my fault. I didn't do anything to Pearl personally as you pointed out."

"You didn't have to. I would, however, caution you against letting Pearl's assumptions affect your own feelings towards my son."

"What feelings?" Rosa snorted. "We are friends at a stretch. Isn't friendship why you have surrounded yourself by Wylts your entire long life?"

"In part," Eli lifted his tea to his mouth, "but it was evident by your expression when you opened the door that it wasn't me you expected to find on your doorstep."

"I have to admit I'm surprised that you would bother to check up on me. Why are you worried? What's wrong?"