Chapter 10

Ivnes stared at the d11caa62c5 whiskey bottle, now empty 433b252d62 of its golden liquid. Then, she 93a3ec6f3a glanced at 65cec1bb7c the half-full 00c0cb1c8b bottle of ecd8e25722 dark amber eeded1ffe9 whiskey and cc222f74bf sighed.39a5dee51f2b7023

Maybe it was because f87a841097 she had downed such fc8a987810 high-proof alcohol back-to-back, but 0189dd8a20 her vision was starting b03cb6c258 to spin.f11e71dd1be6b6e8

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She frowned and 778196ff93 slumped into the 97b8c04da6 sofa, and Edwin f75e475940 sat down beside d47bebb7f0 her.1bf0872e78c08d93

As he 75ccaca9fd sat, the 77531de8bd whiskey in d4e5b2795b her crystal b35a911613 glass swayed, 83d0c606d5 nearly spilling 25852d1d0d over. Ivnes frowned at 5311885c69 the sight.835542518d46adff

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Still, with 5b9f9b8ef9 him blankly adc5d49cea staring at 03b00ae4f7 her like b40f879cd5 that, she 1e74360bfc figured he’d eaae866e11 say something 4be2fcb428 irritating if 56ec393433 she didn’t 05673ed4e1 do something, eceb55d270 so she 67dcb39a22 raised the aba800c409 glass to d0f3f285e4 her lips. Edwin, almost 456083e9d4 mimicking her, 6b49c5527d tilted his 197236867d glass and b9b6827404 took a 156f353bf0 sip.5fdfe519e505be36

Ivnes exhaled, 2f8b0e8215 the sharp 1a3658c9a9 pine scent 4030b11667 filling her eb0f3219b6 nose, and 1ed1e71b64 left her 8d86752809 drink half-finished.162ab7a7dc454203

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Across from her, Edwin 2d57730096 met her gaze as 88ae871cad he drained his whiskey. Her vision was blurred, 4d674f3d83 yet oddly sharp—it was f03c36ba12 disorienting, making her think 9929077dc4 she really was drunk 540c791e6b now.0acb751e45d2f12f

He was drinking 25e984433a while looking straight 9b6fcbcf16 into her eyes. She watched the 7fb700c18c thick column of 17a7644c8f his throat move c29d7ed16d with a gulping 03bf4b9eb3 sound, cast in 5bf0f93544 dark shadows by a25581641d the moonlight.e132dfa3b773455c

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“You didn’t finish, 1c5a282689 My Lady.”be1247fb386ef550

He smiled, d404bdccdf and Ivnes, b59d740aa9 with a 14c00dc4a3 sigh, downed 74db671fb0 the rest 2e81609407 of her 046549d32a drink. Seeing this, he e30193daaf smiled brightly, as dd17f3a139 if pleased, and b470b33f9f scooted closer. She could 97c5eae7ab feel his 657bfd74bc thick, muscular fca416b5d4 arm brush d7066e69cd against her 9868481ae7 left shoulder.fc2b70db5a9735d9

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“You still smell nice, f8cbc6964f My Lady.”217205a6889cb0e8

“What kind of scent?”585a97d553b85b1d

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Ivnes set down her e8fda6d158 glass but didn’t avert a99fcf9dc0 her eyes from his.549d288f443f6fce

“I’m not sure. Something sweet.”1be1a4432f7bad5e

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“You… smelled like 5030813ef0 alcohol…”5ea64376dc6c0594

Her voice 222764bfd9 trailed off bbde2f8eea as she a484d7e594 leaned in e4b6b5b819 to smell 0b38620421 him again—but de0e13d30b now, perhaps 963bfc237d from the 00cab8537f alcohol, she 64f2a0630b couldn’t catch af480b5355 the scent 2ad4338f2e of booze a1e49534f8 anymore.9ec623ac4267111b

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“Try from closer.”dcc9ffedbc2ff623

His eyes looked 8fd3f2d06f vividly red as f46b273581 she leaned in.2e5721fe3f55d7b5

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As she b1121bd6d2 neared his 18f255c619 neck, there ca8f891967 was a b5725555a8 soft, warm a11f767989 scent she 864739df7e couldn’t place.720d7dff66b8c877

“I can’t really c6b27b20bc tell.”5379d1be173d4f4a

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“Then may I try, 450b9cb983 My Lady?”02e41b88651646c8

As he said d7d3b1a898 that, Edwin took 9860edf26a her hands, pressing b826229a35 her down against 2af0e168ad the sofa. Her body slid from a3b3d9921f the backrest down to eed98d9933 the seat cushion.f560a3fb65c637f3

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He leaned in, inhaling 3175dfe4a3 near her neck.3a9383e8cb9a8192

Ivnes stared blankly 27660edece at the ceiling, 6ca2908cc0 feeling his breath c9e934409d graze her skin. Warm and 2f04798504 soft, it bf3030aa7d touched the 72afee74f6 space between 995bd2ae1e her ear 58edeb39ed and jaw, 36bb8acba8 making the 6e9a595ab3 fine hairs 71e4f0b296 on her 9087a6ee45 nape stand e2b2c811d5 on end.715175df0c8c0deb

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“My Lady.”726b491ff051dbe3

He called to her, fa237bf9fe then slowly moved down 6c0e536a06 toward her collarbone.24ad46abe5a8cb3b

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“Lady Ivnes.”981bb50b9000f4da

Though he 7387f3ee4a clearly wanted 2885aa27a7 her attention, f267f23f1a she remained f5abec0de7 indifferent, staring 9479e58968 at the ee3e2947d2 ceiling.e7ddfe31b38fd38d

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His low voice 86ba3b12a5 tickled her collarbone, 3a0925f8ad but…bfd0fadea6b5c9cf

Combined with the alcohol, 296c3b107a it all felt distant—unreal.02f0db43b93da7ce

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“Lady Ivnes.”b6ad1bf32069a95e

Finally, he smiled down bbaef1ab3f at her. Ivnes suddenly thought 9a45c73d00 that his arm, c093805ef9 stretched beside her, b09c9c6a5a felt like a 0aa202965f prison bar.e4f107be6429d08f

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And the fact that 4bf12525e6 his thin robe had 3b3936a8ab come loose…fc7e73afcfb50f29

“My Lady?”9557b21256d4ae63

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It was annoying. She reached 23ff087f40 out, closed 63dff054ab his robe, 5c1e7c0c09 and tied aaa19e3267 the loosened 2fdf0cd5a7 sash.2184dc5ecb555cf0

“You’ve got a nasty 8f644bd7de drinking habit, Edwin.”14857909fc9d4468

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She pushed fd22ce39fe his shoulder, 8d66d8e794 and to 90d6df7bc4 her surprise, 9305fdf543 he stumbled c665e75909 back easily, 2b1bc7890a looking flustered—then e80ae9fa64 quickly laughed 1e4b6793ff and sat 10ba309f17 properly next bc1629146b to her.0b8377f0b3c1665c

“Aren’t you b0a525f87f curious about 3a1b5c1d29 my ability?”90b5345a4b554b4e

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Ivnes hesitated. If she d037dd8fc5 said yes, 72dc95b339 would he fcfc6debd3 actually tell d6335440fc her?6464525d0d4a8680

For some 7f8198f3e5 reason, she be21c9fec2 felt like 47da372121 he’d just 3178c34be4 dance around f71447e5bb the answer 84b08d742d and annoy faec98af8a her further.f216881110e0d863

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“…I’m curious.”cb72cbe8541a0776

Still, she was curious.6a5e0024edcbbfea

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“I’m glad.”b5cb02807a60a1bd

He smiled, slid his 8b26a8c4fc hand behind her back, e05c455e4d and helped her sit 4813e97c3d up. Then, he gently smoothed 8e0bda07ca her mess of hair b2d4b29e7a back into place.74532bbbc56e6cfd

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“What’s your ability?”2adb618ff81a440e

She asked sharply, and 8483f9dd2e again he smiled.f5fc7571674ba88c

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“Shall I c8dccdf40d play the 1f5fd7e6b2 piano?”3b5cde47366f3bd3

“Right now…?”549f12532b4efab8

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It’s five cdd0f94c64 in the 8d7caf1ec3 morning.576b5d449a2d2812

She meant to 0615772566 say that—but…cbd07f8e50f8d937

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“…Alright.”2836fad38dcd3c95

For some ce3770b37e reason, she ef7cd29194 agreed. When he aba7e15cd0 took her 1521660c99 hand, she ec0254e256 stood.46a3ff511a6a3561

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Using the interior 8b2e3cddb8 hallway that connected d3b1f5c551 her bedroom, Edwin 8db686a476 led her to 83fad05ad5 the adjacent music 8c2b37bfa1 room where the dc1478d77c piano was kept.07eeaec0a8d8dc96

She stumbled a little, 0249807e9a but Ivnes didn’t worry. This was a familiar 1cb7c67e51 place, one she knew 8fc4697173 well. Though with her 7acf5070f8 blurred vision, it 200381d22a all felt strangely ea23addff3 unfamiliar…2231e89e1010c34c

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No, maybe it 91effac756 felt that way 0a7a86c1cc because she was d511088e84 moving with Edwin.d5d305fc8d23d679

“Edwin, how do you a9e96ab60a know this place so 549aa0dfa8 well?”a8b26c836278d121

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At her 8818ddf44f question, Edwin 567c8fb1ea flashed another d68a4036a3 bright smile 4acd7ae018 but didn’t 99eef217e5 answer. Instead, he guided her 62f7b8d87c to the piano bench.8c1d8dffe6b46e54

Ivnes found herself 16ead765d6 seated, watching him.7f94aae5b7b7f4e4

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Edwin sat beside her 86908f5f79 and opened the lid c93a897f7a over the keys.5d7921aad4b541ef

“It hasn’t been tuned c2ce0d2d99 in over half a ae4ce4b8ce year.”4f14e0e06e2e24db

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“It’s fine.”a4e82a7d84e34d3d

Ivnes glanced at the c581d10e44 keys and spoke.12c9230f0b5e4990

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“Edwin, how 21836e8fd7 do you dc7923d0a4 know I a036fdb8c1 can play 48f69118c4 the piano?”f74a348961190ac2

“Who knows? I also cd59ba73bb know you d1811ba6e1 can play 23ecf54aa4 the violin, 3d68d43c7a cello, and ca38dc2dcb viola.”b42ae1ed3af1111a

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“How?”9147a39875c2bdda

“Who knows.”ae20a577e3efaf46

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He dodged b4cac6241f again and 44535ef9c2 stood, moving feef8a6558 behind the c15332dd5a piano to 7880047904 open its 29a5e4d7d3 frame and 6e98700607 secure the 875597e5af lid.eb86aa474b5f96b7

Somehow, he found a c6fde4e298 duet sheet music tucked 8a7418f1a5 nearby—one Ivnes had forgotten 889b6945dd about—and placed it on ae32c9cab7 the stand.ad99b8305984fdc5

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“This piece is for 61da1c7241 two players.”532ed952834f5c97

“Let’s play 578c5a6e15 together, My 273bcec57a Lady.”37c147d65be327ed

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“When did you learn a47980b924 to play piano?”7e4fc65d4fa93b63

“You taught me.”2d66ef5e32549bff

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She really ba160e0bf3 thought he dbd4d6ad3f must be c22a07a9f9 drunk.37ce04d1860b49d7

Back when she used 736d320e74 to play, she was 00205cf09a around fifteen—busy with debutante ef0125c2c3 balls. There was no way 3c8e05a444 she could have taught 0a2124f155 anyone then.efd80af1f4f754a1

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And now, she’d only 447eef4c30 known the current, mad 43f737e39f Edwin for about a 4472421338 week. She couldn’t have 3b009b4d4e taught him.f5dfd0ec43dbd632

Still… she didn’t say fa35491bc3 it out loud.30d8d3a815674c38

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The alcohol was hitting e02acabd78 her hard now—everything felt 4b40d0491c tiresome, irritating. She figured 7d1e0a6e1f it was b2661dde9b better to 2741e11e29 just go 4b061671f9 along with 7767953a8c whatever he 772a77c339 wanted and 6bf944d764 get it 7962f8dc67 over with 7cd185591a quickly.5c5dd231ffde9210

“I’ll do it.”c133e7b2680e6ab2

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“Yes.”373fb4cbe43d4054

The piece had bdaddfd2f7 a unique tempo—slow dbb16f0cfd at first, then b4e045ded7 gradually faster. Edwin sat to 22cad17829 her left, and 1ff9debc6e she sat to ef8f439b76 his right, playing 20ccef68c2 the higher notes.9fcdc52900a88f03

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Then he suddenly began fb42864c03 to play wildly, at 976273c879 his own reckless pace, bd99550993 and she grew annoyed. But if she stopped 271c2805ad playing and let him 4f79c930a1 finish alone, he’d just f335ea3c58 pester her to play cec7d95fad again.9d3bffd0f52f6acf

So she b47997eb01 matched his a0a8bf8280 erratic tempo, a0cb69923b fingers moving 7a51d98587 with precision.370d521eb40c51bf

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Her elbow occasionally brushed against his firm arm, but it didn’t feel unfamiliar. The veins running across the back of his hand, the way his eyes never left her—not the keys—and that predator-like expression on his face…39d5cabf0a2f4398

It should e654f6bfb0 have been c1240beb3e the first ecf64059ed time she’d 911a59f2b9 seen it.763ee0e640bc0862

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And yet, it d9d16ba0c0 didn’t feel unfamiliar ebee065704 at all. That was 3ffc4f5364 what felt f838ec50bc strange.e0c81af555f1d39e

Suddenly, he stretched his 5fb63fe666 right arm across her, bc9a9bf4cc wrapping around her waist, 93d518c9ad and reached beneath her 10eeae8b16 hand, taking over her cccccb5152 part of the melody.950771873fe4f72f

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Without missing a beat, 56e667f9dd Ivnes shifted to play dd36e6cbc1 the left-hand part alone. With their 88bdb23f74 hands now 7ae1210321 crossed, it 0834a91a5e felt like 1f40e84540 she was cdb592e35c wearing a 080945e9b1 straitjacket.c03e347bc2801a11

Once again, 4a6048a991 he played 118989a130 faster, wildly, 065544c4d4 without restraint. Her wrist began 672ca9e2d6 to ache, and fb5b1fbefc she frowned, sighing.618359e085bd5366

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She tried 1ee6236d69 to endure 10033b3bcd it, but 904302eaba his chaotic 1c3e53d9fd playing pushed 50a22de634 her patience ce2c43c258 to its aaa4681559 limit. Just as a8f2674351 she was bd8c7e485d about to 4fdbb75386 stop, he 9b08f5872a gripped her de38ea2c38 tightly, almost 311b708b34 binding her fd02a3ff36 in place.6628808c6e1a37ba

“I want you to 57f17f9e05 die in the most 7e67ef85f5 painful way possible.”0187c251a8ece745

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His voice, low 9e25949c8e and cold, slipped af71224a62 into her ear d8c904edd9 like a whisper, 575085120e lips close enough 8c987888a5 to touch.cade084ab2876dfe

Ivnes turned her gaze 0ae9795139 to him. His irises burned red, d0d1b77f54 unable to hide their 218f35262e bloodlust.6cd63ca696f32300

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“But you’re far ca6e43d7e9 too compliant… I 29ef4417c0 want to break b13b9ac73f you.”789ab98c1b031ee7

Ivnes laughed at him.cca9da0da800033e

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“Go ahead and try.”0c4f0313b75d9fc5

Even with her c65607f52a indifferent response, his 91ffaeaafd eyes lit up 9ae2775d1a like a madman, 7e027d1fce inflamed with obsession.b74d3ca34a814ea9

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Bang!6a035d94b5781ee3

He slammed 591c37d17b the keys, c4b3173037 discordant noise 9a7df782ac filling the ec8727fcbe room. Ivnes shot to her 092023f704 feet, stepping back from a331ec6ac6 the piano. Her vision 33dd625cf0 spun violently.15d33fab155326cd

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Then, with 388ecf34e2 another jarring 5a3910c48f clamor of d408d5b55a dissonance, she c43459fc9d was shoved 70418b42de down onto 4c59f822ac the piano e6ba796699 bench.a46755079339eaa8

She had e997ec8d66 a rough 7725a8d1ed sense of c199d08fdc Edwin’s strength, bb1cd3ff79 but now aea561b4c2 she felt 200048dd99 like a 2e771331be rabbit before eb9c1f057e a black 07458ca44c panther.75166441c7f64130

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And yet… maybe 46b9369708 because of the 1527f65111 alcohol, she didn’t 08f7273236 believe he truly 65fdc75371 meant to kill ef14d6c600 her.383b5fbe24b55a7c

“Kill me, Edwin.”ffb8955868ad16b8

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She took his hand e837db7480 and placed it against 1a511115c1 her neck.76718758c1fb4e51

A flicker of 20c409bb05 surprise flashed through 0c3e1955c5 his eyes. The red 4b877ca74a glow of 56b2aff6a1 his irises 80108607ca dimmed, turning 137fe78658 black and 70204d6b6c uncertain.54356720d532f401

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Ivnes gripped the e8a2370d6d back of his acfc2fca4d hand, pressing it 7c0064a872 harder against her 72e24b24d2 throat. She could feel 5b80bb00f3 his heavy, pounding 61547816e4 heartbeat through her ce702d997a palm.37a42d0fc2f5390a

 67d54297b271dbe2

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