MASTER SEBASTIAN

Chapter 26

It was late evening when I made it back to my room. I had just closed the doors when someone spoke.

"How did your little rendezvous go?"

A yelp left me.

My eyes shot around the room, panic clamping around my chest. "Someone might hear you."

Ysmay's lips curled upwards. "And you're afraid, why? Because you know you're not supposed to be lusting after the leech, but preparing to make father dearest happy by getting married to a fine Fey prince." She tsked. "You naughty human."

I rolled my eyes and went further into the room, plopping the bag I held down and setting out to take off my riding boots.

Ysmay nodded at the brown sack. "What's in the bag?"

"None of your business." Off went the other boot. My fingers went to my shirt buttons.

A gust of wind blew through the room and I turned just in time to see the bag lifting up in a torrid wind. I gasped and made a grab for it even as my hair whipped into my face. I gritted my teeth and pulled with all my strength.

"Let go." Her voice sounded strained.

"No," I gasped out, finally retrieving the bag but not without toppling over the bed. The wind died down, leaving furnitures around the room turned over.

Standing, I scraped my hair back and glared. "What's your problem?"

"How big is his penis?"

My eyes narrowed. Something registered. "How do you know I met up with him?"

"By doing my job."

"And that's what?"

"Spying."

I blinked. "Is that what you are? A spy?"

She released a long-suffering sigh. "Oh, yes. As quiet and stealth as the wind, not to mention as ruthless and destructive as a hurricane, the castle couldn't help but notice me and single me out of my... circumstances."

"What circumstances?" I asked, curious.

"Those that included a wretched monastery and being born a Chapter," she said lightly, although I noticed an undercurrent of malice.

My eyes went to her hair. Realization hit. I'd thought once they were braids. So they were just--

"Yes. I was born with 'precious vine hair'."

The memory of my first day in the castle came flitting back. The 'Chapters' had been turning into the halls just as I got in, their snake-like hair moving. I eyed Ysmay's hair, noticing something odd. "How come yours don't move?"

She flashed a humourless smile. "The air around my hair acts downwards, and yes, I have no problem using up that amount of energy. As long as it's for a bad cause." Then she added fondly, "The Mothers at the House would be horrified."

I sat. "You must have hated it there... At the monastery."

Her upper lip curled in a snarl. "I despised it there. And I despise it here. Abberdin's just a hoax, stay a little longer and you'll witness just how rotten it can be. If I were you, I never would have set foot in here."