When Nelle Wychthorn was forced to sign herself away in marriage, she should have read the contract's fine print. Because she signs not with ink, but with blood. And that changes everything.
Season 1 'Of Crows and Thorns'
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Fiery Nelle, the isolat...
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Evvie gnawed on her bottom lip before answering. "Just friends."
I flicked her arm with the backs of my fingers, hard enough that she startled, her rounded gaze swinging back to me. Pinching my lips, I folded my arms across my chest and gave her a look that said I was onto her lies and I wasn't going to put up with them any longer.
A crestfallen look swallowed her features, and her shoulders slumped. "Father abhors the idea that you'll be married to Graysen, so he's not going to be swayed to allow another daughter into that family." She dropped her gaze to her hands as she threaded her fingers together, rubbing them back and forth. "And...I...he..." Her nose scrunched as she shook her head as if laughing at her own absurdity. "It's not as if I don't know what he's like...I mean, look at him, he's such a flirt," she waved a hand, gesturing toward Caidan. "He can't help himself."
When I turned back to the Crowthers, Caidan had Elyse in a fit of laughter, one hand resting on her shoulder, a boyish grin dimpling his cheeks.
Exasperation had my eyes narrowing at the sight. Still, I couldn't stay my tongue. I'd seen what was on Caidan's face in the laundry, that yearning, the belief the feeling wasn't returned. I might have shared this with Evvie because in some way I owed him. "He might be talking to her, but he's not stopped looking at you."
I'd felt his attention all over Evvie while we'd been tucked together beneath the low-hanging branches of the willow tree. Swift, sharp, stolen glances, as if he couldn't prevent himself from looking.
"That doesn't mean he actually has any real feelings for me...ones he'd act on."
"But you hope he might."
She sighed as she tipped her gaze to the canopy of rushing leaves. "There's no use hoping for things out of my reach, Nelle. All I can do is focus on me, what I can achieve." When her eyes sliced to mine, a sly gleam darkened their color, and like the wonderous smile I'd seen her give Caidan in the laundry, this was the same but of a different nature. I'd never seen that cunning stare before, nor heard the cold, calculating tone in her voice either. "And I am going to. I will find out what's going on inside the Pelan Laboratories. I'll find out and give what I learn to Father...but it will be an exchange of information, for the right price."
Ruthless. That's what I instantly thought and had never considered my sister could be either. She astounded me, and I could only blink blankly as she said, "I'll trade whatever House Pelan is up to in exchange for my right to choose my husband...and you too."
You too—had my eyes widening and my heart thundering.
"Maybe what I learn will be valuable enough that you won't be forced to marry Graysen Crowther." She smoothed her hand down the front of her dress as she squared her shoulders, but her gaze and voice softened when she whispered, "Well, that is, if you don't want to."
I turned toward Graysen, my body instinctively knowing exactly where he'd moved to stand near Caidan, even if my mind didn't.
