"Stefan Di Pascal of Rome. And who might you be?" I glare at him mutely. "I see we're going to be difficult about this."
"Call off your pets, Italian, and I'll tell you." I spit.
Stefan appears to think this over and says, "Very well. Ondreb, leave her." Ondreb, who had been stroking my cheek the way one might stroke a fine garment or a beloved pet, suddenly rakes his talons down my skin in anger and lets out a howl of frustration. While I hiss in pain, he slinks into the shadows with his followers, his claws glinting with freshly drawn blood. His face, what little of it can move, expressing extreme malice and agitation. He hadn't finished playing with his toy.
"Recruit." Stefan calls and Sebastian wrenches my arms behind my back, forcing me into a standing position. "Now, your name if you don't mind." He turns back to me.
"Camille Russo." I say, trying to stem the flow of blood from my cheek with my shoulder.
"Lies!" The Corbati hiss from the shadows.
"It's the truth, I tell you no lies!" I plead.
"Well, Miss Camille Russo, what were you doing in Notre Dame's rafters so late at night, hmmm? Praying I suppose?" Stefan says condescendingly.
I'm ruined. Hung up and left to dry with no hopeful outcome in sight. I open my mouth but no tales will come. I, Mistress of Lies, Queen of Manipulation cannot find a damned thing to say.
"I thought so." Stefan smirks, his accent twisting the vowels. He turns his back to us. "Sebastian?"
"Her name is Calypso. Calypso Amelie Prideux. She's working for The Circle to guard the Livre de Lumiere." He answers nearly automatically. I'm shocked. Sebastian and I may have parted ways months ago but I never imagined it would come to this. The feeling of betrayal is insurmountable.
Stefan turns on his heel. "Did you say Prideux? YOU are a Prideux? I thought they were all but wiped out. In The Great Terror." The surprise in his voice is palpable.
I know how to answer this question, for I have a million times. "The Terror did not wipe us out. Obviously." I say, giving the abridged response.
This seems to enrage Stefan who proceeds to kick over a pulpit. "Listen to me, Prideux. I have dealt with your family before, and it has never ended well... for them.
"Call off your pets, Italian, and I'll tell you." I spit.
Stefan appears to think this over and says, "Very well. Ondreb, leave her." Ondreb, who had been stroking my cheek the way one might stroke a fine garment or a beloved pet, suddenly rakes his talons down my skin in anger and lets out a howl of frustration. While I hiss in pain, he slinks into the shadows with his followers, his claws glinting with freshly drawn blood. His face, what little of it can move, expressing extreme malice and agitation. He hadn't finished playing with his toy.
"Recruit." Stefan calls and Sebastian wrenches my arms behind my back, forcing me into a standing position. "Now, your name if you don't mind." He turns back to me.
"Camille Russo." I say, trying to stem the flow of blood from my cheek with my shoulder.
"Lies!" The Corbati hiss from the shadows.
"It's the truth, I tell you no lies!" I plead.
"Well, Miss Camille Russo, what were you doing in Notre Dame's rafters so late at night, hmmm? Praying I suppose?" Stefan says condescendingly.
I'm ruined. Hung up and left to dry with no hopeful outcome in sight. I open my mouth but no tales will come. I, Mistress of Lies, Queen of Manipulation cannot find a damned thing to say.
"I thought so." Stefan smirks, his accent twisting the vowels. He turns his back to us. "Sebastian?"
"Her name is Calypso. Calypso Amelie Prideux. She's working for The Circle to guard the Livre de Lumiere." He answers nearly automatically. I'm shocked. Sebastian and I may have parted ways months ago but I never imagined it would come to this. The feeling of betrayal is insurmountable.
Stefan turns on his heel. "Did you say Prideux? YOU are a Prideux? I thought they were all but wiped out. In The Great Terror." The surprise in his voice is palpable.
I know how to answer this question, for I have a million times. "The Terror did not wipe us out. Obviously." I say, giving the abridged response.
This seems to enrage Stefan who proceeds to kick over a pulpit. "Listen to me, Prideux. I have dealt with your family before, and it has never ended well... for them.
