JACE

Penny silently followed me through the hallway to the back stair case that led to the servant’s quarters. I’d been in the governor’s mansion enough times to understand the layout.

Once we arrived in the block of rooms meant for live-in staff, I took her to a hidden stairwell that led to the roof.

"Why are we up here?" she asked.

"To enjoy the view." I pulled her along to the back side of the building. From our perch, we could see the lush gardens stretching out before us. It was colder up here, and Penny put her arms around herself to fight off the chill.

If this had been a different moment in my relationship with this woman, I might’ve offered her my jacket. But I was done spoiling Penelope Shire. I’d had enough of her lies and trickery.

We said nothing as we looked out to the garden, both of caught up in our own thoughts.

From this angle, I could see the yellow rose bushes at the entrance to the main path. Waiting there was Lucy, the prostitute with too much hope in her heart. Even if I hadn’t just poisoned my friend with a mind-control insect, Fabian would never come to see her. I idly wondered how long she would wait before giving up.

"You’re mad at me, aren’t you?" said Penny.

"Why would I be angry?" I turned toward her, offering her a feral smile. "Because you drugged me with incense? Or gave me pills that screwed with my memory? Or because you had sex with me so you could get pregnant?"

"You know it all," she said. Tears glittered in her eyes. "I love you. Is that a crime? I’ve been with you for seven years. You might’ve known Sophia for longer, but I was with you more. Every day. How could you toss me aside for that frigid bitch?"

"Sophia is none of your concern. She’s my wife. I won’t divorce her. Even if I did, I would never marry you."

"Why? Because I was a maid?"

"Yes," I said baldly. "Because you grew up in a tiny village with no education. No manners. No class. You think because you’ve attended noble gatherings that you can be a noble, but you can’t. You’re not elegant. Refined. Ladylike. Your rough edges can be seen by anyone who looks."

"You never cared before."

"So what? If you hadn’t forced me to have sex with you, if you’d stayed my savior, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But you’re too greedy. You want what you can never, ever have."

"I saved your life. You owe me."

"I’ve repaid your life-saving graces many times over. I bought you whatever you wanted, took you to places you would never see in your lifetime, and ignored my own wife to curb your jealousy. I was a fool to do so. You’re insatiable. No matter how much you are given, you want more."

"Is that wrong? Why do I have to stay in my place when others can do what they please? It’s not fair." She rubbed her belly. "There might be a baby growing in here right now, Jace. Don’t you want to be a father?"

"Not of your children. Only Sophia can have my babies." I withdrew the pouch from my pants pocket. I had thought that maybe I would trick Penny into drinking the powder. Gift her what she’d gifted me over the last couple of weeks. But now, I didn’t care about subtlety.

"You’re a bastard!" cried Penny. Then she started laughing.

I paused. "Why are you so damned amused?"

"You’ll never have Sophia. Her heart belongs to Duke Stonehart. I bet she doesn’t know that he was her actual childhood sweetheart. She doesn’t even remember getting the Cardigill Ick ... that YOU gave her. All those sweet moments she had with Nathan Stonehart just wiped from her mind."

"How do you know about that? About any of that?"

"It’s not a secret. Velvetleaf gossips still talk about Cardigill Ick. They love telling the story about the adorable little girl and her so-called big brother who walked her home every day after school. He bought her tea cakes without fail. And what did you do? Not a damned thing. But wow, you sure loved taking credit for everything."

"None of that matters," I said. "Nathan Stonehart is dead."

Penny burst out laughing again. "Is he? Then who’s dancing with your wife in the ballroom?"

I felt cold rush through me. "No. He’s rotting at the bottom of a ravine. He didn’t survive the airship crash."

"He didn’t? Are you sure?"

"No, no. You’re confusing me. Sophia’s at Amaranth Manor. Why would she be here?"

Penny sneered. "A bad storm cut down that big tree in the front yard. It smashed into the house. And then Amaranth Manor flooded. Guess who rescued Sophia? Go on. Guess."

I slapped her. Hard. She staggered back, cupping her cheek, her eyes filled with both hatred and fear. "You hit me!"

"What? Do I have to choose a day to hit you?" I stalked forward, and she kept scrambling backwards. "You deserve more than that for lying."

"You wish I was lying," she spat. "Did you know they’re both in the ballroom right now dancing? Just having the time of their lives. She doesn’t want you, Jace. Why would she? She has Duke Nathan Stonehart to love her."

Tears streamed down Penny’s face. "And me? What do I have? Nothing. No one. Because you have a fickle heart. You don’t love anyone but yourself." She fell to her knees. "What do you think she’ll do when she finds out you pushed the Duke into the ravine with your own hands? That you tried to kill him?"

"She will never know," I said as rage poured through me like spewing lava. "Sophia will only love me. The way she has her whole life."

I opened the bag and threw the contents in Penny’s face. "Go to hell, you bitch."

She coughed, choked, wheezed. She staggered, rubbing at her mouth. The brown powder coated her face, her wig, her dress.

I could see that she swallowed it.

Retribution was coming.

Penelope was going to pay for her sins.