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Chapter 22: The Thick of It, Part 2
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The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 23: The Private Moment, Part 1
NINELater that night, I tiptoe through the manor at a ridiculous hour and against my Fortunate's orders. Unease churns in my chest, but I've been diligent in avoiding unsavoury characters. Lucky for me, the manor is quieter tonight than it has been since my arrival, and I reach Kade's room without hindrance. I knock on the door, then open it and ease inside. A fire rages in the corner, crackling loudly, casting a bright, orange glow around the room, filling it with a warmth that wraps around me. It's heavy against my skin, igniting little lightning bolts along my flesh. I have no business being in his room at this hour, but I can't sleep. I can't sleep until today's problems are put to rest. A heavy sigh draws my attention to his desk across the room. Swivelling in his oversized, wing-back chair, Kaden Sario is slumped, his head back, his white shirt unbuttoned, and an odd thrill zips the length of my spine. I reach behind me and lock the door. The click of the locking mechanism ale
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 24: The Private Moment, Part 2
Kade retreats and pulls the blanket up to my chin, tucking me in. Disappointment is a bitter taste in the back of my throat. He moves away from the bed, taking his warmth with him. I strain my ears to listen to his shoes tapping as he crosses the room. I roll onto my side and open my eyes as he flicks on the bathroom light and saunters inside. He yanks on the door, which swings but doesn't shut, leaving a small light to spill through. I stare at it, as wide awake as ever until the sound of water crashing against tiles fills my ears. I listen to it. It's not as peaceful as rain, but it still stirs a sense of comfort. I imagine the hot streams beating against my back and rolling down my spine. It was Kade who allowed me my first hot shower. He didn't have to. It was only juice on my skin, something I could've cleaned off with a damp towel. I thought about it while slouched on my cot, resigned to my quarters until further notice, like a punished youth.I doze off to the sounds of Kade w
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 25: The Lake
NINEDays have passed since the night Kade and I slept on the couch, wrapped in his comforting embrace. The night we shared plagues me. Every second thought I have is how warm he was, how tight he held me, how safe I felt. I've become fixated on the gentle blow of his breath through my hair, the tiny dancers that pirouetted down my spine in its wake. I've obsessed over the fact he didn't leave me to sleep on the hard floor...and I'm terrified of the buds of affection that have bloomed in my chest since. Sighing, I push the blankets to my hips and roll onto my back. I stare at the piqued ceiling, the golden morning sun bringing out the ochre hues in the wood. I've memorised every line, every nook, every cranny. When I close my eyes at night, it's all I see, driving me crazy. I'm forbidden to walk around the manor without Kade's supervision. I didn't mind it at first, preferring to stay as far from another living, breathing Fortunate as I can, but day and night are blending, and Kade a
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 26: Education, Part 1
I shift my weight, and leaves crunch under the soles of my feet. My heart is heavy, and my stomach is twisted and sick. I knew this was coming, of course. I just didn't expect to be paired up with Albert Knowle. How old is he anyway? Much too old to be desiring an eighteen-year-old. He was much too married with children to desire anyone other than his wife."It makes you happy? Sharing me with others?" It's a question I didn't intend to ask, but it flies from my lips anyway. Kade stares at me, his jaw suddenly tight. "It does not make me happy, no, but it's a sacrifice we both must make, a hardship we must endure." He clears his throat. "We have time to build your confidence, to make you comfortable and ready."I don't think all the time in the world will make me comfortable with what he's asking of me. I swipe at my forehead, clearing a sticky spiderweb from brushing the bridge of my nose. "How long?""A few weeks. I'm awaiting a report from our mine, then the sale needs to be finali
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 27: Education, Part 2
I hate the way my heart races, the way my skin prickles. I hate how good his lips look and how bad I want to kiss them. An eternity of Unfortunates have suffered at the unwanted hands of Fortunates, and here I sit, on the lap of one, enticed by one. Do you like this? he asks a silent question. I nod, barely a movement, and he tightens his hold, pulling me against him. I go with it, turning my head into his neck. The tip of my nose kisses the hard ridge of his jaw as his lips graze my hair-covered nape. He smells of a fresh shower, of soap and cotton. I hold my breath, not wanting my short pants to blow across his flesh and expose me. I drop my shoulder and tilt my head, offering myself up. I remember liking the way he kissed me, the feel of his lips. It's a vivid memory of the night of his birthday. I was swept up in the passion he stirred in me, and I would've given him everything then and there if he asked. "It's unlikely Albert Knowle will kiss you," he murmurs, teasing me with
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 28: The Walk Back
KADEHe walked behind her, cringing every time leaves crunched and twigs cracked underneath her bare feet. It sounded painful, but she soldiered on without a flinch. He guessed her body was used to the harshness of the Earth, just like her soul tolerated the people who inhabited it. He heard stories about the Unfortunate camps but never gathered the courage to see it for himself as an adult. The images the stories conjured in his head were enough to quell his curiosity. He flicked his attention down the length of her long, auburn hair and admired how her thin ends bounced and tangled together at her waist. Dense shrubbery surrounded them, and the green tones were never-ending. Nine insisted on leading, and Kade didn't correct her when she made a wrong turn. Instead, he waited for her to realise her mistake or ask for help. She didn't. It annoyed Kade that he was currently hiking in his finest fabrics. His irritation grew with every drop of sweat his collar caught. The path they were
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 29: The Fountain, Part 1
KADEAs the sun set below the horizon, the Sario courtyard came to life. It sparkled and dazzled, and Fortunates complimented him on the decor—something he had no part in. He thanked them anyway, then turned away, finding solace in his glass of whiskey, but no matter how hard he tried to ignore her, he couldn't. The hair on the back of his neck remained raised, and the tiny dancers on his skin continued to pirouette. He glanced at her as he tipped the remnants of his drink down his throat. She stood a step behind him, a pillar of grace with her fingers threaded behind her back, draped in a long, deep navy tunic that matched his three-piece suit. It was her first time wearing a First Unfortunate tunic. It signalled that she had settled into the role and was ready for whatever duties he requested of her. She was clean, her skin glowing under the warm twinkle of lights, her long auburn hair draping down her chest. His stomach pulled tight, and he choked on his whiskey as flashes of her b
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 30: The Fountain, Part 2
Kade stuffed his hands into his pockets and closed the distance. Neither one of them noticed his approach. Albert was lost in her face, his eyes locked on hers, and although Nine kept her hands in her lap, their knees touched. That bothered Kade. It bothered him more than he would ever admit. With a gentle sweep of his hand, Albert tucked a lock of her auburn hair behind her ear, and the movement caused a sharp shard of betrayal to slice through him. He stepped in front of them and then cleared his throat. Albert sat up straight, no longer leaning into Nine's face like a dotting lover. Kade knew he should've found comfort in the fact he appeared to be treating the Unfortunate with kindness, but he didn't. Kade was the only one who could treat her with such tenderness and civility. It was the cornerstone of her loyalty. Albert stood and pinched the lapels of his coat, his fingers digging into the charcoal-coloured fabric, and brought it together at the front to fasten the button. "Ka
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