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Chapter 28: The Walk Back
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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
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 31: Good Girl, Part 1
NINEI watch his reflection in the glass. He stands a few feet from the door, looking as impressive as ever in his deep navy suit, which I matched earlier. Standing beside him at the party, the hues of our clothes identical, made me feel powerful. It made me feel like I belonged like I earned my place…...and he took it away so easily. Kade rakes his fingers through his hair and stares at the back of my head. Disdain wafts off him. I didn't hear the conversation exchanged in deep, hushed tones, but I knew it was Albert. I saw him in the window's reflection. I fight a shudder. I don't want to be with that man. Something about him makes my skin crawl. Maybe it's the fact he's a husband and a father... Perhaps it's the way he looked at me when Henry indecently bent me over a table in the drawing room. Either way, the thought of him unleashes spiders down my spine. "That was your boyfriend," Kade says, and my lips quirk. Petty. "He feels I'm taking too long preparing you. What do you thi
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 32: Good Girl, Part 2
"You are breathtaking, Unfortunate," he says, and my head twitches to the left, following his voice."That's very educative of you, thank you." He laughs under his breath, short and sweet. "You're most welcome.""Will you compliment my breasts too?" I ask, my tone thick with sarcasm. He hums, amusement thick in his tone. "They are lovely." I jolt as he gently brushes his hand along the swollen underside of my left breast. He disappears, and I turn my head to the right, following the light tap of his shoes against the hardwood floor. I inhale, breathing in the thick scents of his rich cologne. "What are you thinking?" he asks.I swallow. "You're making me uneasy.""Is it unease or anticipation?"He touches a lock of my hair, then releases it. "I...I don't know." "Think about it. One is negative. One is positive." I frown and look inward, wetting my lips. "I…" "If you're feeling uneasy, your stomach will be laced with dread, your mind ruined with thoughts of impending doom. Is tha
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 33: The Run, Part 1
NINESeven days pass in a flurry of lessons I don't retain, and long, lonely hours cooped up in Kade's bedroom. I flick through books that are much too hard to read and watch tiny, blue dancers in the flames of the fireplace as it turns chunks of wood to ash. Two days later, I'm requested in the laundry to help cover for a handful of Unfortunates made bedridden by illness, and I jump at the opportunity to do something. Anything. I shove a pillowcase into the murky depths of the tub and rub the fabric together. Hunching, I swipe my forehead over my bicep, wiping at the beading sweat that coats my skin as the noisy driers spew humidity into the room. Unfortunates mill about, like goldfish in a pond, doing their daily duties and paying me no attention as I make my way through the pile of pillowcases. The fabrics are uncomplicated, white with no stains, making my job relatively straightforward. I breathe a sigh of relief. It's easy down here, hidden among piles of washing. If I overheard
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 34: The Run, Part 2
I push off the basin and through the throng of condemning Unfortunates. I rush up the stairs and through the laundry folding area, trying my hardest to keep in the tsunami of emotion. I barely know the Unfortunates—any Unfortunate, really—but we're all connected through our circumstances, upbringing, social standing, and suffering. To be shunned and removed from the collective experience as if my suffering no longer matters… it hurts. In a blur, I escape the manor and run. I run through the garden, trampling flowers under my feet, snapping jutting twigs with my elbows. I sprint through the paddock, uncaring about the shrill siren wail that comes on suddenly and pierces my skull, uncaring about the rumble of dogs barking. I make it to the lake in no time. My lungs burn. My feet sting. I gasp for air and turn left, rushing toward the cubby house of Kade's youth. I don't know why I come here. Maybe because it's the farthest point on the land I've been. It's the farthest I can get from T
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 35: The Run, Part 3
KADEHe nudged his heels into Vanta's side, and his prized stallion trotted along behind Vince as he approached the pack of dogs. "Home," Vincent commanded with a flick of his hand, and the dogs fled, speeding back in the direction they came. "How do you know they'll go back to the manor?" Nine asked, knowing better than to speak out of turn. Vince scowled. "They're well trained. Unlike you."Nine shifted, and Kade rolled his eyes. Gripping his saddle horn, Vince planted his boot in the stirrup and lifted himself onto Tariq's back without a struggle. Clicking his tongue, he pulled on Tariq's reins harder than Kade did, and Tariq veered with a bounce, moving the way Vince wordlessly commanded.Kade and Nine followed Vince as he led the way. A kilometre later, they broke out of the thicket and into the clearing. Vince took his horse from a trot to a canter. Then the canter quickened into a gallop. When there was enough space between them, Kade could breathe. He dipped his head, placin
The Unfortunate Trilogy Chapter 36: The Consequences
NINEI spend the next week in agony, confined to my quarters, to a cot no bigger than me. Outside of showering in the Unfortunate communal bathhouse with people who consider me a traitor, my only other human contact has been Portia. I'd have bashed my head into a stone wall days ago if it weren't for her. It's driving me mad not knowing my fate. Am I to lie here and choke on my explanation? Am I to wither away as anxiety chisels at my bones?I startle as a shadow darkens my doorway, expecting to see Vince with his rifle, ready to fulfil the sentencing of the council. Instead, Thirteen loiters. "Master Kade would like to see you in the garden." My heart picks up in its beat, and Thirteen's face gives nothing away. No smugness. No sympathy. No fear. She's simply indifferent. Sucking in a deep breath, I lift myself off the cot and follow her out. She escorts me through the maze of flowers, and I squint under the midday sun, my eyes taking longer to adjust to the brightness after an et
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