Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
She observed Castello giving a subtle signal to Melia Floros. She doubted if the others in their tour group or Gesina noticed. He kept his left hand down by his thigh as he followed her from plant to plant. The fingers lifted ever so slightly. While all the others were seemingly engrossed in learning about the native plants, Floros kept her attention centered on Castello. That told Silke the older woman had been with him the longest and was the most susceptible to his commands.
She kept her breathing even, never missing a beat with her monologue. She was careful to pour enthusiasm into her talk for the vast variety of plants she was showing off. She didn’t hesitate to answer any question the three younger men asked. Herman Drakos, in particular, asked the majority of questions and recorded her answers. He appeared to be genuinely interested in what she had to say about each plant. The other two men paid attention but only occasionally asked a question. Thea Gerou was silent. It was impossible to tell if she was the least bit interested or bored out of her mind.
Silke knew the demon had ordered her to be tested in some way. He had come to the house certain this was the demon slayer’s home. It had to be disconcerting to learn that Fenja was Silke’s adoptive mother. Slayers handed down their legacy from mother to daughter. Every demon would know that. If Fenja had been the demon slayer in the village, she should have married and had a daughter. If she didn’t, the legacy would end with her.
Castello needed to establish that Fenja was the demon slayer. She was the village midwife, and just by the abundance of medicinal plants at her home, she was the most likely candidate for being the village seer, a woman who could see into the future. She had been born in another time and after death would still walk among her people if not be reborn to aid them again. Still, it made no sense that Fenja wasn’t married and didn’t have a birth daughter.
Thea turned to Gesina with a bright smile that sent a small spike in Silke’s heartbeat.
“I just love every single estate we’ve been to today, Gesina. They’re all so unique and beautiful. This house looks like something out of a fairy tale,” she gushed. “Did Ms. Reinders have this house built? In all the travels I’ve done, I’ve never seen a stone house like this one.”
The tone was off. Completely off. To Silke, Thea sounded like a marionette, which she most likely was, following Castello’s orders to learn whatever she could from Gesina. Thea was a follower, beautiful but without direction. Castello and the others had given her the feeling of belonging. Castello gave orders, and it was easy for Thea to live with someone telling her what to do.
Silke couldn’t imagine having Thea’s passive personality. Silke had always questioned everything. She was incapable of following anyone blindly. She had to trust them one hundred percent. Few people fell into that category. Unfortunately, from childhood, she saw into people. She knew if they lied. She was aware of cheating. Stealing. There were few secrets others had that escaped her attention. She didn’t want to be that way, but she was born with gifts—or curses. She didn’t know how to categorize the talents she had.
Right now, while the four men engaged her in conversation, she was aware of the subtle flow of energy directed toward Gesina from Castello. He was influencing her to be open and chatty with Thea, to divulge any secrets the villagers, especially Fenja and Silke, had.
While she lectured on the plants, she kept every sense alert for the expected attack from the older woman. It was coming. They were going to test her reactions. Castello was hunting for the demon slayer. Fenja and Silke were the most likely candidates because of their knowledge of medicinal plants.
Thea’s fake laughter grated on Silke. She detested any woman being used. Gesina was open and friendly. That was her nature. She would tell Thea everything Silke and Tora allowed any of the villagers to tell outsiders. Most of those born and raised in the village had been born with barriers in their minds. Those protections allowed them to forget about Tora’s oddities and Silke’s origins until they needed to remember for battle. The barrier enabled Gesina to sound open and honest, not careful or shut down.
Castello asked Silke a question, forcing her attention on him. Simultaneously, Melia Floros appeared to stumble on the stone path. She plowed into Silke with shocking force. Ordinarily, Silke would have not only sidestepped but balanced Floros, too. It wasn’t easy to ignore her body’s natural defenses and allow herself to stumble and fall off the stone path as she went down hard on the ground. Floros landed on top of her ankle where it was positioned still on the stone. Pain flashed through Silke as the ankle twisted under the older woman’s weight.