"what are you going to call me now, poor unfortunate soul?" adjala's fear was closing over her, tightening means of escape, but she had to let this out. after that girl—the wraith, they whispered—had captured her, she'd begun to see what her life really was. "poor unfortunate souls?" heleen asked sarcastically. "that would imply you had souls to begin with, little lynx." "really," she continued melodramatically, "no one appreciates what i do. keeping a hold on you girls. my perfect menagerie." the last was in a perfect accent; adjala wasn't quite sure where it was from but didn't want to ask. "little lynx, you're one in a long line of tortures. there's my wolf, my serpent, my raven, my fawn, my fox. none of you girls, remember that. you are stories. stories that i create. i control you, and i will do what i need to." she pauses, presses a hand over her heart despite the fact that her famous diamonds no longer rest there. "and there's me. the greatest story of all." the peacock, adjala thinks. "the peacock. beautiful. respected. intelligent. the most brilliant...proprietor on all of west stave. and what do i get for it?" her hand flashes towards adjala's cheek, and through the pain she thinks of what is called a rhetorical question. what is that, again? "i get a bunch of spoiled, useless, brats, who can't even save themselves from a common street thug." she sighs, even more melodramatically than before. adjala's cheek still smarts. "the work i need! to maintain this beautiful image, the creams and potions and Healers i bring to perfect myself. i am building an empire, you silly, useless, girl. no. i have built an empire." she swipes a hand at her sumptous teal dress, embroidered with gold and crystals, her neck free of the diamond choker that she's famous for, but nevertheless perfect. "you will stay under my thumb, little lynx. you will go back to kerch and go back to work. one more step out of line—" adjala wants to protest, she's done nothing wrong "—one more step and i'll have you in heIlgate for breach of contract. i may not have the contract right here, but all we have to do is edit a few clauses, here and there, and you'll be under my thumb for twice as much time. you owe me, little lynx." heleen smiles. please, adjala thinks, please. "one more step, and you'll wish you hadn't been born, little lynx." adjala nods. it's the only thing she can do. "now, now. forget about that useless criminal, and let's get back to the party."
written from adjala, the replacement suli girl's perspective after the events at the ice court in soc—tante heleen is the one speaking + the villain 439 words | characters by leigh bardugo
