Page 79 of Judge of Saints and Sinners

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Justine

We were in an office. It was so different from the cold metal and cement room that I’d been in since I arrived that I would’ve never believed it had been only a short walk across the warehouse. But now that I was here, the guards had left, leaving me sitting on a stiff but elegantly shaped sofa, my parents on the other. Staring straight at one another.

My throat convulsed each time I opened my mouth, as if the words I was searching for were rejecting even the thought of saying them out loud. Finally, my father, who had been staring at me wide-eyed, seemed to jump then glanced anxiously at my mother before offering me a small smile.

“Justine, it’s so good to see you. You’ve grown up so much.”

Small talk. That was what this was. It felt horrible, my entire body vibrating now as a variety of dread and unease filled me. I’d acted impulsively. For these two people. And I didn’t even know them anymore.

“I thought you were dead.”

“I know, honey. We just…”

My mother reached over, patting my father’s knee as he began to speak over her. He hushed immediately, looking at me, his face pale as he did so. My mother, Elaine, turned back to me, fixing those familiar eyes on me. “We are so sorry, baby. We wanted to be there so badly. But the Drude insisted. He told us everything, about how our bloodline was known to create powerful witches. That you could be one of the souls bound to the Fallen.”

It was eerie hearing her use these words that only two weeks ago would’ve confused me completely. Yet they seemed like completely natural terminology to her. “So it was those people who took you from the house.”

“It was Niko. The Drude was not in our area at the time.”

I mentally filed that information away, nodding absently as I let my fingers trace the seam of the couches. They were expensive, I could tell. Strange as it was, the Drude was oddly well financed. His connections must be rather secure in order to pull all of this off.

“Justine?”

My mother was looking at me curiously, and I realized I had spaced out while she was talking. “I’m sorry.” I made a show of wiping my eyes. “I’m just so confused.”

Dad spoke up now. “We know, Justine, but it’s going to be okay now.”

“Now? What happens now?”

They looked at each then, her hand moved again, resting on his knee. For some reason, it drew my attention. I loved my mom, but she had never been one for affection. Quality time, or even little notes left around the house, yes, but there were no extra cuddles at bedtime. I had not minded. I had Dad for that.

But this was what she might even consider PDA. I guessed being stuck as a master villain’s hostage for ten years could change you.

“Now we will figure out next steps together.”

“Together? I’m so sorry. They took the house, and I’m not sure where we would even go back to at this point,” I stuttered out, suddenly feeling my cheeks heat.

My dad’s jaw ticked. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about that. We aren’t leaving, Justine.”’

“Wait…what?”

“You pledged yourself to the Drude, Justine. We have to stay here.”

“But I did it to free you…”

“But not yourself… You will have to stay here. I think the master means to have you train with the witch he has raised here.”

Horror crept into my veins, turning them to ice. “What are you talking about?”

Again, they shared that knowing soft look between them. “There’s a young witch here, another cross of the old families. She’s been trained by the Drude herself. She’s quite powerful. They think that she can help you.”

“Help me do what?”

“Build your powers, of course. What did you think he would want you for? He already has your prince,” Mom responded coolly.

“Mom, why do you sound like that?”