Gizelda’s gaze stayed on Jenny all throughout the interrogation that followed. Jenny felt naked under the woman’s continued attention. The small, impish smile on the Duchess's face set all the butterflies, rabbits, and everything else on a rampage. But Jenny didn’t miss the tenseness in Gizelda’s shoulders, the harsh line of her jaw, the anger lines around her eyes.
“Describe to me again where you found this,” Gregory demanded, not for the first or second time, tapping the broken crossbow.
Jenny looked at Gregory again and opened her mouth but was interrupted.
“Leave it, Greg.” Gizelda said, her tone monotone and bored. “You want to pin the guilt on this woman as well?”
Gregory’s head spun so fast to Gizelda it was a surprise the boy didn’t get whiplash. His glare was fierce. “I told you to call me by my title or full name in front of guests!” He barked out.
Gizelda rolled her eyes. “Why are you wasting your time here?” She said, “Weren’t you going to pay respects to the inquisitor? Are you sure it’s wise to make the man wait or force him to seek you out here in the manor?”
Gregory’s voice was all but a whiny complaint. “But we might find her, Gi!”
Gizelda sighed, got up, and patted the boy’s shoulder. “Let me ask the questions. And you go fulfill your obligations as the new Baron. How about it?”
The new Baron slumped on his chair. Thaddeus cleared his throat. Gregory scowled but sat up straight again. He glared back at Jenny. “If I find you lied, there will be hell to pay.” The boy declared. He got up, glanced at his sister, and left the office.
Thaddeus followed the Baron. Gizelda returned to her chair, gaze fixed on Jenny, and smiled wider, predatory.
“Leave us,” Gizelda said, and for a moment, Jenny thought it was directed at her.
“But Duchess, I can’t—” The guard started.
“Leave,” Gizelda commanded again. Her gaze did not leave Jenny for a single moment. Her eyes were intense, unblinking. The smile, a mixture of their secret shared smile and something else.
The butterflies, the rabbits, and all the electricity in Jenny’s body went berserk. She knew that look; she missed that smile, even if it was a warped version. The creaking of the opening door and the sound of it closing felt like the hangman’s noose slipping around Jenny’s neck. Or maybe her wildest dream came true. Jenny wasn’t really sure.
The Duchess got up, eyes still fixed on Jenny. Walked closer, then behind. Jenny started to turn, but a low “shhh” kept her in place. The finger trailing on Jenny’s shoulder from one side to the other didn’t make things better, the nail digging into her back held the promise.
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“Now, Larissa.” Gizelda’s voice was a demanding, a husky, angry whisper. “Tell me everything.”
Jenny opened her mouth, words ready to spill out. Biscuit’s wide red eyes, innocent smile, rabbit Biscuit’s leg thumping under Jenny’s ministrations, popped into Jenny’s mind. She’d tell Gizelda, but maybe she should keep a few things out. Jenny heard movement behind her, warm breath by her ear.
“Tell me everything,” Gizelda demanded in a harsh whisper, “Who killed my father?”
“Viscount Ducan Grimwald’s son.” The words escaped Jenny’s mouth before she knew what happened.
“How?” The whispering demanded again.
Jenny’s ear, face, her whole body burned. But she knew the rules; she couldn’t move, not yet. “I don’t know,” Jenny admitted.
Hot breath grazed Jenny's neck. Gizelda's hands threaded roughly through her hair, pulling her head back in a not-so-gentle grasp that kept her in place. Soft lips brushed against Jenny’s ear, then stinging agony. A whimper escaped Jenny’s mouth.
“Tell me everything,” Gizelda demanded again. “And I might reward you.”
Words spilled from Jenny’s mouth like a broken dam. Idly, she remembered to edit some of the info. The person who saved her wasn't Biscuit, her pet, but an unknown sorceress. The rabbit was just a connection to that power, a connection to her patron. Jenny admitted to her suspicions and plans. To find what Ferdinand wanted, if Gregory was involved, to learn mind magic so she could help Gizelda achieve her dream.
Jenny spoke of all that had happened since that tragic night. Gizelda listened. Then they talked again, a different type of talk that required no words but expressed much of their mind. It was passionate, angry, and often marred by bouts of violence from both sides.
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Yuki tried stuff: pretending she was an ordinary rabbit, frolicking about a bit, eating some leaves, hopping around, and looking like any other rabbit out there. It didn’t work. The tin-can guy's eyes followed her every movement. The man had his sword and shield out, but aside from the initial outburst, he hadn’t said a thing. Didn’t seem like he was about to attack.
What to do?
“You there, witch,” The man's voice was grave and deep, a pleasant baritone. “Are you human?”
Bee squeaked. The man’s eye fixed on her. The bony girl froze.
Sure though Bee was scared, but then again, Bee had been scared of everything aside from magic. Tin-can soon looked at Yuki again.
“Answer me.”
Well, the game was up anyway. How to salvage this. Nothing for it. Yuki understood some of the words. She really needed to learn the local language. “Hi, mister Tin-can,” Yuki said in the old language. “Nice weather we’re having, right?”
The man looked bewildered like a rabbit just tried to talk. Yep, that was an excellent start. Whatever kept Jenny away, it better be good, or Yuki would have words with her pet.
“What did it say?” The man demanded, looking at Bee.
“I don’t know!” Bee cried out. “Jenny is the only one who can understand Biscuit!”
The man stopped and blinked. “The witch's name is… Biscuit?” He didn’t seem to believe his own words.
“That’s what Jenny calls her.” Bee admitted meekly. She had a death grip on Whisker.
“Jenny?” The man tilted his head. “As in Jennifer of Ravenshade?”
Bee opened her mouth, closed it, and looked away.
Yuki looked from one to the other, but it didn’t seem like a battle was about to happen. Which was good; with luck, Jenny would return soon. She hopped closer to Bee and nuzzled the frightened girl. “Worry not, almost pet,” she said. “Jenny will be here soon; just stay calm.”
That didn’t seem to calm down Bee at all. The girl whimpered even more. Where the fuck was Jenny, anyway?