20 Step-Sister
Sera
I woke up when a shaft of grey light hit my face. The fire had burned down to glowing chunks of orange, but the room was still warm enough that I didn’t want to move. I lay there for a second, my mind immediately replaying Fenris on his knees, his massive hand wrapped around my foot. The memory made my skin itch.
A sharp, rhythmic knocking at the door killed the silence. Before I could even tell them to go away, the latch clicked and Mina
marched in.
She was a blur of rust-colored wool and nervous energy. She didn’t look at me at first; she went straight to the hearth and started poking at the embers. “Morning! You slept late. I was starting to think I’d have to pour the washwater over your head to get you moving.”
I sat up slowly, pushing the furs off my chest. I didn’t say anything. I just watched her.
Mina kept talking, her words coming out in a fast, practiced stream. “The kitchens are making those flat cakes today. You’ll like them. But more importantly, we’re heading to the springs. They’re natural, heated by the mountain. It’s perfect timing, too. Fenris is heading down there soon to wash off the trail grit. If you’re lucky, you might actually get some time alone with him. Without a table between you.”
She finally looked at me, a bright, fake smile plastered on her face. “Well? Don’t just sit there looking like a ghost. Get up.”
“Is that the plan for today, Mina?” I asked. My voice was flat, devoid of any of the morning grogginess I should have felt. ” Throw me at him while he’s naked in a pool?” 1
Mina blinked, her smile faltering for a fraction of a second. “I’m just saying it’s a good opportunity. You’re his mate, Sera. You should be taking every chance you get to-”
“I know who you are.”
Mina went dead quiet. She was holding the iron poker mid-air, her knuckles white. She looked genuinely shocked, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for how I’d found out. The silence stretched until it was uncomfortable.
Then, she let out a short, nervous laugh and leaned the poker against the stone. “How?”
“Fenris was here last night,” I said. “He was a lot more honest than you’ve been.”
Mina sighed, her shoulders dropping as she let out a breath she’d been holding. She moved toward the washbasin, avoiding my eyes. “Well. We’re not even that close, anyway. The Alpha is my stepbrother. It’s not like we share the same blood.”
She didn’t need to say that. It was a defensive reflex, a bid to save face now that her cover was blown. I just stared at her. I’d spent my whole life navigating court politics, and I’d only ever heard of Fenris having a brother-the one who died. It hadn’t even occurred to me that there was a sister, or a step-sister, hiding in plain sight.
“Why the hell did you lie?” I demanded. “Why pretend to be a maid?”
Mina shrugged, finally looking up. “People talk differently to the help. I wanted to see who you were without the princess ntask
on.”
“And the dress?” I stood up, the cold air hitting my bare skin, but I didn’t care. “The red one. Fenris said he didn’t pick it. That was you, wasn’t it?”
Mina didn’t deny it. She just stood there.
“You made me walk into a hall full of men looking like that,” I said, my voice rising. “You left me vulnerable at a table full of barbaric warriors just so you could play some game. I hated it. I felt like a piece of meat.”
Mina started to reach out, her mouth opening to offer some kind of excuse. “Sera, I thought if he saw you like that, he would—”
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“I’m not doing this with you,” I snapped, shaking my head. I felt a surge of pure, unfiltered irritation. I didn’t want her explanations or her ‘help.’ “Please. Just go.” 1
Mina froze. Her eyes went down to the floorboards, and for the first time, she looked small. The restless energy was gone, replaced by something that looked like genuine regret.
“Sera,” she said softly, looking back up. “Are you… are you coming to the spring?”
“No!” I shouted before she could even finish the word.
The room went stone silent again. I looked at her, my jaw tight, my hands clenched at my sides. “Just leave me alone, Mina. I don’t need you to help me. I don’t need you to throw me at your brother like a slab of meat to see if he bites. I don’t need anyone. Go.”
Mina nodded slowly. She didn’t say another word. She turned around, her boots sounding heavy on the stone, and walked out the door.
The click of the latch felt final. I stood there in the middle of the room, staring at the heavy oak wood, my chest heaving. I’d won. I was alone.
But as the silence settled back into the corners of the room, a sharp, annoying pang of guilt hit me right in the center of my chest.
“Fuck!” I cursed under my breath, slamming my hand against the bedpost.
I hated that I felt bad. She’d lied to me, manipulated me, and exposed me. But she was also the only person in this frozen hellhole who had actually smiled at me.
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