d through their world like a gilded princess, while Sarah, with her marred skin and haunted eyes, was th

he once told Ethan, "That girl of Agnes' s is an ill omen, a blight, if she were mine,

was not kindness, it was a twisted, long-term strategy, a way to continually torment Eleanor, Ethan' s

hter she could not claim, it was a perverse pleasure, a daily dose of revenge served

or, I mean, she pities you, perhaps, but love? No, that' s all for Claire, and you can' t tell her the truth, can you? The little b

, her voice a low snarl, "through Claire, this family' s power, its name, its wealth, it will be m

believed her magical bindings were strong, her secrets safe, she had no idea of the ancient, dormant power Sa

ust endured, it was a calculated sacrifice, a long, agonizing immersion in her enemy' s world, a strategy she had conceived in the

ed a fraction more of her true self to show in her gaze, a fleeting spark of defiance, Agnes lunged, grabbing Sarah

head back, forcing her to look at a nearby portrait of the beaming Cl

calm, "just like your mother' s hopes for you, clean it up, and then you will kneel and apologize to Claire' s po

ion was futile, Agnes was Josiah' s favored child in her own twisted way, her cruelties often excus

ious beating, "Your sentimentality is a weakness, Eleanor, Agnes understands the necessity of... discipline, tha

nes appeared as if from nowhere, snatching it away, "Still trying to fatten the pig for a non-e

silver gleaming for the pre-Gala dinner, her spiritual affinity, while strong, needs every advantage, especiall

"This is not good enough!" she shrieked, her voice echoing, "Her energy patterns are... fluctuating! Eleanor, is this your do

la, if she is not named heir unequivocally, I will hold you personally responsib

fully, Agnes, she is a gifted young woman, perhaps if you spent less time tormenting Sarah and more time ge

us gaze back to Sarah, then a slow, sinister smile spread across her face, a new, darker idea taking root, "Perha

gnes?" she whispered, but Agnes merely smiled, a predator' s grin, Eleanor, defeated, turned and left,

Sarah, then, with a sudden, violent motion, Agnes dragged Sarah towards the old, forbidden wing of the mansi