How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days (The Embraced #1)

Instinctively, Luciana reeled back, but that only gave him access to her room. He marched inside while Jensen hovered by the door, frowning.

“I’m not sick!” She rushed over to the window to inhale some fresh air.

“Ah, but you are.” Master Wormwood studied her, nodding his head knowingly. “I can tell that the poison has taken effect. Your complexion is turning green.”

“I didn’t eat any of the soup!”

“Of course you did.” He waved a hand dismissively, and she cringed at how dirty his fingernails were. “How else would you have known the soup was tainted?”

Luciana winced. She couldn’t very well say that a boy ghost had warned her. “It didn’t look or smell right. I really didn’t eat—”

“Luckily for you, I have brought a special tonic that will save your life.”

“I’m not dying! Jensen, take me to my father now.”

Master Wormwood put up a hand to stop Jensen. “She will see His Grace after she has taken the tonic. Those were the duke’s orders.”

Jensen gave her a pitying look.

Master Wormwood retrieved a vial from his filthy robe, along with a wooden cup. He pulled the cork out with his yellow teeth, filled the cup with his tonic, then spit the cork onto the floor. “Here, my dear. You are fortunate to benefit from my years of extensive scientific study and remarkable skill.”

Next to the bed, Tatiana was pretending to choke herself.

“I’m perfectly fine,” Luciana tried again. “Once I see my father—”

“After the tonic.” Master Wormwood offered her the cup.

She took it, and the smell alone made her gag. She covered the top with her hand and leaned against the window to inhale some fresh air. “What is in the tonic, if I might ask?”

“Some medicinal herbs, along with desiccated chicken gizzards, bull testicles, and my special ingredient to make it extra potent—cat urine.”

Luciana coughed. No wonder her father had thrown up and the general had run back to the army camp. She couldn’t do this. There had to be something …

With a gasp, she pointed at her sister. “A ghost!”

Master Wormwood scoffed. “You think to fool me? I’m a man of science, and I can tell you without a doubt that ghosts do not—”

Tatiana knocked the candleholder off the bedside table, and it went flying across the room to land on the floor with a clatter.

“A ghost!” Master Wormwood turned to stare at the bed in horror.

Luciana emptied the cup out the window while Tatiana gave a shout of victory.

Down below on the wall walk, a voice yelped. “What the hell?”

Jensen snorted, then glanced warily at the candleholder rolling on the floor.

Tatiana spun in a circle, laughing. “Oh, that was fun!”

Master Wormwood turned to look at Luciana. “What is going on here?”

Luciana shrugged. “Haven’t you heard the rumors that this tower is haunted?” She handed him the empty cup. “Now I would like to see my father.”

He eyed the cup and her suspiciously. “You don’t feel a need to purge?”

“Oh, yes!” She ran for the door. “I’ll be in the privy!”

Jensen followed her down the stairs. “I’m not sure how you did it, but well played, my lady,” he whispered.

“Thank you.” She shut the privy door, then took her time relieving herself. Afterward, she poured fresh water from the pitcher into the bowl to wash her hands and face.

When she emerged, Jensen told her, “You’re safe now. I told the physician you were throwing up, so he left.”

“Thank you. Let’s go see my father now.”

*

The Duke of Vindalyn was sitting up in bed, looking pale and tired, when Luciana entered his bedchamber.

“Father!” She ran toward him. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, my dear.” He reached a hand out to her. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” She took his hand and perched on the side of his bed. On the far side of his bed, her mother, Ariana, smiled at her. Another form appeared. Tatiana.

Luciana released her father’s hand as she quickly surveyed the room. Across the room, close to the fireplace, the duke’s secretary was seated behind a desk, reading some papers. Leo was nowhere in sight.

“Father,” she whispered, then angled her head toward her mother and sister. “We’re not alone.”

He glanced to the side. “I thought it was chilly.” With a louder voice, he addressed his secretary. “Percy, you may bring Father Grendel now.”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Percy bowed and headed for the door.

“Father, are you sure you’re all right?” Luciana asked. “Why do you need a priest?”

“For the ceremony.”

“What cere—”

“I’ll explain later.” Her father waited for the door to shut, then whispered, “Is Tatiana here?”

“Yes.” Luciana motioned to side. “And my mother.”

“Ariana?” The duke’s eyes filled with tears as he extended a hand. “Ariana, I have missed you so much.”

She smiled sadly at him, her eyes glistening. “Tell Lucas that I’ve always been by his side.”

As Luciana repeated her mother’s words, Ariana touched her husband’s hand.

His fingers curled, reacting to the cold. “Was that her?”

“Yes.” Luciana blinked away tears.

He dragged in a shaky breath. “Ariana … I love you so much.”

Luciana wiped her cheek as a tear escaped. How lovely it would be if she and Leo could have a love as enduring as this. But even though she knew she loved him, she had no idea if he felt the same way. He’d admitted to wanting to bed her, but that didn’t seem quite the same as love.

Tatiana cleared her throat. “What about me?”

Luciana motioned to her. “Tatiana saved me from having to take the physician’s tonic.”

“That’s right!” Tatiana boasted. “You should have seen me, Mama. I knocked a candleholder across the room! Scared that nasty Wormwood to death!”

“That’s amazing!” Ariana gave her an astonished look.

“Well, yes, I am.” Tatiana smoothed back her hair.

“You didn’t take the tonic?” the duke asked Luciana.