not about anything that mattered.
'Well, it's not a complicated question, however novel,' Everess huffed. 'If you despise Copperine House, as you say, then where is it that you'd prefer to go?'
Sela glared at him. 'You of all people should know that I can't answer that question.'
Everess smiled. Of course he knew. And he wanted to be sure that she was focused on what she owed him before he made whatever strange request he was about to make of her.
She decided to answer the question anyway. 'I want to be useful,' she said, crossing her hands on her lap. The muslin of her skirt settled softly. 'I want to be ... good. Do good.'
'Ah,' said Everess. 'Meaning what, exactly?'
'I want for my life to ... mean something. I sense the hours and days and years going by, and nothing I do means anything to anyone. I might as well not even exist. Sometimes I wish that I didn't.'
Everess dragged a chair toward the love seat where she sat and planted himself in it, leaning forward. He took her cold hands in his, which were warm and meaty. She smelled tobacco and liquor on his breath.
'Sela,' he said. 'What if I told you I had an opportunity for you to be useful and good? More useful than you can possibly imagine?'
What game was Everess playing? What fancy of his was this? While Sela had been at Copperine, Everess had visited from time to time. They'd played draughts. He'd checked up on her, asked after her health, made sure she was being taken care of and treated properly. But she had never been under the illusion that he loved her or even cared for her as another Fae. She was a duty of his, and though she'd never understood the exact nature of that duty, she knew the reason for it. It was not the same reason that Lord Tanen had raised her, had invested so much in her upbringing, but it was not far different, she felt now.
'You misunderstand me, Lord Everess,' Sela said, stiffening. 'I did not say I wished to be used. I said I wished to be useful.'
Again the smile. Sela could not think of anything she'd ever said to Everess that had wiped that smile off his face. Someday, she found herself thinking, she would find a way.
'I apologize profusely, miss,' said Everess, leaning back and releasing her hands. 'I did not mean to imply that.'
'Then let us stop circling around it,' said Sela. 'What is it that you want?'
Everess stood and began making a lap around the room, inspecting the mantelpiece, sniffing at the condition of the wallpaper. 'How long have you been at Copperine, Sela?'
More circling, then. 'Ten years.' She could just as easily have told him the number of days.
'Do you know why I brought you here?' he said.
'I have an assumption,' said Sela. 'At first, I simply assumed you were being kind, knowing so little of kindness as I did. After a time I came to believe that it was because you could simply think of nothing better to do with me. But now I know why.'
'And why is that?'
'Because you believed that at some point I would become a valuable asset to you. And now that time has come.'
'Well,' said Everess, drawing out the word. 'All three of your assumptions are true, to a greater or lesser degree. I did and still do feel very warmly toward you, Sela. And at the time, I certainly had no idea what was to be done with you. You don't really belong here, but I could never figure out where you did belong. And as for your being an asset, Sela ...'
He paused, perhaps thinking of the right way to say it, then gave up. 'It's true, of course. One doesn't get to where I am without understanding people and how they can be maneuvered into serving one's own ends.'
'How noble,' she said.
He ignored her. 'But believe me when I say, Sela, that I do care for you. More than you think. And I want you be happy.'
Was this true? Maybe he thought it was true.
'Regardless, I've found a place for you. A place where you can use your talents. Where you can be of use to me. And where you can be truly useful. Does that interest you?'
Sela scoffed. 'What difference does it make? I have no control over where I'm sent.'
'Well, of course not. You're a ward of the Crown. I am, as a matter of law, your guardian and master. That is a matter beyond my control, and I wouldn't change it even if I could. But even though the choice is mine to
