Chapter 12
May 18
He dressed Andrewe slowly, revelling in the feel of the silk beneath his fingertips, yet shrivelling under the lack of response or exchange. Andrewe remained silent, not making eye contact—a doll to move about, pose, and adorn as Emmett saw fit. As Andrewe sat in front of the mirror and Emmett brushed his hair, Emmett felt he was staring at one of the massive paintings in the Great Hall: beautiful, fantastic, but completely lifeless.
Emmett refused to feel agony—rejected his heart’s call to end the silence himself. His father’s ship would return in June and Emmett had already decided he would be on it when it departed. If the strings were to be cut, and their agreement ended, it would probably be best for Aleyn if Andrewe believed it was Andrewe’s choice. So let Andrew
