“Whut is happenin’?” She directed the question at Cainan, who was the only option she had for answers at the moment.

“Ask her, not me.”

“Yer tellin’ me to talk to a bloodpanther? How do I even do that?”

Cainan tapped his hairless scalp. “Up here. Your bloodbond will take care of the rest.”

“Bloodbond? I don’ have any bloodbond, whutever that even is.”

“The voice in your head begs to differ.”

I agree with him again. You are a stubborn one, aren’t you?

Perfidy drove her fingernails into the sides of her head, as though she could claw the voice out of it. “Please, git her outta there.”

“Why?”

“Oh, I don’ know…mebbe cuz I don’ want anyone pokin’ around in me skull? Also, she called me stubborn.”

“That’s a shoe that I suspect will always fit your foot.”

She flashed him a death glare, but it vanished when the voice reappeared in her mind. Now you’re just being rude.

Rude? she thought back. Trust me, I cain be a void of a lot ruder. She hadn’t meant it as an actual response, just a flippant thought to stave off her growing frustration.

That’s better. Now we can introduce ourselves properly, can’t we?

Ye could hear me? she thought back, feeling strange.

I can hear you, yes. Your inner voice is as raw and unchained as your external voice.

Is that…good?

In my opinion, yes. I like hearing it. Now it’s not really fair that I know your name—Perfidy Tress—which I also like to say, while you don’t know mine.

Ye have a name?

Of course I do, silly. Everything has a name, even if most humans are too daft or ignorant to know it.

Perfidy wasn’t sure if she was being included in either of those categories but was too stunned by the fact that she was having an actual conversation with an actual bloodpanther to be offended. Please. Tell me yer name.

Corinthia.

That’s…lovely.

Of course it is. I chose it for myself. But also, thank you, your opinion means a great deal to me.

Why?

Weren’t you listening to your friend?

He’s not my—

Like your friend said, we’re bloodbonded, Corinthia interrupted.

That was true?

Of course. Your friend is a truth teller if I’ve ever seen one.

Well that explains a lot. Or at least it would if I had the faintest idea whut bloodbonded even means. Perfidy flinched as a deep-throated, reverberating growl resounded in her mind. Are ye…laughin’?

You are quite funny, you know. That’s one reason I chose you.

Ye chose me?