Chapter 16

Artua snatched Vanessa by the wrist. Breaking a taboo was difficult only the first time. After that, it was surprisingly easy. Dragging Vanessa along like a doll, he moved through the estate. Guards and slaves were posted throughout the exhibition venue, but he knew the layout so thoroughly that he reached his studio without running into a single soul. As he hurriedly prepared to paint, a thought crossed his mind. I made the right choice holding the exhibition here. The venue was a cliffside mansion Artua had purchased specifically to keep Fren in check. He could have rented a larger, more accessible space, but he had insisted on a location with a studio, reasoning that he could paint or make