Inkling_2026_Digital - Flipbook - Page 25
even o昀昀er you some tea if I did think to
bring extras. I acquired these via Madame
Pompadou on Page 81, she makes them
with rosemary. Now, if you do mean to
scare me, that leather-bound handle is
doing little. So why don’t we chat instead?”
Peyton growled, but obliged, probably too
embarrassed by the shortcomings of his
alleged battle stance to try anything else.
Eleanor gave Robert a curious look. She
had expected a typical villain personage.
This man was not as such.
“Are you not Robert Scarface? The horrible
antagonist who tries to tear apart the love
of myself and Peyton?”
“I see the words of this book have
molded your impression of me.” Robert
answered, swirling the black ink within
his teacup with a spoon. “I was your
betrothed, Robert Scarface, yes. I was
quite scandalized when you ran away,
yes. But goodness me, I didn’t chase after
the two of you simply to act like a burned
lover and yell ‘Curses! Curses to Peyton
Brickford and his kin! Curses to him who
stole my Eleanor away!’.” Robert visibly
cringed. “I know that is what the text
advertised, but I assure you that I am not
so ridiculous.”
Eleanor considered his words. She did
believe him to be a vicious villain, but that
was purely based on what the story had
described. Eleanor was only an illustration
after all, her version of the story was
muddled by the narrative’s choice of voice.
But she wouldn’t believe him just like that.
“Then why did you chase us around?”
INKLING 2026 | 25
