The Asylum Read Online Free PDF Page A

her, concentrating on her dark pupils.
    â€œWe’d like you to give us a bag of buns. And a loaf of bread. Actually, two loaves,” I said. The less compelling I had to do, the better. If she could provide enough food to last Cora a few days, that would be ideal.
    The woman nodded slightly as I felt my request seep into her mind, felt her will begin to bend to my suggestions.
    â€œAnd a strawberry tart,” Cora piped up.
    I repeated Cora’s request to the baker. She bustled around behind the counter, finally handing me a large paper sack, steam still rising from the loaf on top.
    â€œThank you,” I said, and we left the bakery before she could second-guess the strange transaction she’d just made.
    The closer we got to the park, the more the scene reminded me of the Impressionist paintings that were so popular in Paris. From a distance, the trees looked lush and green, but up close I saw orange and brown leaves about to fall to the ground and muddy patches of heavily trodden grass.
    â€œWould you like a roll or your strawberry tart for breakfast?” I asked.
    â€œI’ll have a roll. The tart’s for later,” Cora said as we walked through two imposing marble pillars marking the entrance to the park.
    â€œHere,” I said, placing one of the still-warm rolls in Cora’s outstretched hand. “I apologize for the lack of jam.”
    â€œI don’t mind,” she said easily, picking apart her roll. A tiny shower of crumbs fell to the ground. Instantly, five sparrows converged on the spot, pecking furiously.
    As we moved deeper into the park, there were fewer pedestrians and nannies out with their charges than there had been at the entrance. Sun dappled the white gravel path beneath our feet, and every few steps an errant leaf from the oak trees above us wafted to the ground. I wasn’t sure what had brought me here. This was the last place Violet would be; she couldn’t be outside in the daylight, not without a lapis lazuli ring like the ones Damon and I had. I wished that, somehow, I could just know where Violet was, the same way I used to be able to sense where Damon was on the Veritas estate where we’d grown up. But Damon was of my blood, a bond I would never have with anyone else in my eternal life. It was the same type of bond that kept Cora in the company of vampires, a desperate attempt to get her sister back in any way possible.
    Suddenly, Cora perked up and whirled around. “Look!” she called, pointing past me.
    I squared my shoulders and followed her gaze, ready to see a police officer here to take us away, or worse, Samuel. But what Cora had seen, just a few yards away behind a metal fence, was a giraffe gracefully stalking around a pen.
    Cora clapped her hands in delight. “Violet and I always walked this way on our day off. We called it the cheap zoo tour. The admission counter is on the other side, but why would you pay admission if you can just watch from here?” Cora stood on her tiptoes and shielded her eyes. I followed her lead and spotted two camels feeding at a trough. I took a step closer to Cora, drawn by her innocent curiosity.
    â€œWhich is your favorite?” I asked. For the moment, it was nice to be in the sunlight, having a normal conversation.
    Cora stepped closer and leaned lightly on the iron fence. “I like the zebras, but Violet always liked the peacocks. She was drawn to their dramatic flair…” Cora trailed off wistfully. “Sometimes you can see them. But not today,” she said, disappointed. She turned toward me and took another bite of her roll.
    I remembered how pleased Violet had been when she picked out a gorgeous emerald-green dress from Harrods, and how she seemed to sparkle with infectious enthusiasm at the few parties I’d attended with her.
    â€œViolet always wanted to be an actress. We both did,” Cora said, turning away from the zoo. Her gaze was focused on her