Iwasledintoaroom, rather large in size. The walls were stone, just like the rest of the fortress. Silas had his back to the door and was shuffling some documents on the large wooden table before him.
Roland closed the door behind me, leaving just me and Silas in the room. I was left with my bound wrists, staring at the back of my once lover. He also had clearly showered, as his black hair was styled neatly, and he was wearing new clothes; a short-sleeved black tunic with white edges, a belt around his waist, and trousers and boots. His golden forearms were visible, and just like his neck, they were heavily inked. The moments passed like years, and I wondered when he would turn to face me.
When he finally did, his eyes couldn’t hide his emotions: confusion, hurt, disbelief,anger…so much anger.
His golden gaze burned into mine. “I…I don’t understand,” he breathed. “How are you alive?”
I was silent.
How do I even respond?
“I saw your cottage after it was burned down. Your burnt corpse. How…how are you alive?!”
I flinched at his raised voice. How could I explain it to him? No words would suffice. I betrayed him. I knew how badly it would hurt him, not only my leaving but having him believe I was dead.
“We—” I took a shaky breath. “We had to leave. I…I didn’t want to.” I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. “King Ulric put a kill order on us. We couldn’t risk staying there any longer.”
I was too fearful to bring up Torrin. I had heard that the people of Otacia believed Torrin Brighthell to be an assassin, believed he played a part in the Queen's death, as he fled the night I “died”. That it was all connected. If I told him, he may believe me to be part of it, too. Even though neither Torrin nor I had anything to do with it.
“So your solution was to make me believe you were dead?” he sneered, his rising temper reflective in his honey eyes. “Do you have any idea what that has put me through all these years? To lose you right after I had lost my mother…” His face shifted from rage into disgust. “And you’re awitch. I cannot believe you lied to me all that time. I cannot believe I wascloseto you.”
My heart shattered, but immediately, the pain turned to fury. “You aren’t the only one who was lied to, Silas. I did what I had to in order to stay alive.”
“Typical, selfish witch,” he said, his voice grim.
While his appearance was familiar, I was looking into the eyes of a stranger. There was no holding back anymore.
“Silas, the Slayer of Witches, that’s what they call you now? I amsothankful I never told you about what I am. Your love was conditional, just as I feared it was. You were raised to hate me—you could never possibly understand.” Tension coiled within my knuckles. I wished I could break loose from my restraints. “You are committing genocide for the actions of one,” I scoffed. “As if no human has ever committed murder.”
Silas studied me, his expression remaining. “Your mother wasn’t like that,” I continued. “She would behorrifiedto see you like this.”
Something flickered in his eyes, and he lunged toward me and seized my throat, squeezing hard. I gasped for air.
“Don’t you fuckingdarespeak of her!” he yelled, his pupils blown wide with rage.
I tried to claw his hand off me, but I wasn’t strong enough. Tears poured out of my eyes as I struggled to breathe.
“P-please…s-stop!” I choked.
His entire hand was wrapped around my neck as he squeezed harder, and then our gaze stuck.
I only had enough air to get out one word.
“Quill,” I cried.
His eyes widened—humanity flickering back into his stare. He released my throat and quickly pulled back. I hunched over, gasping for air.
When I looked up, he was staring at me with widened eyes, frozen. I was still catching my breath when he swallowed and brushed himself off.
“The past doesn’t matter,” he said blandly, his eyes narrowing. “Why are you their new leader?”
I trembled, now repulsed as I looked at him. “I don’t know,” I panted.
“Where is he hiding the Weapon?”
“I don’t know what you speak of.”
“Where are the rest of the Mages?”
