I never belonged here. I never should have come here. I’m not a spy. I’m a fighter. A knight in Lavinia’s chess game with Tudor. One that she was willing to sacrifice for Tudor’s queen.
Should I have staked her? I easily could have, in that vulnerable moment. I could have staked her a thousand times during the past fewmonths. If I had been a better soldier, I would have. Callista is right. Celine is a powerful enemy, who wouldn’t hesitate to kill dozen of witches if Tudor bade her to. She would have killed me.
But…she didn’t. She let me go.
And I know, without having to think about it, that I could never have staked her. It’s not who I am.
A woman passes me on the sidewalk, wrapped comfortably in a dark peacoat. She gives me a sharp look as she hurries by.
I must look crazy. The wound on my neck clotted on its own, although not as neatly as it would have if Celine had licked it, or if I had more of my magic available to me. I’ve never been good at healing magic, but even if I was, I wouldn’t have much in me right now.
My heart is heavy in my chest, and my head is pounding. I can’t begin to wrap my mind around what just happened. I just want to go back to my apartment. To get into a hot bath.
Then I have to call Lavinia and Callista. I have to tell them that my cover was blown.
I’m going home. Going home to Hemlock Haven.
It’s all I’ve wanted for months. But the thought fills me with sadness and dread.
I’ve failed. Now that Celine knows I was spying on her family for the Hecate coven, Tudor will immediately retaliate. And he’ll have good reason to. He can justify his actions to the Triple Council, to the other magical factions. It will ignite a war across the entire northern region.
And Celine…I can’t get her face out of my mind. The icy veneer of her hatred, masking the deep hurt in her eyes.
I’ve let down my coven, but worse than that…
I let her down. I betrayed her trust.
Part of me wishes that she had killed me. My guilt is unbearable.
“Amara, what happened?”
Merlin swoops down from a nearby tree. His beady eyes widen in shock when he sees me.
“Good Goddess, are you all right?”
I barely have the strength to answer. My voice comes out thick and shaky.
“She found me out, Merlin. Celine did.”
“What?” Merlin hovers beside me. “Amara, your neck! Did she attack you?”
“No, she…”
But I’m interrupted by a dark car screeching down the street. It’s early in the morning, and it’s the only car on the road. I jump in surprise when the car stops right beside me. The passenger doors open and two men wearing sunglasses and dark clothes emerge. Their features are set. Their intentions are clear.
My stomach drops.
“Merlin, go!” I shout. He shoots up into the air, hooting.
One of the men grabs me from behind, his strong arms easily pulling me toward the car. He’s got to be a vampire, given his unnatural strength.
Even if I was at my full power, I couldn’t fight right now. Another man pulls down his sunglasses, his light purple eyes making contact with mine. The tug of his glamour enchantment is irresistible, especially because it’s the second one I’ve experienced tonight.
And I have nothing left in me to resist.
THAT WAS HER NAME
Celine
