A look of confusion momentarily passed over his features, and she could feel her face growing warmer at the implication of her words. She had meant it in a way where being so close to him, so close to his rage, made her mind blank and black, her thoughts nonexistent. But the way she had said it sounded … almost like she was tongue-tied around him. But surely he didn’t think she meant itthatway? And surely … the only reason it was hard to think was because she was scared of his anger, right?
Nikator slowly pulled away from her and sat on the couch across from her, his gaze never straying from her face.
She licked her lips. She had to come up with something—a lie that could convince them that this was all a mistake—but her mind was drawing a blank. So she said what she could—the truth.
“I didn’t mean to cast whatever spell I did. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she whispered. “I … I thought the spell was going to make you forget everything about me. I wanted you to leave me alone. That was it—I swear.”
“How did you use magic?” Vita asked. She was still looming over her, peering at her like she was a threat. She had never looked at Biyu with anything other than contempt or neutrality, so seeing the darkness in her made Biyu shrivel in her seat.
Biyu twisted the magicked ring off her thumb and held it up for the three of them. Her fingers shook as she stared at the colorless gem in the center. “This ring has a magic stone in it. I was able to … to bypass the wards and use the magic in it.”
Vita snatched the ring from her and examined it closely.
Minos released a sigh. “So you used magic to basically try to rid yourself of Nik? And it backfired?”
“I … I don’t know ifbackfiredis the correct term,” she said. “I don’t really know what happened. I cast the spell and it didn’t work. It hit him and … me, too, but nothing else happened.”
“How did you get the spell?”
“I …” Biyu sucked in her lower lip and stared at her lap. She couldn’t tell them that she had snuck into the library; that would certainly make them more suspicious of her actions and it could criminalize her further; likely security would tighten in the library, too, so any future endeavors to find a powerful spell could be curbed. But what other choice did she have? She was sure they’d find out anyway. “I …”
“The library,” Nikator said flatly.
Biyu winced.
He clambered up to his feet. “You went to the library that night, didn’t you? Then you got lost in the mage quarters.”
“She left her rooms and you knew?” Vita asked incredulously. She pinned Nikator with a harsh scowl. “Do you realize how utterly foolish that is? She is the princess?—”
“I’m aware of my blunder,” Nikator snapped. “I don’t need your lectures.”
Minos sighed, long and hard, and leaned back into the plush cushions on the couch. He waved a calloused hand to Biyu and then to Nikator. “So you basically tried to make Nik forget all about you, but you somehow married him? Am I understanding this correctly?”
Married him?
There it was again—the confusing part of this whole situation. Why did they keep insisting she had tried to marry Nikator? She would never want to be close to him in that manner. She never wanted to share a cursed bond like that with him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Biyu started.
“Your story isn’t adding up.” Vita held up the ring. “This is a glass ring. Where is the magic in it? Do you have more stashed away?”
“N-no, I don’t?—”
“How did you use magic?” the woman asked again, colder this time. She yanked out a small blade hidden on her forearm and was in front of Biyu in a split second. The weapon was placed against her neck instantly, and Biyu inhaled sharply at the sting on her throat and the calculated cruelty in Vita’s eyes. Like she wished to eliminate the threat immediately, but was waiting to squeeze out all the information Biyu had to offer.
Biyu couldn’t hold back her whimper. “P-please?—”
“Begging will you get you nowhere.” She placed her knee on the spot beside Biyu and Minos, and leaned closer, her knife shifting to a more deadly position across her neck. “Where is the magic stone in the ring? Why are you lying? Where did you get this?”
“I’m not lying,” she whispered. “The stone is used up. I-I don’t know why.”
“Vita, I don’t think it’s necessary to threaten her,” Minos said gently. “We can try a different approach.”
“She hurt Nik and she’s planning something,” Vita said with another glare. “We can’t let her off the hook simply because she acts like a naïve, unknowing fool. She knew what she was doing. Do you actually believe her when she says the spell was anaccident? Surely you can’t be that dull witted.”
“But what would she gain from marrying Nik, of all people?”
“I don’t know!” Vita threw her free hand up. “But we can’t just let this slide. She’s trouble, Minos, and you seem to be under the impression that it’s impossible for her to do something sinister. Why? Because she’s a woman?”
