“Lilly mentioned you’re receiving the visions that would normally go to Thadrick,” the high fae said. Her words were matter-of-fact rather than accusatory, which surprised Myanin.
“I have been, but they’re not always clear or in a straight timeline,” Myanin explained. “And I won’t be having them anymore.”
“And why is that?” Peri asked.
Myanin’s eyes once again glanced at Gerick. Maybe she shouldn’t worry about his approval, but she couldn’t help the fact that she wanted it. “I made things right with the Great Luna and with the elder, Lyra. She’s the one whose life I took and whose magic I stole. I gave it back.”
“You gave it back?” Peri sounded very confused.
“Peri,” Lilly said, her tone sounding a tad reproving.
“How do you give back a dead djinn’s magic?” Peri asked, ignoring the warlock queen.
Myanin shrugged. “I just told the Great Luna I didn’t want it anymore.”
“Just like that?” Peri challenged.
What the hell is up with this high fae?Myanin’s face heated. “Yes,” she bit out. “Just like that.”
“You’re young compared to Thadrick. It must have been nice to suddenly have all that power,” Peri crooned.
“Perizada,” Gerick snapped, and the word was so sharp Myanin jumped, but she kept her eyes on the high fae.
“I have said it enough times, but apparently, in your old age, you are having a hard time hearing. So, I’ll say it again, and I’ll try to speak slowly for you.” Myanin narrowed her eyes. “What I did was wrong. At the time, I was blinded by my own emotions. I will not go into detail about everything I was feeling because, frankly, it is not relevant or any of your business. Whatisyour business is the fact that I feel horrible for what I did. I cannot undo it, but Iamdoing what I can to make a difference for the better. I took power that didn’t belong to me. I twisted it for my own gain, and that was wrong, too. I have the Great Luna’s forgiveness, and the forgiveness of Lyra. I gave the power back and no longer possess anything that does not belong to me. This is the last time I will say it. You can either accept it as truth or not. I do not care whatyouthink of me. I would like your trust so I can help, but beyond that, frankly Perizada, you can kiss my ass.”
The room was silent as a tomb when Myanin finished her momentary lapse of linguistic control. She held her head high as she waited to see what Peri would say.
The high fae smiled. “I’ve decided I like you.”
“That’s not necessarily a good thing,” Lilly whispered.
“I think she’s right,” Tenia said softly as she leaned toward Myanin. “She has the same creepy smile you have.”
Peri ignored the comments as seemed her customary behavior when others talked about her like she wasn’t there. “I don’t suppose the Great Luna mentioned whether Thad’s magic would be repaired once you gave back the elder’s power?” Peri asked.
“She did not.”
“Well”—Peri breathed out slowly, “regardless of how it sometimes feels, she’s still in control and knows what is and isn’t going to happen. We will have to trust her.” She looked directly into Myanin’s eyes and gave her a sharp nod of approval. “You’ve done a good thing, coming here and being willing to work with us. The next step would be fixing the mess you’ve made with your people.”
“They’ll sentence me to death,” Myanin said, though she knew she was still going to have to do what Peri said and make things right.
Gerick growled beside her.
“Calm down, Gerick.” Peri sighed. “I swear you males are going to be the death of me.”
“I thought the healers were going to be the death of you,” Lilly said with a small grin.
The high fae shrugged. “It’s a toss- up who will kill me first.”
“I will make things right,” Myanin said, knowing she would have to stand before her elders for what she’d done. She glanced up at Gerick. His black-slitted, yellow eyes were focused completely on her. There was no judgement in his stare. Quite the opposite, in fact. She didn’t deserve the look he gave her. There was a longing in his gaze that made her want things she didn’t deserve, not anymore.
“I believe you,” Peri said.
Myanin finally looked away from Gerick and back at the high fae. Peri’s words made her feel better than the djinn realized they would. It was no small feat having someone in Peri’s position trust her. Myanin’s resolve solidified.
“You know.…” Lucian said as he knelt down beside his mate, his hand resting on Peri’s thigh. The casual way he touched her, as though he had the right to, sent another stab of longing through Myanin. She took her gaze away from his hand and met his eyes briefly before dropping them out of respect. “You aren’t the first supernatural to lose their way or the first to find themselves back on the right path.”
“Supernatural?” Lilly said with a small laugh. “She’s not the first being—supernatural, human, or otherwise—to do that. We all take detours in our lives because we let our emotions rule us, someone else lead us, or something else control us. Thankfully, some of us find our way back from the dark places we find ourselves in.”
