It had taken much convincing, but Mal agreed to leave her for an evening with just her mother and sister. He brushed her hair behind her ear and looked to Arianna. Her sister looked down at the table and back up in respect.
Mal didn’t address Clarissa as he took his leave.
Maeve didn’t touch the food on her plate, and neither did Arianna. Clarissa cleared her plate.
The evening was primarily silent until Clarissa finally spoke.
“You are aware that your father purchased you that ridiculous townhouse in London?”
“No, I wasn’t.”
Clarissa reached for her glass of wine. “Yes, well. You’re welcome.”
“I don’t believe you purchased it,” said Maeve darkly.
Clarissa’s eyes shot to her. “How dare you.”
Arianna sat with her head bowed, staring at her full, untouched plate.
Trudy appeared in the doorway.
“A Prince Xander, ma’am,” said Trudy with a low bow to Clarissa.
Maeve merely looked across the table at Arianna. Her sister returned her exhausted expression.
Xander sauntered into the room. “My deepest condolences for your husband, Mrs. Sinclair,” he said, placing his hand over his heart. “Though I must admit, I was grateful to receive your letter of reconsideration for my marriage to your daughter.”
Maeve sighed and shook her head. “Don’t do this,” said Maeve weakly.
Clarissa eyed down her youngest ruefully. She swished the wine in her glass around in a circle before taking a long sip.
Maeve’s hollow laugh echoed in the silent dining hall. “Daddy would have never. . .”
Clarissa raised her eyebrows. “Ambrose isn’t here.” Her thin lips pulled up at the corners.
Maeve felt a surge of hatred rise in her. The first emotions she had felt in days. The crystal glass in Clarissa’s hand shattered. She jumped as wine poured onto the table and into her lap.
“Let me make something very clear,” said Maeve calmly. “I don’t obey you. I stand beside the greatest dark Magical of all time. A man with talent beyond your feeble comprehension.”
Clarissa stood wiping her dress with a cloth napkin, staring Maeve down with disgust. “Your blood earned you that spot.”
Maeve looked over at her and said plainly. “My talent earned me that spot. My loyalty, my abilities, my mind earned me that spot.”
“You think he would have ever given you the time of day if you’d been a half blood or even worse, a human born? Don’t think for a second if your blood was dirty, you’d have this disgraceful attitude towards marrying royalty.”
“But it is dirty, isn’t it?” Said Maeve, her brows raised.
Clarissa’s face faltered. She stammered.
“And I don’t give a damn about marrying royalty. In fact, I don’t give a damn about marrying at all. They’ve already taken the only thing that could hurt me besides Mal, and do you truly think that would be successful?”
“I always knew you’d turn out to be so horrible, just like-”
“Oh heavens yes, just say it,” seethed Maeve. “You think I don’t already know I don’t belong to you? That you didn’t carry or create me? You think there are any secrets of Daddy’s left for me to find?”
Arianna covered her mouth in shock as Maeve unveiled the secret she had known for months.
“I spent the past four months scouring every corner and crevice of his mind while he let me work my memory charm experiments on him. I know everything. I know you did not bare me and were disgraced into pretending that you did. And I know that my real mother died at the hands of the Committee just like Atony and just like Father.”
