At that, he sucked in a breath.
And that was all the confirmation she needed, that what she’d seen in her labyrinth was true.
‘All this time, you knew who my mother was,’ Ezer said. When she was a crying child, awake at night, scared of the wolves and wanting a mother she’d never truly known … ‘You fed me a lifetime of lies.’
His eyes had been downcast, but now they slid to hers.
And hesmiled.The bastard smiled.
‘Styerra.You look just like her. A gift to see her face in yours every day of my life.’
He said the name like a prayer. And something about it made her skin crawl. ‘You lied to me.Why?’
‘Of course I did,’ Ervos spat. His hands shook as he reached up to scratch at his head, where cuts and bruises littered his skin like confetti. Some of them broke open, and blood smeared down the sides of his bald head. How long had he been down here, rotting in the dark? ‘She made me promise.’
‘Promise what?’
‘To protect you.’
‘Protect me?’ Ezer asked. She curled her fingers tighter around the bars, wishing she could wrap them around his throat. She’d never felt such unbridled rage, and it made her shake worse than the cold. ‘You hid the truth from me! My entire life, Ervos, I wanted to know who I was, who I came from, why I had these strangeties you begged me to hide. And you knew. That’s not protecting me. That’sbreakingme!’
‘I was afraid,’ he whispered.
There were tears running down his cheeks now, making tracks on his skin through the dirt and blood.
‘Afraid of what?’
‘Ofyou,’ he whispered.
Shereleased a breath.
She shook her head slowly, like that had been the final dagger.
She did not think she wouldeverbe able to forgive him.
‘I tried to stop it all before it began,’ Ervos said. ‘They sent for several of us, years ago, Ravenminders all across the south. I knew … oh, Gods, I knew they would come for you, too, after so many of us failed in their mission.’ He sucked in a shaky breath. ‘He’s a monster, the second prince. The whole War Table, too, for allowing this. They claim faith in the Five but allow an abomination to live. I did what I could, before they stopped me.’ He shook his head. ‘Six months in this hell, and I thought the matter was settled. Imagine my horror, Little Bird, when I heard the guards’ whispers that a beast had survived. And then, months later … I knew that the one to tame the last beast wasyou.’
She stared at him in disbelief.
He’d truly killed the raphon pups, in cold blood. Ervos, a man who had alwayslovedthe birds, had nearly murdered Six.
It didn’t make sense.
It felt like a betrayal against her own soul.
‘The raphons aren’t what you think they are,’ Ezer said.
He frowned. ‘And neither areyou.’
‘What?’
He locked eyes with her. ‘Do you remember the stories I used to share with you at night? When the wind was cold, and the nightmares drew near?’
‘I don’t want to talk about stories,’ Ezer spat. ‘I want the truth, Ervos. All of it.Now.’
‘I’m trying to tell you the truth!’ he hissed. ‘The stories. Which was your favorite, Ezer?’
She knew the answer at once. ‘Wrenwyn.’
