I, however, wasn’t amused. “I know you’re hiding something, Malik.”
I speared a forkful of potatoes and gravy, shoving them into my mouth as I watched him closely.
Malik exhaled through his nose, his expression distant. “I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about. I know nothing about a missing page.”
He leaned back in his chair like a contented king.
I swallowed and set down my fork with a little too much force. “Please don’t toy with me, Malik. My nerves are frayed. Neither of us slept well last night…” I glanced at Emily. “And yet you insist on keeping secrets.”
Like a lightning strike, Malik’s demeanor shifted—dark, menacing.
The air in the dining room seemed to thin, the temperature plummeting. A shiver crept up my spine, and I instinctively curled inward as if bracing for a storm.
“Why do you keep thinking you know my mind?” Malik’s voice waseerily measured as he pulled his napkin from his lap, folded it with precision, and placed it beside his plate.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay still. I had triggered something in him.
His emerald eyes burned into mine. “Forget the missing page. That is not important right now. What is important is that you need to make a decision.” He leaned forward slightly.
“What are you going to do?” He spoke slowly. “What’s your next move?”
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.
The dining room blurred at the edges, Malik’s stare pinning me in place.
His fingers drummed against the table. What. Are. You. Going. To. Do?
“I… I don’t know,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
The table rattled as his fist slammed against it. Plates and silverware clattered, the harsh sound slicing through the air.
“That is not what I want to hear,” he growled. “You’ve read your mother’s words in the journal. You know the truth. Now you must decide—what will you do with that knowledge?”
Something inside me snapped.
I bolted to my feet, my chair scraping against the floor. “I don’t know!” The words exploded from me. “It was a lot, and I’m still trying to process everything! It’s too much—too fast.” My breaths came short and uneven. “Right now, I just need to clear my head.”
I turned abruptly. “I’m taking Rosie for a walk.”
I blinked, my pulse hammering. A low snarl came from behind me.
“You’d better figure out what you will do next once you clear your head. If you don’t, I’ll toss you out—leave you to face Balthazar alone. And you won’t see Roman again.”
Ice slid down my spine.
I whirled around, ready to confront him—but Malik was gone.
My legs gave out, and I collapsed back into my chair, my body shaking.
Across the table, Rosie stared at me, her big, solemn eyes filled with quiet concern.
Emily, ever composed, busied herself, clearing the table and gathering her plate and silverware before disappearing into the kitchen.
I exhaled shakily and pressed my trembling hands to my face to smooth away my fear.
Rosie slipped from her chair, rounded the table, and patted my hair with her tiny hand. “Everything’s okay.”
I wanted to believe her. I needed to believe her. But I knew the truth.
