“It’s not looking good, Cicely. Graves knew why she was there. He’d have done heaven knows what to Drake if I hadn’t intervened. Thankfully, I was truly angry and in need of a private word with the rake.” Her father let out a breath, squaring his shoulders. “We’ll have to keep a guard on her. Make sure he doesn’t find her alone.”
“Infernal blast it, James, I told you this was too dangerous. Your investigation is over. We can hardly keep up the pretense of this engagement now. Who knows what he might do if he thinks Miranda has found him out?”
Miranda followed the exchange like a child who hadn’t learned words, and could only sense tone and infer meaning. Was it possible she was wrong about her parents?
She stood up suddenly, shaking her head like that would shake reality back into place. “Wait, you both knew he was evil?”
“Of course, dear, do you think we’re so easily manipulated?” Her mother urged her to the bed, petting her hair and easing the tangles free. “Your father intended to get close to Graves to find enough evidence to see him discharged as alderman. When he offered for your sister, well, I was against it, but we thought we could manage the leverage and with luck he’d be taken care of well before any ceremony.”
“We didn’t tell you because Graves has True Sight, it takes a special way of wording and intent to fool him. I grew up in politics. I’m very good at hiding my intentions and careful enough with my wording that I’m rarely telling an outright lie. Your mother, well, she would put me to shame.”
“Enough, it doesn’t matter now. We’re going to stop this whole thing and find a way to keep both of you girls safe. Alright, my darling?” Her mother gently wiped her cheeks. “You’re so strong, I forget you can be fragile, too.”
“But…” Miranda was having trouble following the conversation. Retracing every interaction they’d had so far to find the truth of her parents’ words. How her mother had never allowed Graves to be alone with Cordelia, even to talk in a corner. There was always an excuse to keep them apart. Her mother had been the one to suggest the flowers that were out of season that would delay the wedding. Miranda was unraveling. “But why did you let her suffer over these few months? You had to know Cordelia was miserable. Why didn’t you stop it then or just tell her?”
Her mother’s eyes filled with tears and anger. “I had not known Delia would react so…defeated to the news. I thought she’d hate it, yes, but not to…I hated seeing her that way. But there was no turning back once we started. If I called it off, our plan would be ruined. If I told her, there was no way your sister would be able to hide her true intentions from Graves’s Sight and we’d have been worse than lost. My only solace was that I knew this was not real. That for all Delia’s withdrawn sadness, I knew she would never have to marry that man.”
“Your mother was right. It had been a mistake to involve you girls at all. Graves’s power was growing and I feared something…something much worse than simple social climbing was coming. I wished to stop it before he got that far.”
Her father did not know how right he was. Graves could create fae more powerful than any of them. Even Miranda would struggle to hold off a properly trained fae with that kind of strength. She considered telling them what she found, but stayed silent. They had kept so much from her, and while she was grateful that her assumptions had been wrong, that didn’tchange the undercurrent of betrayal sticking like a thorn amidst the relief.
“Why didn’t you trust Graves, Miranda? I knew you didn’t like him, but going so far as to scheme and put yourself in danger to investigate his doings all to save Cordelia? What aren’t you telling us?” Her father asked the one question Miranda was afraid to answer. She considered not telling him, continuing her silence. She had been so scared they wouldn’t believe her and now…
They patiently waited for Miranda to speak. Which was saying something as patience was not a family virtue. Control or restraint when needed, yes, but not patience. Her father was itching to get an answer, she could tell as he refused to sit, his every muscle strained. Her mother soothed her hair, a distraction to keep her from pressing Miranda. Did she dare break their hearts all the more?
Miranda took a breath. She had been silent for long enough. They deserved to know.
“Last year, Graves found me while I was getting some air during the Fairchild ball.” She swallowed, the full details catching in her throat as she held her parents’ rapt attention. “And, well, he…he proposed, in a way. Asked if I would consider marrying him.”
Her mother’s jaw flexed, like she was straining from speaking. Her father hadn’t moved. Neither looked away from her. Images and sounds…the sensation of hands on her skin…she had to close her eyes to keep it from spilling from her chest. Panic welled in her heart.
“When I refused…he grew angry with me and made threats. He, um, tried to attack me.” She pieced through the words carefully, selecting the tamest truth she could find. “Then I ran.”
“Why didn’t you tell us immediately?” Her mother clutched her chest like her heart was breaking and she was trying to keep the pieces together.
“I would never have let that leech near you if I…we knew he was dangerous, but not this. Infernal take him.” Her father’s anger threatened to slip from his control. Her story still felt like a lie, but the solace she felt at their anger was enough.
“Oh, Miranda, I am so sorry.” Her mother hugged her. “I’m so sorry you had to live with this alone.” Even her father stepped forward to wrap his arms around her. Miranda’s tears fell faster, with relief as much as from sharing even a tempered version of the truth.
They stayed that way for a time, the chasm that had been forming between them finally had a bridge.
As the tears stopped and exhaustion began to take a firmer hold, Miranda settled backward on the bed.
“There’s…” She took a breath, but if there was one thing her parents were better equipped to handle, it was her debt to Wraith. “There’s one other thing. I did promise a large sum of money to Thaddeus Wraith for some information. I…I only had so much allowance saved, and I owe him more.”
Her mother opened her mouth, the storm of indignation and worry simmering in her eyes.
“I’ll take care of it.” Her father stepped to her mother’s side and set a hand on her shoulder. She speared him with a look and after a silent moment, she turned away, lips sealed shut. “I will take care of it, Miranda.”
That was one weight lifted. Though, perhaps it was the lightest that was weighing her down, it was enough for now.
“Does that have anything to do with Drake’s role in this?” her father said, though she sensed he was trying to be understanding.
“It’s not my place to say,” Miranda said, voice hollow even to her ears. “Just…we were working together. But, I don’t think he’ll want to see me anymore. Graves already burned his club to the ground.”
“What?” Her father’s stance opened, like he was prepared to fight Graves right there in her room.
“Miranda you should have started with that. James, what do we do?” Her mother hugged her tighter to her side.
