“If I hurt you, would you forgive me? Or would you let me die?”
Hellebore looked up at the moon, traveling through the sky.
She didn’t know. She didn’t know who to believe. But she did know one thing—if Taiyo was dead by the end of the week, she’d never have the chance to find out.
“Take me back,” Hellebore whispered.
No one responded; they just stared at her.
“Take me back to my husband.”
Callahan let go, stepping back while Emerson shifted his weight from foot to foot. Palladia crossed her arms.
“Fine. I guess we’re doing this the hard way. Emerson.”
Emerson grabbed Hellebore and she gasped. “No! Emerson—No! Please—”
But his grip was too strong, and before she could stop him, another syringe was in her neck. The sedative.
She tried to push him off her, but it was already taking effect. There was no fighting it.
The next time Hellebore woke up it was morning, and her hands were tied behind her back as she was lying in the wagon as they loaded it up.
Callahan sat next to her in the back while Emerson drove the wagon and Palladia rode ahead.
Hellebore blinked her eyes open at her brother, who was staring at his hands. The same expression on his face as when he’d been caught by their tutors cheating on his assignments. Guilt.
He noticed her shifting, glanced over, and his expression soured further at the sight. She muttered, “Let me guess, Emerson ran out of the paralytic he transmuted into my blood four months ago?”
“Sorry about that,” Callahan whispered.
“Why didn’t you tell me it was you coming for me?” Hellebore tried to sit up. “I thought it was a trap.”
“It needed to look like one so the Sun Elves blamed the Moon Elves; that way we could hide you away,” Callahan muttered. “The masks were designed so if anyone came across us, they wouldn’t be able to tell we were speaking Chymesian. We just needed to grab you and get you out and then we were going to explain. Clearly necessary since you’ve been brainwashed and won’t come willingly.”
“You believe our aunt over me?” Hellebore whispered. “I am telling you, Taiyo trusted her and she betrayed him. She’s started the rot that’s been hurting his kingdom for twenty-five years, and it’s killing him. She’s lucky her actions didn’t start a war. That’s why he did all of this. He needed an alchemist to clean up Palladia’s mess.”
“I don’t care what happened twenty-five years ago, Hels. I care about you. I care about the things he’s done to you, isolating you, manipulating you, using you as some sick, twisted revenge on our aunt. I’ve been beside myself with worry about what he’s been doing to you these past six months.”
“Cal, he needs me. I won’t defend him keeping you away and hiding your letters, but I won’t condemn him to death for it. If you don’t take me back, I’ll never get answers. He’ll never have the chance to explain himself. Right now, he needs me. You’ve got to let me go.”
“Why do you care if he needs you? Why do you want to go back and hear anything that monster has to say?”
Hellebore didn’t like why.
The sun was rising in the sky as they set off. Before Hellebore could come up with an answer that made any sense to her or her brother, something shifted in the trees. Palladia whipped around, reaching into her belt, but before she could, a horse came tearing through the brush. Hellebore gasped.
“Taiyo.”
Chapter 25
Hellebore couldn’t look away as Taiyo and his steed came to a screeching halt before barreling into them. He’d come after her.
Why?
Because he needed her? Or because he loved her?
Did he even know the difference?
