Eric frowned deeply. The disbelief on his face was clear.
“Friend?” he barked. “She kidnapped you! She tortured Ramsay and Noro!”
“Wait, you don’t understand,” I urged. “There’s more going on here than each side knows. Can we just cool it and talk for a second?”
“I don’t see what there is to talk about,” Crystal said coldly. “When this is the woman who--”
“Crystal,” I snapped in warning.
We exchanged a glare. I knew if she outed the Madame right now, in such a furious and accusatory way, everyone would turn on her. The wolves and humans would both be at each other’s throats. It would become a bloodbath.
I couldn’t let that happen.
“Are you all right, Matheson?” Colton asked, striding up to me with his palms face-up towards me as a sign of deference. From the corner of my eye I saw the Madame’s fingers tighten around the firearm, but they didn’t approach the trigger. She was still afraid of an ambush attack, but I knew Colton meant no harm.
“Yes, I’m completely fine,” I told him, loud enough for the rest of them to hear. “There’s no need to fight. I--I’ve entered a truce with the Madame, who is the leader of the human settlement.”
“A truce?” Crystal barked. “This is ridiculous. She didn’t tell you who she really is, did she, Matheson?”
“She did tell me,” I told Crystal evenly, giving her a sharp look. “I know all the details. My point still stands.”
Her eyes widened in anger, but she didn’t speak. I knew I had to be patient with her. She had been traumatized that night, too, not just Eric. She was in her right to be upset, but more fighting wasn’t going to help anyone. I only hoped she could calm down enough to hear me out.
Some of the wolves behind them shuffled forward and shifted. In the crowd, I hadn’t noticed Mom until she ran forward and embraced me.
“Matheson, we were worried sick,” Mom muttered, her voice filled with relief. “When Eric told us what happened, we rallied forces to come and rescue you.”
“After what I witnessed at the border, with two of our friends bloodied and set as a trap for Matheson, I expected a war here,” Eric said coldly.
I winced. That explained why there were so many of them, all baring their teeth and ready for a fight.
The Madame nodded and met Eric’s gaze. “I deeply apologize for the pain I’ve caused.”
Crystal narrowed her eyes, but didn’t speak, which I was grateful for. I had no doubt the Madame was including the incident ten years ago in her apology, but I didn’t think Crystal would accept that. She was too full of anger.
“Then do you mind explaining what you were doing kidnapping Matheson?” Eric demanded with crossed arms, not yet accepting her apology.
“It was Neil,” I interrupted, my voice bitter. “He agreed to work with the humans if they sacrificed me to the gryphons.”
“What?” Eric snapped.
“This is true,” the Madame said. “But I refused. I did not trust him.”
“She lied and told Neil she sent someone to communicate with the gryphons, to let them know I was here,” I added. “But we made a different agreement. I healed her wounds, and the gryphons weren’t told anything. They still don’t know about me.”
Eric unfolded his arms, furrowing his brow. “So you’ve been here the entire time? Safe? And we’ve been worrying for nothing?”
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I couldn’t leave until I knew she was fully healed. It was personal to me.”
Eric’s wary eyes flitted back and forth between me and the Madame. She returned the look, stoic as ever. In that moment, I realized how similar they were. Two resigned, collected leaders with secret soft sides.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Eric ran his hand through his hair. He seemed a bit embarrassed that he had led this charge for nothing. I went to embrace him, which he silently accepted and returned. I missed his scent and warmth in these past few days, which had felt much longer than they were in reality.
“So you’re not going to tell Eric the truth?” Crystal growled, her eyes still dark with grief.
“About what?” Eric asked me.
I frowned. Crystal desperately wanted this to come to light, but was it worth the inevitable pain it would bring? Would it really help Eric to know the name and face of the person who had killed his parents, or would it only hurt him more?
