Lo ripping a man’s throat out.
Running through the garden.
Max.
Asher.
Bellina.
Cat.
Kit.
Tallent.Her stomach roiled.
Running through the garden.
The red bowl.
Destroying his office for her to clean.
Their bedroom filled with twinkling lights.
His hands against her skin, murmuring in her ear.
Finding him in his office with Lauren and Sam.
He sent her away.A scream tore from her throat as hurt and betrayal ripped her in two.
“I love you more than anything, and I always will.”
“LIAR!”
Voices were in the background, but she couldn’t understand what they were saying. Hands tried to pull her up, but she slapped them off as she cried. “How could he?”
Her sobs were loud, and she could hear Lauren soothing her. “How could he do this to me? To us? That fucking bastard.”
With her head in her hands, she let her anguish salt the pieces of her heart scattered on the ground. She stood on shaky legs and wiped her face with her shirt.
“I need to go to sleep.” She had to see Caius.
“I remember,” Max murmured, and both women swiveled to face him. Lauren cursed under her breath.
“You remember me?” Rory asked weakly, choking down another sob.
“You’re a terrible gardener.” He smiled, and she saw a single tear trail down his face.
Her shoulders shook, and she crushed him in an emotional embrace. She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, her crying and him rubbing her back. How did she forget her friends?
Max kneeling in the garden, meeting Asher in the clothing store, Kit and Cat bickering.
She laughed through her tears.
Bellina laying on the floor, bloody and bruised. Tallent’s head smashed in as her fists flew.
Sheforgotthem all.
“I’m sorry I asked this of you,” she rasped as she pulled back. “Caius said the realm is suffering because of his brother.”
