My stomach churned. The way he looked at me wasn’t affection it was hunger.
“I’m in love with another man,” I told him.
He nodded as if he knew this already and didn’t care. The apathy in that gesture hurt more than his words. Philip’s gaze moved over me with a slight frown, as if I were a puzzle he couldn’t solve.
“Do you know what your precious ex-husband was doing last night?” He cocked his head to the side.
I didn’t want to know. My chest tightened, dread clawing at my ribs. My eyes closed tightly as I tried to brace myself for whatever he said.
“His mate,” Philip laughed, “is my sister, Loma.”
My eyes opened. “Yoursister?”
He nodded as if to confirm I heard him right.
My blood turned to ice.
“They completed the mating bond. They are married, and they are already in love. You are a forgotten memory, something that was erased from Abram’s mind as soon as he saw Loma. You never mattered, no matter what Abram said. Now his pretty star hangs around her neck.”
“You’re lying.” My voice broke. “I don’t believe you.”
Philip shrugged, as if it didn’t matter whether I did or not. Nyxthra was silent beside me as if the news broke her heart too. Fury radiated from her like smoke. I tried to push the image of Abram’s mouth on another woman out of my mind, but it was too late. The image was there, sharp and vivid. He was already in love, and he’d forgotten about me.
“It doesn’t matter if you believe me, Elowyn. It’s the truth. And the longer you sit in this cottage and wait for him to come find you, the more pathetic you look. He’s never coming.” Philip turned to me with pity in his eyes. “Do you really think hecouldn’t find you if he wanted to? He’s the God of Fate, an old god, for fuck’s sake. He doesn’t want you.”
The words hit harder than any blade. My breathing turned ragged, vision blurring as his voice echoed through my mind.
“I can be good to you,” Philip whispered. “You will love me with time.”
Philip was right. Abram could’ve found me if he wanted to.
Flashes of Abram with Loma, loving her, laughing with her, kissing her, marrying her, having daughters with her, struck me like a dozen blades. My vision pulsed black around the edges. Tears streamed hot down my face as grief curdled into anger.
Philip looked around the living room, his expression twisting as if he sensed something familiar. His eyes darted, restless, before landing on the couch. He lifted a dress Farris had been folding.
“Is someone living with you?” he asked.
“No.” I lied, my voice a brittle whisper.
Philip’s mouth thinned into an unamused line. He lifted the dress and sniffed it. My stomach dropped.
“Where is she?” he asked.
“Who?” I glared.
“Farris,” he snapped. “I know this dress. I bought her this godsdamn dress. Where is she!”
My gaze fell to the fabric before flickering back up to him. Oh my gods. The realization hit like lightning.
“You’re her husband.”
He smiled and nodded. “What did that lying snake tell you?”
“Only that you are an abusive piece of shit.”
Nyxthra moved forward, her presence swelling as if she sensed what was about to happen. Philip laughed, but it was hollow, empty, laced with something unhinged.
“Farris disappeared, and I really thought she went back to that annoying fucking god, Ezra. But that little bitch came here tosabotage us. Farris is a very good liar, just remember that. She will say and do anything if it benefits her.”
