Absently, I twisted the scrap of lace around my fingers. The only piece of jewelry I owned that didn’t belong in a box. I didn’t know what to do with it now that it was off.
Sera caught my attention in the reflection of my vanity mirror, and I immediately stopped playing with the broken choker. The silver gown she was wearing for tonight’s festivities made her look almost untouchable, ethereal even, but I knew better. I let my gaze linger on Shayla’s moonstone, which she was now wearing.
Sera arched a brow. “You’re staring.”
“I’m thinking,” I corrected.
“That’s even worse.”
I huffed out a breath and turned back toward the mirror, adjusting the drape of my gown. The gold embroidery stark against the black fabric. In truth, this gown was the most decadent thing I’d ever worn.
“Are you almost ready?” Sera asked, tucking a strand of pale hair behind her ear. As she did, I noticed a mottled red mark on her neck.
Turning in my seat, I glanced between her and the little girl, then asked in a hushed voice, “What happened?”
She smoothed her hair back in place and looked away. “It’s nothing.”
I stood, brows pushing together. “It’s not nothing. What happened?”
After looking uncomfortably around, she said, “It’sthe bite.”
“Whatbite?”
“The one I got when I was turned,” she said through her teeth.
“But that was so long ago. Shouldn’t it be healed by now?”
She shook her head. “It’s not going to heal. It’s…” she dropped her voice. “It’s amatingbite.”
For a long second, I just stared at her. “Fromwho?” I said.
“The man who bit me. Apparently,he was my mate.”
“How is that possible?”
She rolled her eyes like she hadn’t just told me she’d been mated to a werewolf. “I don’t know! I thought he was being romantic when he called me his mate. I was really into him, so I went along with it. I didn’t realize he meant I was hisactualmate because he was awerewolf.”
“Oh,” I said, not quite understanding. Then I remembered the flash of memory I’d seen when I touched her fur. Of a woman and man abed. And realized what she meant. “Oh!”
She let out a bitter laugh, smoothing a hand down the front of her gown. “You’re not making this any better.”
I winced. “I’m just trying to understand.”
She crossed her arms again. “You and me both.”
I hesitated, then asked, “So what does that mean?”
“I don’t know. There aren’t exactly books on werewolf matebonds in Bastien’s library,” she said, keeping her voice low so the little girl wouldn’t hear. “But I did find something about vampire matebonds that could apply.”
My eyes widened, wondering what she could’ve found. “It said that if you reject your mate and, if after being claimed, kill him, you are cursed by the gods for going against their will.”
I stared at her, waiting for the punchline that didn’t come.
She let out a frustrated breath. “It explains why I can’t use my magick. Diana cursed me for killing him.”
“You’ve lost your magick?” I asked a little too loudly, and both Tansy and the little girl looked at me. Igave them a reassuring smile before pulling Sera further away from them. “You didn’t tell me you lost your magick.”
“I haven’t wanted to believe it. But I have nothing. Nothing except the ability to shift.”
