“It’s all here,” my mother says again, closing the diary. “And more. But that was the most damning evidence by far. Dilia had no choice. She did what Tarro demanded. She killed the king and queen, and the guards killed her for it. Just as Tarro intended. The one person who could have pointed the finger at him died in the act.”
That poor young woman, and Sebastian’s parents. Tarro destroyed them all for his own gain.
“He framed the shifterfae?” I whisper, almost to myself.
“Indeed. It was easy.” My mother tucks the parchment back into the folio. “There was already a feud between the two species. The shadowfae are not liked. The shifterfae are liked even less. Tarro planted the seed in Lysander’s head. Sebastian’s uncle ran with it, and so it quickly became the most logical direction to point the finger.” She ties the cord around the folio and sets it back inside the chest. “So you see, Isla. Like I told you, I worked hard to get where I am. I had to be clever. A step ahead of the rest.”
I can’t maintain the charade anymore. “I think that perhaps you were power hungry and tired of living in the shadows as a simple farmer’s wife. You saw an opportunity that day and took it. You haven’t stopped since. You sound just as power hungry as the queen herself. Just as power hungry as Tarro. I think you did this for yourself, first and foremost.”
Her face hardens. “That isn’t true. I saw an opportunity for survival and took it.” Her voice is hard, too.
“Yes, but why not come back to us, then? Why not send word?”
“I had no idea where you were,” she says.
“You could have tried, but you didn’t.” My voice wavers despite every effort I make to hold it firm.
“I made sure I rose in power so that I could protect you.”
“You did it first and foremost because you wanted to.” The words are out before I can stop them. “I think you told yourself it was to protect me just to make yourself feel better.” A tear runs down my cheek. I wipe it away with the heel of my palm, angry at myself for shedding it. Angry at her for drawing it from me.
“That’s not true at all,” she tells me, shaking her head.
“Isn’t it?” I ask. “Because now you serve a monster. Surely you must know that she is evil and corrupted. Even more than the deadlands. She is rotten from the inside out, and you’re friends with her. You want me to meet her.”
“Snow is a female who is ambitious.” My mother lifts her chin. “People don’t like that. They—”
“More lies that you keep telling yourself.”
“Does this mean you aren’t staying? That you aren’t—?”
“No, Mother.” I straighten and meet her gaze. “I plan on serving the realm…the people who Snow wants to enslave.”
“All lies and untruths.”
“Open your eyes. Stop fooling yourself.” My voice rises. “It is you who are telling lies to yourself.”
“Isla.” Her voice hardens. It is the same tone she used when I was a young girl. It still makes something in me flinch. “I don’t like the way you are speaking to me. I need you here with me. If you would just meet Snow, you would understand.”
“I already met her.”
“Yes, but that was under the wrong circumstances. It—”
“It was under exactly the right circumstances.” I hold her gaze. “Next time I meet Snow, it will be on the battlefield, and this time we will smite her down.”
“No, Isla. Stop this foolishness.” She takes a step toward me. “Anyone who goes against Snow dies. You will die.” Her voice cracks a little, telling me that somewhere deep inside is someone who still cares about me. It only makes it harder. “Snow is all-powerful, Isla. The kings are nothing. Your Sebastian is less than nothing.”
“Mother, you—” I start to say.
“No, listen to me. The kings cannot possibly win against Snow,” she continues, her voice climbing. “You need to serve the side that is going to conquer. Stay with me. Let me help you. Please!” she practically begs, grabbing my arms just below the elbows.
“I feel sorry for you. You would rather pick who you think will be the winning side than make the right decision.”
“That isn’t it at—”
“It is. It’s exactly what you are saying.” I sigh. “I can see that this is going nowhere.” My voice is quiet now. “I came to see you. To look you in the eyes. I needed to know why you left us and never returned.” I take a step back toward the archway. “I have my answers.”
“No.” The word comes out strangled. “Don’t leave me, Isla.”
