“A five-minute walk,” I say, leading the way through the service door of the house.
“I’m not going to apologize, Electra?—”
“Color me surprised,” I say, as we move down the hedged pathway that girdles the house.
“I’m not going to apologize, because I don’t think you want an apology. I don’t even think you want an explanation.”
Night has collapsed over Martha’s Vineyard, painting Tarian’s property periwinkle, the travertine pavers beneath our feet white, and Ines’s peroxided braids silver.
“The reason I came here was to tell you I asked Gaea to remove my runes.”
I stop walking, pivot, and cross my arms. “And let me guess… Gaea let you keep them, because you hadn’t expected my mother to give me such a hard life, so technically you didn’t have any ill intent in your heart?”
“I did leave you in the wild out of ill intent. I was so hurt and angry with Gael that I wanted to punish him. So I turned a blind eye and paid your mother off. I take full responsibility for what happened to you.” Her heavy lids don’t hide the plethora of burst blood vessels ringing her large brown irises.
Since Ines doesn’t cry, I expect they’re the result of many nights spent ravaged by guilt. Is it wrong of me to hope that she suffered for her sin?
Ines suddenly fists her braids and pivots. “The reason I came here was to show youthis.”
At first, I don’t see what she wants me to look at. But then my eyes roam over her hairline…and roam.
“They’re gone,” I gasp. “Holy shit… Gaea removed your runes?”
“She did.”
“Wait, so you’re mortal!”
She releases her hair. “I am.”
Holy…fucking…shit. “Does anyone else know?”
“Your family does.”
“What aboutyourfamily?”
Her emotion-riddled gaze slices to one of the bay windows framing the glowing living room. Though no one sits inside, she keeps staring. “Only your family knows.”
“You need to leave. Put as much distance between you and this place as you can before Gael finds out. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill you,” I hiss.
A soft smile brushes across her mouth. “Such a bleeding heart.”
My head rears back. “You’ve got me confused with Callie.”
“Why do you think I trained you so hard?”
“Because you thought I was weak? And because you wanted to eliminate me from the face of the world?”
She sighs. “No, Elle. I worked you hard because our people rely too heavily on their magic and forget about their human strengths. I wanted you to be equipped for this life, no matter what came at you. Strengthening you was my way of repairing what I’d done. So was giving you to Malika and Yosef. They had so much love to give. I was too broken and bitter to raise a child.” Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “You should be proud of the girl you became. Your parents are so proud. And let’s not begin with how Dorian feels about you.”
My throat, which didn’t regain its original width after my talk with Reeve, shrinks some more.
“You’re probably thinking:Too little too late.”
That’s not at all what I’m thinking.
“I believe my five minutes are up.”
They for sure are, but I can’t seem to saysafe travelsand return to the house.
