How did I not know that she had a familiar?
Because you haven’t asked much about her, my wolf points out dryly.
Fucking pain in my ass.
“What’s all the ruckus?” Iris enters with her usual flair, wearing another one of her oversized floral dresses, but this time, her hair is wrapped around small purple plastic pieces all around her head. “Did something happen?”
Rowan slams her fist on the table with enough force to make the wood rattle. “You did.”
My brows lift, but Iris doesn’t even flinch. Of course she doesn’t. She’s probably been waiting for this moment.
“Oh, wonderful.” Iris claps her hands together once, all sunshine and smugness, before dropping into a chair across from Rowan. “We’ve arrived at the anger stage. All will be right with the tomatoes soon.”
Rowan leans forward, eyes blazing, her fury burning brighter than any fire I’ve seen on the battlefield. And damn it, I can’t look away. I don’t know where this sudden shift in her came from, but it’s good to knowshe’s capable in this way. She’ll need that steeliness to survive what’s to come.
“Enough, Iris,” Rowan snaps. “Why did you bring me here when you knew what could happen to me? What do you wantfrom me?”
My chest tightens at the crack in her voice, buried under the rage. She’s angry, yes, but underneath it I hear the betrayal and weight pressing down on her.
I move without thought, bracing a hand on the back of her chair. Not to stop her—hell, I’d never cage that fire—but to position myself close enough that if Iris pushes her too far, I can end this conversation the quick way.
“You’re my family,” Iris starts, but Rowan cuts her off.
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” Her eyes are ablaze. “You’ve had twenty-nine years to come for me. You want something from me, and the longer I’m here, the less I believe it’s merely my presence in order to keep the Prescott Legacy at NightShade intact.”
Some of the crazy seems to leave Iris’s stare as she focuses only on her granddaughter. “You’re right. I made an impossible decision, and it might cost me everything, but it could also bring light back to the world. I took a risk, and I don’t regret my choices. You can hate me for that, but I’ve only done what I thought was best for you.”
Rowan’s head falls forward as she groans, rubbing her hands over her face and tugging at her hair. I want to comfort her, but that’s not my role. I’m here to protect her and…
Be her mate, my wolf cuts in.What’s the pointotherwise? If you refuse to accept the whole truth of this situation, we might as well walk away now.
He’s bluffing. He’d never let me leave if he could stop me, but I understand where he’s coming from. I’m holding back, but I have my reasons, and I’m not ready for more.
“You’ve never gone out of your way to know her,” the small raccoon-looking animal on Rowan’s shoulder says when she stays quiet. “So, how can you pretend to know what’s best for her? I think Rowan’s right. There’s something you’re not telling us.”
“I should have turned you into a ferret scarf when I had the chance,” Iris mutters. “You know not what you speak of, Archibald.”
This time it’s Liz who stands, pushing her chair back. “I won’t keep your secrets any longer. Jocelyn was my friend, and I won’t let you hurt Rowan. She deserves to know.”
This has Rowan perking back up. “If you want any chance of knowing who I really am, Iris, then you better tell me what the hell you’ve been hiding.”
“Buttered bunions.” Iris shakes her head. “It’s not supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to have more time. If those bottles hadn’t been?—”
“No,” Rowan bites out, pressing her palms flat against the table. “No more excuses. What do you know about me?”
I nearly place a hand on Rowan’s shoulder before I force my touch away. Her fury thrums through the wood of the chair and straight into my chest as we all wait for Iris’s answer.
I keep my eyes locked on my mate. She meets Iris’s silence head-on, shoulders squared, jaw carved from stone. Determination bleeds from her every movement, steady and sharp. She might be rattled, but she’s far from broken.
Not by a long shot.
She’s stronger than any of you have given her credit for, my wolf adds, and he’s not wrong.
Since breaking through that window and realizing who she was to me, I’ve assumed that protecting her is the only way to fix any of this, but maybe I’ve been wrong.
Maybe the destruction she could bring is what we all need.
Chapter 12
