“As far as a death wish goes,” I grumbled into the white marble. “Guess I better start practicing the steps to dancing with it. Seems like it’ll come waltzing in sooner rather than later.” I hesitated, not wanting to release the landmine that was about to roll off my tongue. “Considering everyone now knows—” I swallowed. “That I’m the Skell Queen’s daughter.”
I froze. My eyes squeezed tight, holding back the burning prickle behind them.
Deafening silence.
I could hear the soft hum of wind outside brushing against the window shudders. It was as if time stopped. Even Honey’s obnoxious snoring halted. And for a heartbeat, as I cracked an eye open, I swore I saw something flash across his face. An ancient, primitive thing. Then, with a blink, it vanished.
David’s body was stone. Cold, hard, lacking any physical language. I thought his soul might have left the building.
Even Wyatt had stilled, hand suspended midair, cemented to the bottle of syrup he was about to put away.
“What—what did you just say?” David’s voice was hauntingly low.
I lifted my head slowly. A single tear slid down my cheek—I wiped it away fast, trying to hide the damning evidence.
“Rainbow Roulette,” I whispered, voice cracking.
“We were playing and I gotTruth or Die.” My breath turned shallow just remembering it. “Lochlainn asked who my biological parents were.” I felt the tightness again—concrete thickening inside my throat, suffocating. “It was killing me. I tried to fight the game’s enchantment. I reallytried. But I couldn’t breathe. So I said it—out loud, to everyone.”
Wyatt’s knuckled cracked, fists clenching.
David gripped the edge of the counter so hard I thought the stone would crumble. A muscle in his jaw twitched dangerously.
“Thatprick!” David seethed. “If it weren’t for his damn luck, he’d already be dead!”
Wyatt spat a stream of curses under his breath.
I tilted my head up, looking at the glittering orb lights. Anything to avoid their eyes.
“You should have seen the way some of them looked at me.” My voice broke and tears blurred my vision, threatening to fall. “Like I was the spawn of Satan.” My chin betrayed me, trembling. “Which I very wellcouldbe.”
The ice on David’s face thawed. He walked around the island, slow but certain and placed a steady hand on mine.
“Look at me.” His tone softened, but his words carried steel.
I hesitated, then looked at him.
“Everyone fears the unknown. ButI. Know. You.”David’s voice was a fierce, grounding force. A boulder in the midst of my storm.“There is no part of you that is a monster. Never has been andneverwill be. Do you hear me?” His eyes bore into my soul—speaking more than words.
Shakily, I nodded.
“I only ever wanted you to be safe,” he said, sorrow darkening his features. “But I know now—wrapping you in acocoon of armor won’t protect you forever. It’ll only keep you from learning how to open your own wings.”
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my temple, warm and anchoring. “We’ll get through this. You’re strong, Carwynn. And we’ll do everything in our power to help you grow even stronger.”
“And that’s why—” Wyatt added, cutting in with a loving smile to David. “We’re going with you to the Eostre Trials.”
“I’m sorry. You what?” I blinked. “I mean—how? When?”
“Last week,” Wyatt said. “As soon as David found out, we had Faelad add us to the roster as youradvisors.” He shot me a playful wink. I could already feel the tension in the air lifting. “Lucky for you, one of your advisors competed in the Eostre Trials way back when.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Warmth bloomed inside me, radiant and unexpected, like a sliver of light cracking through a thunderhead.
Love.
These two men in front of me, who I loved with my whole, fractured heart, were about to whirl themselves into a snake pit. Into the Trials,with me.Even before I’d told them the truth.
There was definitely a twinkle in my eye. My soul felt more elated than it had in months. The feelings may have been enhanced by the waning alcohol or delicious pancakes, but it was real, nonetheless.
