The vacant look on David’s face, the sting of his words—it horrified me. What wasn’t he saying?
“There’s more.” He stared down at his clenched fists. “Before your mother died, she suspected the Skell King was up to something. Believed he was planning some dominion over Vinterland—or the entire realm, as crazy as that sounds. She suspected he was creating weapons out of Vinter Coal, stealing it right out from under them. Was adamant he was behind the Vinter King’s disappearance as well. But never told mehowshe knew.” He sighed deeply, looking at the fire. “Maura kept secrets from me. Probably to protect me.Ironically.” Eyes filled with regret as he took me in, softening. “Carwynn, I don’t think your mother was murdered just because she hid you. That was part of it, yes. The real threat was that she knewtoomuch. She would’ve fought him to the very end.” A sad smile curved his mouth. “I’ve never known anyone so strong, so resilient—something she passed to you. She believed our greatest chance at stopping him wasyou. I promised her I’d keep you safe. No matter what.”
The back of my throat stung as I repressed the urge to cry again.
My mother.
Hearing her name filled me with emotion I couldn’t describe . . .an intangible ache, like reaching for something that’d suddenly turn to smoke the moment your fingers grazed it. The memory of her, or lack thereof, was a bruise on my soul, forever sore.
I’d spoken to the dead often. Heard their stories, their whispers. Sometimes, with a personal object, I could pull in a sliver of their soul, connecting briefly enough to hear them clear as day. Like a distant echo answering back. But never withher.God, I always tried too.
After every dream, every nightmare, I’d slip off my ring—my mother’s ring—and squeeze it in my palm, fist clenched close to my heart, calling to her soul. My ability would reach out, deep into the thick otherworld, crying to her, begging. But I was always met with silence. No echo. No flicker. Nothing, just an eerie, foreboding stillness.
What I wouldn’t give to hear her voice, to sense her, if only for a single moment.
I wiped at my eyes, pulling in a breath.
God, the things my mom must’ve witnessed, the things she must’veendured.
The Skell King didn’t deserve death, that’d be too merciful. He deserved suffering. Eternal,unrelentingtorture. Not just chains and knives, I’m talking an assembly line of prickly pineapples shoved up his tight asshole kind of torture.
My mind spaced out. It was all too much. Information overload.
For a moment I dissociated, completely frying out. I couldn’t hold onto the anger I had for David. Minutes ago, I was drowning in it. But now, it withered away.
Fuckkkk. . .
I took in a disbelieving breath and shook my head, attempting to recollect my thoughts.
“Okay. So my mother was also killed because she possibly figured out what the Skell King was up to. That he kidnapped—or killed—the Vinter King. And could be creating his own stolen Vinter Coal armory, which in turn, could lead to all-out war or chaos?” My voice hitched up at the tail end, cringing.
David calmly nodded in confirmation.
All right, then. Well, another reason I absolutely hated politics. Bitches are so dramatic—always willing to steal, cheat, and kill, all in the name of greed. Hoping the extra dose of ego will make them forget what miserable, pathetic cretins they are. And the Skell prick King was the worst of them.
I blinked. Hard. Then released a heavy sigh, rethinking it all over.
“Wait, so how does my safety relate to stopping him? What did you mean by me being the greatest chance?”
David chewed on his bottom lip.
He clearly didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to tell me anything. His eyes pleaded with me, as if begging for the verbal diarrhea to stop. And yet, he opened his mouth.
“Maura found a powerful seer, in soul form, locked away in Castle Skell. They spoke of a prophecy. Of a child—herchild—born of unmatched power. An heir who could be the Skell King’s downfall.”
An incredulous laugh rumbled up my throat, dry, sharp, bordering on a snort.
Was I having a mental breakdown? My face was still puffy and swollen from crying, but now my cheeks were straining from this twisted, amused smile.
Unmatchedpowers to the fuckingSkell King? Yeah, surrreee! Butter my ass and call me a biscuit—this had to be a joke. Or at the very least . . . amistake.
He ignored my brief mental episode.
“I promised your mother I’d protect you,” he gently said, “so that’s what I’ve been trying to do. That’s why I’ve kept these things from you. The less you have to know, the less you’ll be involved.”
It was there in his unwavering tone that I felt the deep truth.
“The Skell King will hunt you, Carwynn—the moment he knows you’re still alive. You already have a target on your back simply by being your mother’s daughter. I didn’t want you to carry another one because of me. Loveland—my father—had a very strained relation with the Skell King to begin with. A lesson for another day,” he said, waving a hand before continuing. “But if he ever found out the things Maura shared with me, or that I aided in hiding you away, then I’d be at the top of his wanted list as well.” His hand came atop mine. “Only Wyatt, the Cherubs, and I knew where you were hidden. We hoped to keep it that way, but when your ability emerged that day, itsomehowsent a ripple through the realm. Enough for his men to trace it—to you.”
