“I thought you couldn’t lie,” Emmett says.
Bram just laughs again, that same wondrous laugh I’ve heard ahundred times, so different now. “That was my mother’s idea, probably the best one she’s ever had. It was a rumor she spread about our kind ages ago. It’s very convenient to have humans think you’re always telling the truth.”
The room tilts, my knees go weak. Emmett’s as pale as a ghost.
I think of the pictures of Bram scattered across my bedroom floor. “Where is my sister?” I ask.
Bram smiles. “Safe. I’m quite fond of her, you know.”
I launch myself at him, ready to claw his eyes out of his head, but Emmett holds me back as I kick and scream. “Tell me where she is, you bastard! If you’ve hurt her, I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”
Bram’s laughter booms off of the walls. “She’s fine! I swear it.” He takes a step back, and his face falls as he looks between Emmett and me, standing together. “There is the matter of the two of you to solve, however.”
“I told you I—”
“Don’t lie to me!” Bram bellows at Emmett. “I already told you not to lie to me about her.”
“It’s nothing. I love you,” I lie. “I love you, please let’s just go inside, all right?” I take a step toward him, but Emmett grabs my sleeve and I hesitate.
“I heard the two of you that night,” Bram says.
The blood drains from my face.
Emmett steps in front of me. “It was my fault. Don’t blame Ivy.”
Bram laughs again. “I thought about killing one of you, but we weren’t married then, so I’ve decided to let it go.”
“It was a one-time mistake. I’ll be devoted to you, please don’t hurt him,” I beg.
“Of course not.” Bram turns back to his King’s Guard, and relief pulses through me. Emmett and I turn to run, but Bram snaps his fingers.
“Not so fast. It won’t do to have the queen of England’s virtue compromised like this. I can’t very well pretend to be unaware of an affair happening under the roof of my own palace. How embarrassing for me. How could we expect anyone to take me seriously? I need to get rid of one of you.”
“No!” I shout, but Bram snaps again, and suddenly my voice is gone.
“Let me finish,” Bram says coolly. “Ivy is tempting, wives are a high-maintenance business, but they do have their purposes. But you, Emmett, have already done so much of the work for me. With your reputation, no one will question that you’ve disappeared off to some country house to drink yourself into a stupor.” He nods to his guards. “Seize him.”
My knees hit the ground as I wail noiselessly. Emmett struggles against the four guards who surround him, locking heavy shackles around his arms and legs.
They drag him nearly out the door when Bram snaps again, and they pause. “I am sorry, Emmett. Call it only child syndrome. I don’t like to share.”
Emmett digs his heels into the floor, thrashing against the guards. He doesn’t look at Bram, but at me. “Be safe. Do whatever he says. I’m sorry. I love you. I love you. I love you.” The door slams behind them, leaving Bram and me alone.
He glances at his pocket watch. “I’ve got a coup to get to, but we’ll catch up later, yes?”
He waves a hand, and my speech returns to me. I gasp, chokingon tears and words unsaid. He extends a hand and pulls me to my feet. This close, his gray eyes glint strangely, his pupils blown out like he’s drunk.
“I am sorry about all that,” Bram says vaguely, then plants a kiss on my cheek.
He exits through the tunnels, but I race out the main door, hoping to see where the guards have dragged Emmett, but he’s nowhere in sight.
I see Marion, Emmy, Faith, and Olive huddled under an oak tree, looking terrified.
“Ivy!” they call, and I race toward them. Together we go to Caledonia Cottage. We push furniture in front of the doors and latch the windows.
I explain everything to them, the May Queen plot, Emmett and me, Bram’s confession, and Emmett’s imprisonment.
It makes my head spin to think of Bram here at Kensington Palace, pretending to be a normal nineteen-year-old, then crossing through the portal to rule over a cruel court as an immortal king.
