I’m not kidding, Ti.
I know.
But it’s still worth a shot.
“Tiara...”
Joy’s soft tone draws me out of my memories. Outside, somewhere along the lane, a horse and rider are passing—the rhythmic clop of hooves carrying through the morning room—and the sound is what brings me back, more than her voice does.
“Today’s press conference is about to start.”
Ah.
Right.
That’s today.
It’s one of the many things we discussed back then, with all of us trying to figure out how and when Arkane would try to hurt me, in case this whole thing backfires, and it would turn out that all he wants is my pound of flesh.
“You can still back out.”
Arkane’s mother is smiling when she says this, but her eyes are also bright with tears, and I guess, that means it’s one of those moments.
I slowly shake my head. “If he tries to hurt me, it’s because I hurt him first—”
“You don’t understand.” Tassy’s voice is shaking, too. Her hand finds Joy’s across the table and grips. “We just heard...”
No no no no no no
“Mirabella’s here, too.”
Oh. I see. Okay.
I feel like I should do something. Say something. But I think I’m in shock.
Mirabella’s here?
The girl who...
She’s here?
Icelle grabs my hand. “I don’t like this.” Her face is a blank. Her tone is a blank. But the hand that’s holding mine is so, so cold.
She’s afraid for me.
And so am I.
But this is just one of those things that has to happen so we can all know, once and for all.
For everything there’s a season, and as much as I love him—I still don’t know if these times we have...
Are they meant to last?
Or are these moments the last I’ll ever have of him?
