The king and queen?For the briefest moment, my mind turned. “The king and queen know about me?” I mumbled, then looked to Gwen for an answer.
But Gwen’s attention was on Verin again, her eyes hard, her mouth a tight line. “Didyoudo this to my husband? Are you responsible for my sweet Timith’s state?”
Verin’s silence continued, and she remained with her head down. Always so submissive. So meek.
“Cut the act,” my aunt sneered. “We all know you’re not subservient if you truly intended to use whatever that potion is against us.”
Verin’s head lifted, but instead of looking fearful or contrite, or like she was about to plead her innocence, her expressionburnedwith rage. So much so that I lurched back.
Verin’s lips curved, and something truly evil stirred in her expression. “You’re all pawns in the game of night. I am merelya servant, but my liege will get to her eventually. Now that we know for certain who she is.” Her gaze shifted to me.
Gwen gasped, and Kole snarled so violently that I jumped, but Verin ignored them all and continued looking atmewith a look of triumph.
“So we were right to suspect her,” Jamie said quietly.
My heart pounded so hard it felt as if it would beat out of my chest. I gripped my aunt’s hand. “Gwen, what’s going on? Why is Verin saying these things? Why do the king and queen know of me?”
Jamie moved Verin away from me, and Kole shifted to my side. “Prim, come with me. Please,” he said, his voice hoarse. But when his hand touched my lower back, I jolted away from him as though burned.
“Don’ttouch me.”
Kole’s eyes widened, and his throat bobbed.
I had no idea what was going on. What was happening. But I’d had one goal and one goal only since my uncle had fallen ill.
I eyed the Stone again, still held within Kole’s grip. Magic crackled inside me. Deadly magic. All-consumingmagic. I could take the Stone from him. Command him to give it to me, turn him into a puppet just for a moment, then I could save my uncle.
Something primal reared up in me, scorching my insides as though burned.
No.
Thatthingin my chest begged. Pleaded.
Not him.
I shoved that instinctual reaction down just as Kole stiffened.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Miss Hollaran,” Jamie warned, his voice low and deadly. Eyes narrowing in my direction, he added, “This is all for the best.”
Aunt Gwen’s hand encircled my wrist. The feel of her stopped the flash of impulsiveness that’d reared up in me.
“Not like this, Prim.Notlike this,” Gwen whispered.
I turned entirely rigid, disbelief coursing through me.
What am I doing?
This wasn’t me. I didn’t lash out at fae. I didn’t hurt others, even if the fairy responsible for my fury had torn my heart open and had watched it bleed before him. That still didn’t warrant me becoming just as cruel as him.Have my aunt and uncle taught me nothing?
My shoulders sagged, and my rage evaporated as quickly as it’d started.
Shame coursed through me. Absoluteshame. My uncle would be so disappointed if he knew what I’d almost just done. Even if I’d been motivated by intentions to save him, he would be appalled. He’d spentfull seasonsteaching me how to control myself so I would never inflict my forbidden magic on anyone, and if he were well and whole right now, he would be looking at me with utter devastation.
“I’m sorry,” I sobbed.
My aunt gripped me harder. “Please, Prim. I know how you’re feeling. I’ve been feeling it too, ever since they arrived today and demanded to see Timith, but come with me.Please.” My aunt’s desperate plea broke through my grief. She tugged me toward the sitting room. “Please, Primelle. Let’s all sit down.”
Somehow,all of us ended up in the sitting room that smelled of lemons and gleamed from the cleaning charms Verin had just used on it. Still in the entryway, still shackled, Verin waited for whatever the warriors had in store for her.
