Villeneuve rolls his eyes and lets his hand fall away. “The possessive instincts of wolves are truly exhausting.”
“Yeah, well, deal with it,” Rowan mutters.
I almost laugh. “I’m fine. Really.”
Vyse produces a small earpiece from his pocket and hands it to me. “Communication device. I’ll be able to hear everything, and I can speak to you through this if needed. Standard Council issue, completely undetectable to the prisoner.”
I fit it into my ear. It’s smaller than I expected, but comfortable.
“One more thing.” Vyse’s blue eyes meet mine. “People like Rebecca respond to strength. Don’t let her see you waver. If she senses weakness, she’ll exploit it.”
“I know.” I’ve spent years in Kyle’s coven. I know exactly how these people operate. “Anything else?”
“Yes.” A thin smile crosses his face. “Have fun.”
The door to the interrogation room is heavier than it looks. I have to put my weight into it to push it open, and the hinges creak like they haven’t been oiled in decades.
Rebecca’s head snaps up when I enter.
For a moment, neither of us speaks. I let the door swing shut behind me, let the sound of it closing echo through the small space. The room is sparse, furnished with just the table, two chairs, and the one-way mirror where I know the others are watching.
“The prodigal siphon returns.” Rebecca’s voice is hoarse but still manages to drip with contempt. “Did you come to gloat?”
“I came to ask questions.”
“How professional of you.” She leans back in her chair, the movement awkward with her wrists bound. “Let me save you some time. I’m not telling you shit.”
“We’ll see.”
I take the seat across from her. The metal is cold through my jeans. I fold my hands on the table, mirroring her posture, and study her face. She’s trying to put on a bold front, but she’s shaken. Anyone would be in her position.
“Kyle abandoned you,” I say. It’s not a question.
Her jaw tightens. “Kyle is… handling things.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?” I tilt my head. “That he’s ‘handling things’? That he’s coming back for you? That any minute now, he’s going to sweep in and rescue his loyal followers?”
“Shut up.”
“He left you, Rebecca. Left you and everyone else to face the consequences while he ran. That’s what men like Kyle do.”
“I said shut up.” Her voice has gone sharp and brittle. Clearly I’ve hit a nerve.
“What’s the matter? Don’t like hearing the truth?” I lean forward slightly. “You were always his favorite, weren’t you? The one he confided in. The one he trusted. And look where that got you.”
Her eyes flash. “At least I was loyal. Unlikesomepeople.”
“Is that what you call it? Fucking another woman in your girlfriend’s bed?Loyal?”
“You were never good enough for him.” The contempt is back, even sharper now. “You were just a siphon. A useful tool. You should have been grateful he even looked at you after what happened to your face.”
I feel three bursts of rage through the bond, but none of them are from me. Rebecca can’t get to me anymore. Not with her words and certainly not with Kyle.
I laugh. I can’t help it. “Grateful? For being treated like a battery? For having my magic rationed out like I was on some kind of supernatural allowance?”
“You werespecial.” Rebecca spits the word like a curse. “The great siphon. TheThirteenth. Everyone fawned over you, and you never even appreciated it.”
And there it is. The thing I never understood until right now.
