Realization dawned on him as if he had been stumbling through a fog, on the verge of understanding for so long, only to finally see the sun.
But if she hadn’t left him…
Caspian stumbled forward a step.
“Caspian, no!” Priscilla’s grip clenched onto him. “She’s the one w-wwith magic! She can’t be- be t-trusted. Whenever she’s around, you- you’re different. She’s a w- a wwitch!”
He turned to her, seeing the desperation and fear in her eyes.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Caspian said.
Priscilla shook her head, tears spilling from her eyes. “You wwwanted me, to be withme,before she came and as sssoon as she was gone. Victor- He sent her away to- to free you! P-please-”
Caspian backed away another step, eyes rounding. “You knew she hadn’t left me.”
She looked back at him, so vulnerable, devastated, but all he could think of was that she had admitted it, the manipulation and the lies. He had trusted her, comforted her, felt sympathy for her pain… He had been ready to bind his fate with hers.
Priscilla followed him, refusing to release her grip. Desperation bled from her eyes. “D-don’t, please!”
“Take your hands off him.” Both of them turned at the sound of Keira’s voice. It was cold as ice as she stood, bloody and wild, only a few feet away.
Priscilla whimpered in fright. Gilbert came to her side, whispering something to her.
She shook her head, tears spilling on her blood red gown. “You deserve b-better than her.Ican be more for you. Caspian, please. She’s a criminal!”
Keira whirled on her with a startled, bitter laugh. “Your brother doesn’t keep any secrets from you, does he?”
She fell quiet suddenly, utterly stricken.
Dread pooled in his stomach. “What are you talking about?”
Priscilla sniffed, looking to Gilbert, to the others gathered in the chapel, in search of a sympathetic eye.
“No more tears now?” Keira baited. “You expect pity after what you’ve done? You cannot claim to be a victim in this! Not when you knew what he’d done. Not when you were ready to reap your reward.”
“Keira?” Caspian asked, voice breaking. Seeing her closer, it was clear she was not only injured, but weak in a way that spoke of a deep settled suffering.
“Go on. Tell him what you and your brother did to me.”
Priscilla dissolved entirely, shaking her head and avoiding his gaze.
“They turned me in, took me back to Stormhaven, to Deepgate Prison.” Keira’s voice was layered with malice and pain so potent it clenched his heart. “They buried me. I guess they were hoping it would stick. But I came for you, to stop this. I thought you’d be in the castle, but- Well, I ran into some trouble.”
He looked to Priscilla, her crumpled frame and glistening tears. They tasted sour on his tongue. “Get her out of here.”
Gilbert took her arm, guiding her gently away. She didn’t object.
Caspian turned to Keira. He kissed her hair with relish before pulling away and drinking in the sight of her. His thumb moved to graze her cheek, but stopped as he saw the fresh bruise swelling there. “We need to get you to a healer,” he said, the full extent of her injuries settling on him suddenly.
She opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head. “Someone send for the healer,” he ordered. About a dozen people complied at once.
“She’ll be fine, Caspian. She’s a fighter,” Rhea reassured, drawing his attention to the chapel full of spectators surrounding them.
“What we need to do is find her bastard of a brother,” Lilith said darkly.
Florian
Florian’s mind worked furiously as he raced down the East Wing of Northall. Though he did not doubt Keira’s word, he couldn’t imagine Yvette betraying her. Not after everything she’d done to save her. Not unless there was a reason… Dread curled in his gut. Something was wrong, very very wrong. Florian could feel it in his bones. He had to find her.
