“Elaborate, Maeve. And don’t bullshit me, I know you better than that.”
“Okayfine,” I enunciated, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. “It’s a lot to take in but I’m…hanging in there.”
“We're all justhanging in there. How are youreallydoing?” he persisted.
Amidst my moan of blatant annoyance, I blew out a bubbled breath. There was no point in trying to skimp around an answer. Sawyer was one of the most well-trained soldiers I’d ever met, and he would certainly know if I wasn’t telling the entire truth.
Falling to my back, I stared up at the ceiling, just now noticing how the plaster was sprinkled with flecks of gold. “Not good. Everything I thought I knew has been ripped out from under me.” A lock of my hair fell into my eyes as I arched my neck, giving myself an upside down view of his saddened expression. “And you know, out of all the shit that's happened and all the new information I’ve had to absorb, I think the thing that hurts the most is what Sebastian kept from me.”
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that what he did was justified, because it wasn’t, not really. All I’m going to say is that you can choose to harbor anger over it—which isn’t good for yourself, or him, for that matter—or you can try to move past it.”
I groaned, palming the lingering exhaustion from my eyelids. “I know.I know. But how can I trust him after this? You read the journal. Didn’t you find it kind of…uncanny?”
Sawyer sat upright and grasped my arms, using his strength to pull my full body onto the bed, then vertical. “Oh, for sure. Especially the end. Super fucking weird.”
“Super fucking weird,” I echoed and bowed my neck. “I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to feel about any of this.”
Feel it all.The best advice my mother ever gave me.
He used one arm to pull me into his side, tucking me into a half hug. “Well, if it's any consolation, we’re all on the same page when it comes to that.”
Chapter
Four
Imanaged to avoid Sebastian for another day simply by staying in bed. But the following morning—bright and early, I should add—we gathered in a dining room half the size of the continent, and I had no choice but to face him head on.
Selecting an end seat around the rectangular table ensured that he could not sit next to me, though Sebastian made a point of choosing the closest available seat. At the other end sat Archer, and in the chairs surrounding the perimeter of the table were my friends along with Delani and a few new faces.
“Thank you all for coming.” Archer's voice echoed loudly throughout the space, bouncing off the walls and practically slapping me in the face.
Coffee. I needed coffee.
“There’s a lot to discuss now that everyone is able to participate.” Archer’s eyes linked to my identical ones. “To begin, Maeve, can you tell us about what happened between you and Cyprian Beaumont?”
My head stayed steady as my eyes flew around the room.No introductions?
One of the faces I did not recognize belonged to a striking, dark-skinned man. His irises were the color of pure gold,illuminating his already beautifully sculpted facial features. The other was a middle-aged woman—maybe pushing fifty—with perfectly flat, silver hair.
Disregarding my manners, I pointed at the two unfamiliar attendees. “Who are they?”
“This is Kade,” my father gestured to the inscrutable man on his right, “and this is Venay.” The pasty woman granted me a thin-lipped smile.
“Andwho are they?” I repeated myself, slower this time. “A name isn’t a good enough answer if I am expected to give them the information you request of me.”
Sawyer snorted, swiftly tossing his hand over his mouth.
“They are members of the royal council. They attend all the meetings we hold here in Lumosia,” Archer answered.
My eyebrows lowered upon Kade, who matched my visual skepticism.
Delani scooted her chair next to me simply so she could nudge me with her elbow. “You can trust them,” she whispered. “Kade is basically Dad’s right hand man. He’s the one who brought me here. And Venay is the one who healed you.”
I noticed the amethyst sparkling in the woman’s hand.
Despite my anger, I allowed my gaze to find Sebastian, who granted me a soft nod, indicating his approval of the two unknown bodies around the table.
“Fine.” Correcting my posture, I pushed my back flush against the chair. “After thetransitionwith Blythe, I destroyed the Draemornians who were in the courtyard with starlight. How? I don’t exactly know. It kind of came as second nature—like I had been born with the power all along. From there, I prepared to take down Beaumont, but then the castle began to fall. I’m not sure if it was from the extent of my power or if the Draemornians were responsible for it. Regardless, I quickly lost sight of Beaumont. I have no idea if he is buried in the rubbleor if he got away.” I turned my attention towards Archer. Not knowing if I truly wanted the answer, I still asked, “What did you see when you found me?”
