“You voted to rescue him,” I say weakly.
Kallister lets out a hard laugh, and I can practically feel the hatred pulsing through him. “No one was going to authorize that rescue. I knew it wouldn’t get done.”
“Then why vote yes?”
“On the off chance that he survived. You never know when you might need an Ash on your side.” He turns back to Gray. “Marina Serrano planned the bombing of Valterra Ridge. Her and Jake. Julian played a hand, too, because he ignored my warnings. Because he thought he was so much smarter. Because he loved her.”
My heart twists again.
“Thousands of people,” he emphasizes to Gray. “Your parents. Your sisters. Gone. Dead. Burned to a crisp. Their bones underwater.”
“I am not my parents,” I grind out.
I glimpse the storm brewing in Gray’s eyes. I knew this moment would eventually come, but I was hoping it wouldn’t.
I implore him with my gaze. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to look at me differently. I’m not responsible for my parents’ sins. But they stole your life from you, and I didn’t want you to know that I come from people who would do that.”
The words spill out in a rush, a desperate attempt to explain something that could never truly make sense. Because it still doesn’t. I don’t know why my mother betrayed her own people. My father, fine, perhaps you could make me understand. He wasn’t a Mod. He didn’t know what that meant.
But she knew.
And she still did it.
I reach for Gray’s arm, but he takes a backward step, which is like a slap to the face.
Meanwhile Kallister’s regarding me with those fake caring eyes. “I’m not doing this to be cruel, Wren,” he starts.
Bullshit. Until this moment, I didn’t realize how much he enjoys hurting people. Because I can sense his dishonesty. He’s enjoying this.
“But Gray needs all the information in order to make an informed decision about this vote.”
“This has nothing to do with whether Adrienne stays in the Authority,” I accuse. “You did this because he was about to do the right thing, and now you’re planting doubts in his mind about my motives.” My voice shakes as I turn to Gray. “There is no ulterior motive here. I truly don’t believe Adrienne should be blamed for what happened at the bunker.”
He stares at me, his throat working as he swallows. “When I took you to the Ridge, when I told you everything about my family…my past…”My uncle.“You knew then that your mother was the reason my family was gone?”
My heart drops, cold and heavy, like a rock sinking straight to the bottom of the ocean. “Yes.”
“And you didn’t say a fucking word.”
“I’m sorry.”
He lets out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Would you leave us alone now?”
“W-what?” I stutter.
“I said leave us.”
The last time I saw Gray enraged, it was after I incited him without permission. He could barely look at me, but even then, I knew the anger stemmed from fear and worry that I’d almost lost my life. Right now? He’s not looking at me because he wants nothing to do with me.
“Leave,” he repeats. There’s ice in his voice, and every cell in his body transmits the same message:Get the fuck away from me. “I need to speak to Kallister about the vote.”
As a sob catches in my throat, I turn on my heel and run out of the Temple.
That afternoon, I track Saint down in the common room. It’s been hours since I left the Temple, and I have no idea where Gray is. I’m starting to worry.
“Have you seen Gray?” I ask without preamble.
“Yeah. He beat the hell out of me in the gym about an hour ago.” Saint holds up his hands to show me his knuckles. They’re cracked and red.
