The relief that crashed through me was so intense it nearly brought me to my knees. But the rage… god, the rage was still there, burning beneath my skin.
“Julian—” Roman started.
“Shut the fuck up.” I crossed the cell in three strides, my eyes locked on Violet. I dropped to a crouch in front of her, my hands hovering near her face but not quite touching it, like I was afraid she'd shatter if I did. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I'm fine,” she said. “Really.”
I searched her face for any sign of injury, any hint of fear or pain. Her pupils weren't dilated beyond what the dim lighting would explain. No bruising on her face or neck. No blood. Noobvious signs of distress beyond the general dishevelment from being unconscious and dragged down here.
“He drugged you,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. I looked over my shoulder at Roman. “You fuckingdruggedher.”
“Yeah, I did,” Roman said softly. “And I'm sorry. But I needed to talk to her, and I knew you wouldn't let—”
“You're right. I wouldn't have let you anywhere near her.” I rose slowly, turning to face my brother fully. Every muscle in my body was coiled tight, ready to strike. “I know you're my brother, Roman, but if you've hurt so much as a single hair on her head, Iwillkill you. I swear to god I will.”
“Julian!” Violet's voice cut through my rage, and I felt her hand on my arm, tugging gently. “Stop. Please. He really didn't hurt me.”
I looked down at her, confusion momentarily overwhelming the anger. “Violet…”
"We talked. That's all.” She stood, positioning herself slightly between Roman and me. “And... we're okay now."
I blinked. “Did you saywe’re okay?”
“Yes, we’re okay. Like… with each other,” she replied, though she sounded almost as bewildered as I felt. “We talked things through.”
“Talked things through,” I repeated slowly, like the words were in a foreign language. “Youtalked things throughwith the man you believe is responsible for killing your sister.”
“I don’t think he killed her. Not anymore,” Violet said. There was a certainty in her voice that made me pause. “I believe him, Julian.”
I stared at her, then at Roman, then back at her. My mind was reeling. When I burst in here a moment ago, I'd expected to find her terrified, possibly hurt, definitely furious. Instead, she was... defending him?
“Roman,” I said, not taking my eyes off Violet. “What the hell did you say to her?”
“I told her everything I had to,” Roman said quietly. “About Cal. About the Selection. The Reapers.”
My blood ran cold. “Reapers? Are you fucking serious?”
“She needed to know,” he said. “And I needed her to believe me. So yes, I told her about the Reapers before the Eleusinian ritual. I broke the rules.” His voice dropped. “Just add it to the list of things I've fucked up.”
I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to process this. Roman had revealed everything—the wife hunt, the assassins, all of it—before Violet had even started her training. The Council would lose their goddamned minds if they found out.
But looking at Violet's face, the way she was standing there so calmly, without fear...
“You actually believe him?” I asked her. “You’re not just saying that?”
She nodded. “No one could fake the kind of grief he showed me,” she said. “He loved my sister. Really, truly loved her.”
I looked at my brother again. His eyes were red-rimmed, his face blotchy. He looked like he'd been crying. Hell, he looked like he'd been crying for a year straight.
“I was never going to report you to the Council,” he said, meeting my gaze. “I was just shocked and angry. But I would never...” He swallowed hard. “You're my brother, Julian. And you're the only one who's ever believed that I didn't kill Cal. Until today.” His eyes flicked to Violet, then back to me. “Until her.”
His face crumpled then. His shoulders started shaking, and I saw him fighting it, trying to hold back the tears that were already spilling down his cheeks.
“Fuck,” he choked out. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't—”
“It’s fine,” I said gruffly, my anger deflating like a punctured balloon. I closed the distance between us and gripped his shoulder. “You lost the only woman you’ve ever loved. So you can cry as much as you fucking want. I'm not judging you.”
“Neither am I,” Violet said softly.
