That same condescending twist of his mouth that once told me I was overreacting, spiraling. That I was hysterical. That I was worthless.
It’s not just a smile—it’s a weapon. One I’ve seen before. One I’ll never forget.
Alder’s blue eyes drag over me—my bound hands, my trembling body, my unraveling mind—and linger.They drink me in like victory champagne.
And I break.
Not with a scream. Not with a sob. But with a realization. This is the end of a cycle twisted by this man who mistook obsession for fate—and power for love.
Alder is the Queen’s new priest. That’s what he’s been doing here this whole time.
“I told you, sweetheart,” he says. “You won’t run from me again.”
Thirty-Three
The Tower shudders as if flicking off flies. The ironshackles bite deeper into my wrists, and my pulse thrums in sync with the Tower’s ancient magick. The doors groan open, loud and slow, the sound echoing through the chamber like a death knell.
I wrench my head toward the sound, heart stuttering as storm-gray light spills into the chamber, casting long shadows against the damp stone. Silhouettes emerge, and the sharp staccato of the Masked guard’s march echoes throughout the chamber, their silver masks catching the light. At their center, flanked on all sides and barely upright, is Alderic.
My breath lodges in my throat.
He’s not supposed to be here. He was supposed to be safe. He was supposed to blend in and stay alive, and now he’s bleeding because of me.
His wrists are bound. His shirt clings to him, blood-soaked and torn. There’s a gash on his forehead, stark against his white skin, and crimson runs downthe side of his face. His steps drag, his legs barely cooperating.
“Alderic!” My voice cracks as I strain against my restraints, fury and fear roaring in my chest.
His head jerks up. Wild eyes search the room and then lock on mine.
“Gemma!” The breath leaves his lungs like a gut punch. His shoulders collapse with it as he exhales my name like it’s the only thing that’s kept him alive. His face crumples with too many emotions at once—devastation, disbelief, desperation, relief.
And God, it nearly undoes me. But I don’t get to falter right now. I don’t get to feel anything. I need to be steel. For him. For me. For whatever’s coming.
“She told me…” His voice is hoarse. “Sylvie. She found me. Said you were taken. I came as fast as I could but… I thought I was too late. I thought they’d already—” He doesn’t finish. His knees buckle, and a guard yanks him upright before he can fall.
“You’re not,” I whisper, tears threatening to spill. “You’re not too late.”
Our reunion is short-lived as another figure glides forward, sweeping in from the shadows behind him like mist from the sea.
Queen Delphara Rothmore—of course she’s here.
Her smile, when it finds me, is slow and serene like the sea moments before its pull turns deadly.
She turns to Alder, voice sweet as pie. “It’s time.”
Alderic’s gaze cuts across the chamber. His breath catches. His body goes rigid. And for one suspended second, he doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe.
White robes swirl around Alder’s ankles like steam,the silver priest’s mask dangling from his fingertips.
Alderic shakes his head once. Twice. Like he can undo what he’s seeing. “No, it’s not—you’re not—” Fury replaces disbelief as the realization sets in. “You,” he spits, eyes blazing. “You’rethe priest?”
“I knew you were a little slow, but I thought you’d catch on faster than this.” Alder’s smirk curves like a scythe. He spreads his arms and lets the mask fall from his hand. The sound it makes when it hits the floor echoes louder than it should, like a gavel, like a death sentence. Like the sound of my last stupid hope cracking in half.
Alderic stares at it. At him. At me.
“Gemma, I’m sorry,” he says, voice raw. “I’m so—” His words dissolve into a choked breath, rage and heartbreak etched into every line of his face.
Alder strolls forward, hands clasped behind his back. “So desperate to be the hero. So willing to play protector.” He stops inches from Alderic and tilts his head. “How does it feel to know that the woman you tried so hard to save played right into my hands?”
