Page 45

Reid and I sank to our knees, our heads bowed in reverence. I shot a quick glance at Cerise. Her eyes were shut tight, her mouth twisted in a pained grimace. Sweat beaded along her brow, and her hands were curled into shaking fists at her sides.

“Cerise,” I muttered in warning. I didn’t care who she worshipped; if she was in the Oracle, she needed to show deference and respect to the goddess.

Cerise’s eyes flew open, and her pupils were dilated. She looked from me to Reid and then clumsily fell to her knees, one hand braced on the ground for balance.

“Mighty Goddess,” I said, head still bowed. I stretched out my arms to placate Lunaria and plead for her help. “We seek your guidance and wisdom to uncover the truth.” I paused, trying to phrase my question carefully. Each question had to be worded a certain way, or she would not answer. “Did the witch Cerise have anything to do with King Nolan’s death?”

The air hissed, the wind billowing around me. Dust rose from the ground as energy crackled around us, sharp and potent.

“No,” Lunaria answered.

Beside me, Cerise released a breath, her frame sagging so much I thought she might collapse.

“Was Cerise complicit in any crime against Wolven Mages?” I asked.

“No,” said Lunaria.

I swallowed hard, my insides quivering from the intensity of magic surrounding me. It was so thick it was difficult to breathe properly. The longer Lunaria was here, the worse it would get. I had to make every second count. “Did Cerise’s grandmother have anything to do with King Nolan’s death?”

Magic churned and swirled once more. “Yes,” Lunaria said.

Cerise’s head whipped up as she gaped at me, then looked at the altar. “I—no! It’s not true!”

“Be silent,” Reid seethed.

Cerise’s mouth snapped shut, but the defiance still blazed in her eyes. I watched her, my head spinning as I processed this.

The old witch was complicit in King Nolan’s death. And yet it was clear Cerise didn’t know anything.

But she was the only lead we had.

“Did she steal the royal amulet from a Wolven Mage?” I asked.

“Yes,” said Lunaria.

Cerise made a noise of protest, but I shot her a sharp look to silence her.

“Did she kill King Nolan herself?”

The air churned, smoke rising from the ground. “No.”

Dammit. If she had been working alone, at least the threat would have been dealt with already. “Was she conspiring with other witches to kill the king?”

“No.”

“Was she working with the fae?”

More mist pooled along the floor. “No.”

I froze, unease stirring in my chest. My eyes locked with Reid’s. His jaw was tight, his brows drawn together. The magic in the air was so stifling that I almost coughed. A thick fog had settled in the Oracle, coating the ground and making everything appear blurry. It was filling the room quickly now.

Cerise’s breaths had turned into wheezes.

We didn’t have much time. If we continued for much longer, Lunaria’s presence would become so strong that it would tear down these walls. And Cerise, who was not a Mage, could likely die from the intensity of such power.

“Who killed my grandmother?” Cerise asked, her voice hoarse but determined.

I wanted to kick her. How dare she address the goddess directly? “She can only answer yes or no,” I said through gritted teeth.