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Soren sat down opposite me. “Why can’t you let this go?”

I lowered my hands. “Because I love Moira as much as Rowan. She has a large piece of my heart, and it has been shattered into bits over the last few months. Moira is putting on a brave face, but she is close to breaking. You are an unknown in this equation. The last time Moira worked with you, she damn near wanted to kill you.”

Soren chuckled. “I get that a lot.”

I reached over and took his hands in mine, surprised to find Soren’s fingers and palms rough with calluses. A spark of magic flowed into him, and Soren allowed it. He opened himself to me.

Pain. So much pain he hid under his pretty facade. I didn’t delve too far. Most of Soren’s secrets would remain his own. But what I did see told me a story about the man we had all so violently misjudged.

Hands brushing over smooth golden skin. You are such a pretty child, said in such a way Soren’s skin crawled…

Beautiful, a woman murmured. Are you willing to sell him…

All you are is a pretty face, another woman spat in the heat of anger…

Do not think your mind is more powerful than your face. Use what you have and leave the thinking to us…

The voices faded away and led me to a final image—a masculine hand holding a charcoal pencil, sketching out a pale-faced woman with dark hair and dark eyes…

Soren was an artist. A talented one. My gods. I pulled my hands away and watched him, choking down all the rage I felt on his behalf, for the child he used to be and for the man he was trying so hard to become.

“What did he offer?” I asked once more.

Soren’s eyes filled with tears. “He promised to kill me,” he whispered.

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Evie staggered out of the house, her hand over her heart. A broken sob came from her throat. Rowan was at her side in a flash, gathering her in his arms.

“Evie?” I ran over and brushed her hair from her face. “Are you alright?”

She lifted her tear-stained face. “I’ve never asked you for anything, Moira. Ever.”

I blinked. “Um. No,” I agreed. “Nothing major. Never anything I couldn’t do.”

She reached for me, taking both my hands in hers. “Take Soren with you.”

Evie licked her lips. “Show him—” Her voice broke. “Show him there are things in this world that are beautiful. That life is worth all the hardships it can bring us.”

Confusion filled me. “Evie. What in the world?”

I lifted my gaze to Rowan, who gave me a sharp shake of his head. He had no idea what this was about either.

Evie took my face in her hands. Magic pooled in her palms, warming my cheeks. She pressed her lips to my forehead. “Promise me, Moira. Promise me you will do everything in your power to heal yourself, to find the joy in life and love again, no matter who it’s with.”

Tears spilled from her azure eyes. “Promise me you will try to come back from this. That you will fight as hard as you can.”

My throat thickened. “I’m fine,” I lied.

Evie’s smile wobbled. “We both know you aren’t. I feel the pain you try so valiantly to hide. You are not alone, Moira. Never alone. Promise me you will always find your way back home. To me. To us. To love and laughter.”

My eyes spilled tears. I had no idea where this was coming from, but Evie was right. I was a liar. Waking up every day was an exquisite kind of pain, and I wasn’t sure what might happen to me once I finally put an end to my mother.

“I—I⁠—”

My voice shook.