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Rasmus didn’t return to fetch me, but word that I was to present myself to the council came through one of the daily checkers. I had already decided never to return to this place no matter what they decided, so I sent my meager belongings home with Fiona and said my goodbyes to the cottage.

I learned Jack had told our daughter about my potential release, but I had yet to talk to him about the matter. The coward was keeping his distance, and I didn’t blame him.

Fiona tried to talk me out of wearing the shimmering blue robe with my family’s crest for my presentation to the council, but I wasn’t hiding my truth anymore. I was proud of who I was and I would never betray that for a man’s sake ever again.

The guards opened the doors to the hall where the council convened, and I walked through them without glancing to either side. The black-robed council members entered shortly after me, and each chose a seat at their judgment table.

Rasmus did not sit with the others. Instead, he and his ponytail leaned in a doorway watching the festivities.

“Aran.”

My head swiveled as I sought the owner of the breathy male voice calling my name. A very distinguished and handsome man—I guessed him to be a couple of decades older than me—strode toward me with purpose in every step.

He was inches away before I realized who he was... and what his premature aging meant. My heart hardened against everything he was now and all the memories he evoked in me.

“Hello, Jack,” I finally said, returning his smile with a glare. “I see ya didn’t miss me much.”

The man I married ignored my words and beamed at me. There was awe in his voice when he spoke. “Even with all those silver streaks in your hair, you look amazing.”

I snorted at the praise. “Too bad I can’t say the same back to ya, Jack. Ya look awfully old for someone who’s supposed to be my age.”

Jack laughed at my words and reached out to touch me, but I backed up to avoid his hand. Did he really think I was still willing to be his fool? If so, I was about to prove to him otherwise.

“I bet ya only let me out of prison because ya wanted me to fix yer aging problem.”

“No. You made a blood vow never to kill me. I was never afraid of facing you. I was just busy.”

I looked him over. “I stupidly made a vow not to take yer life, but it doesn’t mean I can’t make ya regret living. In hindsight, I should have asked for something more in return than just visible proof when ya cheated on me.”

Jack shrugged and looked away. “I slipped up once during the first year you were gone, Aran. I was furious when you didn’t change your mind about your familiar. There’s been no one since then.”

I lifted an eyebrow at such a bold lie. His deceit disappointed me worse than his marital infidelity. Talking to this version of Jack was truly like talking to a stranger.... or worse, to an enemy. I had to remind myself that I once stood and swore my fidelity to this male.

“Ya look older than yer own father, which means ya’ve kept yerself quite busy in my absence. It would have taken many women to age ya this much, so why are ya lying to me, Jack? I don’t care enough for ya now to be upset by yer cheating. There’s no reason for ya to fear me today.”

Jack looked around and then straightened before he spoke again. “I was never afraidofyou—I was afraidforyou. You could never tell the difference.”

I waved away his denial, which was the same old lie he’d been telling himself and me for years. “It’s over between us, Jack. Ya betrayed me in both word and deed. Fiona will always be a link between us, but I want nothing from you today except my property.”

“I never meant to keep it from you, Aran. I brought the amulet here to keep Fiona away from it. Even your father feared its power.”

“No, Da feared my refusal of it and what could happen to our family if I did. Fiona could have worn it every day and nothing would have happened to her. The Dagda Stone is my legacy... and only mine. Ya stole it and that’s something I can’t ever forgive. And it was the primary part of this deal. So where is my property, Jack?”

I crossed my arms and waited when he didn’t respond.

Then I held his gaze until he looked away. “Return the necklace or send me back to the cottage. And it better not contain a tracking spell. I’ll know if ya tried to alter it.”

“No one has done anything to it. It’s been in storage.”

I smirked at his words and wondered if that was a lie as well. I suspected Jack and his cohorts had passed it around among them to see if anyone could activate it.

“Hand it over now or I’ll take it back the hard way.”

Sighing at my threat, Jack turned and walked to the table of council members. I heard him whisper something to the woman he’d allow to take the necklace seven years ago. She frowned at what he said, but nodded as she handed it to him.

My heart beat loudly as Jack headed back to me carrying it. I hoped Da was watching me from the afterlife. I hoped he could see me making this right.

Whispering a silent prayer to my ancestors for strength, I remained stoic until Jack once more stood in front of me. Glaring down, he held out the necklace, dangling it in my line of vision because he was so much taller than I was. Snatching it from his fingers was tempting, but instead I made myself calmly take it from him. The stone glowed softly in my hands as it woke from its seven-year slumber without me.