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I didn't want to believe it. In fact, my first inclination when Emre had told me she'd been missing for an hour was that she'd been taken.

I wasn't an inherently trusting person. My position called for it. But there was something in me that wanted to trust Reyna.

I'd come to her house to ask her myself, give her the opportunity to explain herself.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd extendedsomeone that grace.

Reyna opened her mouth again, her entire face straining. It was like she was trying to push words out but none would come.

What had her father promised her to betray me?

Or had she been planning this our entire relationship? And I was the fool that presented her with the perfect opportunity to get close to me, to make me want to trust her.

“Reyna,” I growled. Urgent fury was pumping hot through my blood, begging my limbs to do something with the power threatening to burst out. I would sooner kill myself than ever lay a hand on her, so I forced myself to take a step away from her, to try to get answers from a distance. “Answer the question.”

To my abject horror, Reyna followed me, stepping so close our chests were pressed together. Her hands climbed up to my face, gripping it roughly. I had to close my eyes, channeling all my strength into trying not to let the lightning jump from my skin to hers.

“Don’t.” I pulled her hands off my face. “Don’t touch me. Don’t lie to me. Justanswer the fucking question.”

I needed her to just explain. To stop giving me reasons to believe that she could betray me.

My body was screaming at me that she would never, but when she stood in front of me, refusing to answer my simple question, my resolve was weakening.

Another broken sound left her throat, hoarse and pained enough that my eyes opened on their own accord, immediately searching her face for the source of her hurt.

She shook her headnolike it took every ounce of her strength. That was how she was going to refuse me?

I stepped back, only for her to follow me again. I gripped her wrists to keep her at a distance, barely noticing that her skin felt softer there than normal. Like a freshly healed scar.

The thought was pushed away when Reyna forcefully pulled her wrists from my hands, fighting to grab mine instead. I let her, only because if I battled her only on strength, mine would eclipse hers with force.

When she latched onto my wrists, I caught a spark at the last second. Not enough, clearly, because her entire body tensed with a shock.

Fucking hell, I’d never hated anything more.

I stepped away, forcefully putting distance between us. "If you aren't going to answer me, then I'm going to leave."

I needed to get away from her before my control slipped and she was caught in the crossfire of a stray lightning bolt.

"I'll just follow you," Reyna said, her first sentence in minutes. Her voice was hoarse, like she'd just been yelling instead of silent.

I scoffed, taking another step away from her.

Reyna's face twisted in fury, like the increased distance between us pissed her off.

Yeah, well I didn't like it either.

"One more chance, honey," I said, the endearment slipping out before I could stop it. "Where were you?"

I was tired of asking that fucking question, but I couldn't seem to stop giving her opportunities to prove that she hadn't betrayed me.

Which, again, was about five more chances than I gave anyone.

Reyna's voice gathered in her throat, then broke offagain. She stomped her foot in frustration, and even that seemed like it took the effort it would to climb a mountain.

Doubt starting buzzing at the back of my brain.

"I'm leaving," I said gruffly, surrendering. I'd just use my old methods of finding out where she'd gone. Maybe have someone canvas the shop she disappeared in.