Page 104

“I think you mean to say we know herapedthem.”

He makes a soft, dismissive sound. “I would argue that he was well within his rights as King and by the covenants signed when the girls accepted their role as Princess,” he waves a tired hand, “but that’s neither here nor there. What I didn’t tell you before was the conditions of their tenure. While I was up here helping raise you, he was down there, spilling his seed into those former princesses who wouldn’t produce him an heir.”

It’s Pace who speaks. “The dungeon. He imprisoned them in the dungeon.”

All my life, I’ve been told how despicable and deranged my own bloodline is, but this? This proves he’s worse than even Timothy Maddox. “Is that true?”

Danner nods, as if he’s pleased we’re finally unraveling the thread. “Naturally, he had to ensure any conception truly belonged to him. It was a very philanderous era in Forsyth history.”

“So you killed them to… what?” Pace asks, face twisted in fury. “Erase the evidence?”

Danner’s words are spoken with a patience that galls me. “I mean it when I called it mercy. None of them conceived because none of them could. In the chaos of his grief, Rufus kept trying, over and over, like a man possessed. He kept one of them trapped down there for a whole year. What else should I have done?” he wonders, head tilting curiously. “Releasing them wasn’t an option. They would have destroyed your father’s reign. But even if it were an option, there would have been nothing left of them. He blamed those women, treated them cruelly because he couldn’t accept the truth.” He nods, confirming all of our suspicions. “He’s the one who’s infertile. Well…” He beams at Verity, his wrinkled lips stretched grotesquely. “Mostly infertile. You were a miracle of miracles, my dear. Once he confirmed that you were his biological daughter, all of the rage lifted. The sun shone on his kingdom again. All of that angry determinationturned to ash. He finally was at peace with having the chance at a new legacy.” He looks up, engaging Pace. “My only regret was not giving that tea to your mother soon enough.”

I sense Pace’s lunge before Lex does, which is probably for the best. If it were up to our brother, he’d let the red-hot fury in Pace’s eyes land on Danner like a hammer. I grab him before he can, hauling him back.

“You son of a bitch!” Pace roars, struggling against my hold. “I knew you were a conniving little fucking worm!”

And while I’m expecting all of this, I’m not expecting Verity to sweep forward, expression hard. “You love my father. I know you do. So tell us what happened to Odette, or I’ll go down to the dungeon right now and tell him you betrayed him.” It’s fucking genius, which is apparent in the way Danner suddenlyexpands.

His spine stiffens, straightening. “You wouldn’t deny an old man his life’s work.”

“I would,” she insists, voice full of steel. “I’ll say you spilled all his secrets. He’ll go to his grave believing you were disloyal.” Danner must see the credibility of the threat because his eyebrows crouch low in a glare. Red adds, “We already know she was a Princess,” and Danner grins.

“She was a handmaiden before she was ever a Princess.”

My hold on Pace goes slack, but he doesn’t move a muscle.

At all of our stunned expressions, Danner nods. “Oh yes, Miranda’s handmaiden, to be exact. They were the best of friends. She was a fixture to the family, after a time, not unlike your Miss St. James was to you. The bond between a Princess and her handmaiden is very special.” His expression turns pensive. “She aided Miranda in her conception of Michael, and then once Miranda gave birth, she saw to the boy day and night. Changed him. Fed him. Rocked him to sleep. Gave him medicine when he turned sickly. She mourned him almost as badly as Miranda did when he died.” Suddenly, he looks at Pace,frowning. “It’s a shame you never met her because I believe motherhood rather suited her.”

“But…” The wheels turn in my head, struggling to understand. “She became Princess.”

Danner purses his lips. “Miranda drafted her invitation to the masquerade herself. They wanted to be mothers together. And not long into Odette’s reign, she was confirmed to be pregnant.” He gives a slow, grim blink. “Unfortunately, that was the year the roses died.”

Lex’s eyes narrow. “You mean Michael and Miranda.”

Heavily, Danner nods. “Your father was overcome with grief, hardly able to perform his duties. I’m sure you can imagine how difficult it was for him to see such a creator thriving in his own home—and the creation not his own.” His eyes grow misty. “But even early on in the pregnancy, there was… speculation as to the potential father of the child. Odette was overly familiar with a member of the West End frat, which is something I’m sure all of you can appreciate, and she fell pregnant so soon that it hardly seemed likely to be by one of her Princes.”

“What did you do to her?” Pace snaps.

Danner balks. “Me? Not a blessed thing.” Here, he sighs, tugging a weathered kerchief from his pocket. “But Rufus wasn’t in his right mind back then.”

“You’re a broken record,” Lex spits. “Always making excuses for him.”

“You must understand,” Danner pleads. “He was a wild, enraged animal in those early years. I think he saw it as a grave disrespect to Miranda and Michael’s memories for Odette to have conceived under such illicit circumstances. It’s an affront to the institution of East End.” He twists the kerchief with his gnarled fingers, seeming to have difficulty with his next words. “So he locked her up. In fact, she was the first.”

Pace staggers back, eyes filled with horror. “No.”

“Yes,” Danner says, meeting his gaze. “She was locked down in the dungeon for her entire third trimester, and then…”

Verity lifts a trembling hand to her mouth. “Pace wasborndown there?”

Danner scoots forward in the chair, eyes beseeching. “He couldn’t let her keep you. It would have been unbearable to watch such a bastardization of motherhood in his state. He gave her a choice. Either they could both spend the rest of their lives in that cell, or they could both leave it—separately.”

“He wouldn’t let them out until she signed him away,” Lex guesses, snarling. “That sick son of a bitch.”

“After you were gone,” Danner says to Pace, “Odette and your father made a… mutually beneficial deal.” He gives the kerchief another twist, smiling at Pace. “I always thought you had her eyes.”

Pace’s hands ball into tight fists, jaw tight. “Is she dead? Did he use her and throw her away, just like all the others?”