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I placed my hands in her palms and felt a buzz reverberate between our hands and she quickly snatched hers away like she’d been burned.

“Who are you?” She demanded.

Chapter thirty-four

Lilibet - Art of Deception

Irepeatedmyself.“Whoare you?”

“What do you mean? What happened?” She asked, confused.

Or was she only pretending to be confused? She was powerful, the most powerful witch I had ever come across… well, besides my mother.

Oh Gods. Was she my mother? Had she somehow escaped and shifted into this… this young, naive girl to get close to me?

I stood up from the bed and shuffled backwards, holding my hands out to protect myself in case she launched a spell at me once she realized I discovered the truth.

Shit!

I should have played this differently. Shouldn’t have let on I knew who she was.

Fuck! How did she find me? Why would Ruby betray me?

“Who are you?” I repeated.

She held up her hands as she stood from the bed, trying to back up.

I readjusted, ready to attack. My mother was dark and malicious.

“I’m Scarlet.” She stuttered, looking legitimately scared.

I shook my head to clear it. Was I being too paranoid? “The fuck you are. I’ll ask again, who are you and don’t lie to me or I will blow that beautiful little head off your body.”

She looked around like a caged animal trying to escape. I stepped forward, but kept a safe distance from her.

“Who are you?”

“You’re scaring me.”

Her voice was shaking, but it could be a trick.

“Who sent you? Does Ruby know?”

“What are you talking about? Enzo brought me here and Ruby said you could help me.”

I let out a heavy sigh. Part of me wanted to believe her, but the other part knew how ruthless my mother was and how pissed she’d be if she got out.

“I don’t believe you. I’ve never seen you around here or at the miner’s house and your power…”

She was breathing fast and hard.

I started circling my hands together in a simple spell, creating a ball of light… a parlor trick.

Her eyes grew wide with panic.

“Stop! Stop! Please don’t kill me. Fuck!” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Ruby told me not to tell anyone.”

I stopped with the ball of light, but kept it between my hands. I was fairly certain she wasn’t my mother now, because she would have seen through the cheap trick, but now my curiosity was peaked. “Go on.”