Page 64 of A Crown of Tears and Treason (The Curse of Silver Secrets and Cruel Shadows #1)
“ She tore her dress.”
Even as I said it, I couldn’t believe it. The mound of golden ribbons laid on the table like a sacrifice. Leesa had brought the scraps, looking at me with so much hatred in her eyes, I swore her gaze cursed me.
“To be fair, she shredded it,” Soryn’s voice echoed from behind.
“It’s good,” Calyx ventured. “Hate is still an emotion.”
I braced my hands on either side of the table. My fingers dug into the wood, ready to tear it apart. That one word echoed in my mind, over and over again. Hate . “Stop cheering me up.”
“I hate to always be put in the position to agree with Calyx,” Elysia ventured, perched on top of my cabinet like a cat. “But he’s right. The opposite of love is indifference. At least she did something instead of shattering.”
“Zandyr is right,” Ryker interjected. “At this rate, you’ll cheer him into an early grave.”
I couldn’t die yet.
Not until I saw the life dim from Banu and Valuta’s eyes, and whoever else threatened Evie. My Evie. The one being my blood sang for.
“You know who was right all along?” I let out a mirthless laugh. “You and Adara. You all warned me. Told me Evie wasn’t raised Clan and wouldn’t see past the machinations.”
At the wedding, once she stepped toward me, I’d stupidly thought it meant she understood. That she was in on the plan. That her beautiful, brilliant mind had pieced together the words neither I nor Kaya could say without losing our lives.
I’d been wrong.
After the wedding, Adara’s stoic gaze had been a constant, silent reminder of my failure to listen. Even Goose had looked ready to throttle me.
I’d chosen Evie’s companions well, all of them courageous in their own ways. But Evie had made them loyal to her.
I took a swig of the amber liquid Soryn had poured for me. Bitter and stinging, to match my mood.
“What’s done is done,” Elysia announced. “The only way is forward. You’ll make amends and–”
Ryker laughed darkly in the corner. “It’s obvious that aside from me and Zandyr, none of you have truly interacted with your Protectorate betrotheds.”
Elysia sniffed. “I see no reason to hurry. He’s in no rush either, holed up in one of his depraved palaces.”
“She stays in her room,” Calyx grumbled. “Hoarding all the books.”
“I interacted plenty with Clara during our Academy days,” Soryn said. “I’m good for the foreseeable future.”
I took another swig to keep from roaring.
Kaya sat in a chair in the corner, rocking. She still wore her ruby gown, the crown she’d never wanted to wear discarded at her feet like nothing more than an object she meant to kick away from her. The same shame and guilt I felt were reflected in her eyes.
“She has to know,” she whimpered. “She has to know we didn’t even discover she was still alive until after we made the oath. It was done, we would have died if we’d gone back on it. It’s only political, nothing more. I’ve never wanted you and never will. I am meant for another, not for you.”
I clenched my jaw. “We were never meant to be together, no matter how hard your parents schemed to make it happen. We’ve never been more than friends. Brother and sister in everything but blood. There is only one for me. Evie.”
Kaya kept shaking her head. “I don’t want you and you don’t want me. Evie has to understand. It’s only temporary–”
“Don’t,” my voice sliced through the room at Kaya’s shuddered breath. “You’ll activate the oath’s revenge.”
“There was no other way,” Kaya whispered pitifuly.
No, there was not. So many reasons. So many secrets.
None of them mattered now.
I’d done this. I’d hurt Evie.
I threw the glass at the wall. The room turned hideously silent as everyone stared at me. I knew I’d shocked them. I didn’t lose control.
Ryker was the first one to move.
“She will discover the truth, Brother.” He set his hand on my shoulder. “She will know and she will understand.”
I let out a mirthless laugh. “She won’t.”
I felt it. The kernel of hatred was already planted deep inside her.
And the pain. She was in so much pain I wanted to take my sword and impale myself onto it if it meant I could shield her from it.
I heard her cries.
Or maybe I felt them through the bond, no matter how hard I tried to muffle it. It was impossible to not sense her. To not ache for her.
The agony gutted me. I fell to my knees, right there, in front of them all.
I had told Evie, my sweet, powerful Evie, I would only kneel for her. In this at least, I hadn’t failed her.
One day, I hoped to kneel in front of her, ask for her forgiveness, and finally tell her the truth.
If it wasn’t already too late.
THE END