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Thorne

“ D id you see the animal?”

“Who would do this?”

“Is it another attack?”

Frantic citizens scattered throughout the festival, all sacrifices entirely forgotten. Galen and Clarissa disappeared in a swath of guards and smoke.

I pivoted on my heel to face Dion Silenus, clutching his collar and yanking him toward me. “Did you do this?” I hissed.

“Why would you think I had anything to do with it?” he bit out.

“Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps the fact that you’ve been against their engagement from the start.”

“That was before. It wasn’t me, Reaux. I have no idea who was responsible, nor how they managed to get the animal inside there. Now, unhand me!”

“Thorne, dear, what has gotten into you?” my mother exclaimed as she charged up the steps of the stage.

My thoughts churned. She had promised me she’d stop her scheming. She’d agreed that having Clarissa here was a good thing for Galen, and that we needed their marriage to happen.

I trusted her .

Yet I hadn’t seen her since we exited the carriage tonight when we got here. She was another person I knew had been opposed to Clarissa this whole time.

I shook my head to clear my mind, but a seed of doubt had taken root.

“Mother, where have you been?” My tone was cold—as cold as Clarissa’s had been after she’d seen the fox.

I would never forget the look on her face.

I was standing at the base of the stage, unable to see the center of the bonfire when she’d dropped the torch right at her feet.

Her face froze, lips parted, chest caving inward as if every ounce of air had been ripped from her. Like one breath would make her crumble.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared. She went utterly still, features blank. Empty. Hollow. Covering her emotions with that blanket she knew how to use so well.

It wasn’t until I barged onto the stage that I saw the fox.

It was despicable. A targeted attack not meant to physically wound, but to send a message. A warning. To break her down after everything she’d done for this territory.

My mother gestured to a middle-aged woman at her side. “I was with Lady Vespera’s mother. What in the world is going—” She inhaled sharply when she finally looked into the fire and saw the fox.

Her eyes widened. “Thorne, you can’t possibly believe I would be behind any of this.”

“I don’t know, I think it’s pretty believable,” I muttered under my breath, making sure none of the others could hear.

Dion appeared beside me, wiping the sweat from his face with a handkerchief. “I must see that this is taken care of and everyone gets out safely. There’s a carriage waiting to take you three home,” he said, nodding to Vespera, her mother, and my own.

Two of the noblemen who had been at dinner the other night approached, along with a young guard. “Lord Silenus, we’ve apprehended someone who may know more information about the…offense,” the tall nobleman said .

Dion nodded. “Good, good. Keep them detained until we can speak with them.”

“Why would someone do this?” Vespera asked, voice shaking as she glanced back at the bonfire. “Clarissa has done nothing but help us.”

The tall nobleman looked over the anxious crowd still mulling around the festival grounds. “Some are not so convinced, my lady.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “What have you heard?”

“Just…mumblings. Most are in awe of her magic, but some question the lengths she’ll go to.” His cheek twitched nervously under the weight of my piercing glare. “A—A person with enough power to take away this blight can surely give it back tenfold if she wished.”

“Clarissa would never do that,” I growled.

The second nobleman spoke. “Many say she’s a gift from the Fates. But there are whispers of her being our damnation.”

“This kind of power is unknown to us,” the first one added. “It’s difficult for some to trust blindly.”

I was beginning to wonder how many more agreed with these sentiments. How many of the citizens here secretly despised Clarissa, even after the tremendous show of support the last few days? Could they not see what I saw in her?

I stepped forward, words of defense on the tip of my tongue, when Mother placed a hand on my chest. While the others kept discussing the attack, she lowered her voice and said, “You cannot force them to trust her, Thorne. It’s evident not everyone feels the same way you do about her.

She is still a foreigner, however benevolent she and her magic have been. ”

My mouth fell open. “So you think what happened tonight was acceptable?”

“Of course not!” She reared back in offense. “I would never condone the actions of radicals. I’m simply saying I can see why they may feel this way. Don’t try to fight this battle when tensions are high, dear. ”

I curled my fingers into a fist at my side. “Fine. Then I’m going after them. I want to make sure she’s alright.”

As I turned to bound down the steps, her cold fingers grasped my wrist. “That’s a job for her future husband, Thorne,” she warned. “And that man is not you. You’re only going to hurt yourself more if you keep this up.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said through gritted teeth.

She smiled grimly at me. “Yes, you do, dear. And it’s time you let her go.”