Page 105 of Taken By the Vicious Highlander

“I dinnae care if ye wish to talk about her or nae—I’mtalkin’ about her.”

Damon inhaled sharply, his shoulders rising with the force of it before he let out a sharp, irritated breath. “Ye ken what she did, Lilith,” he said, starting to turn away from her.

“Still, she doesnae deserve to die!”

“I’ve already told ye, she isnae goin’ to die. But the attack?—”

“Was onme,” she interrupted, her voice firm. She stepped into the space in front of him, forcing him to look at her, forcing him to listen. “Should I nae have a say in how it’s handled?”

Damon’s blue eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unreadable as his jaw clenched. The tension between them stretched, so taut it could snap at any moment.

She pressed him further. “Ye say ye want stability. Killin’ her willonlycause more division. Her faither?—”

“Is dead. I killed him.”

“What?”

“Her faither…” Damon lifted his injured arm again, and Lilith’s eyes locked onto it, following the finger pointing through thewindow. “I killed him.Heled the attack onusbecause ofme. He was behind itall. Whateverallentails.”

“So, it wasnae her fault,” Lilith pointed out urgently.

His nostrils flared, and his hands clenched into fists. “What do ye suggest, then? That weforgiveher?”

Lilith hesitated. “I suggest we show mercy.”

Damon let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Mercy is weakness.”

“Magnus used to say that.” Lilith crossed her arms defiantly.

“He never did,” Damon said angrily, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

“Hedid,” Lilith insisted, reaching for him. Her small hand rested on his arm.

He didn’t look at her hand on his arm.

He didn’t shrug her off.

But he didn’t move toward her either.

For a long moment, they just stood there, staring at each other, the tension between them thick enough to suffocate. They were breathing in each other’s anger, frustration, exhaustion.

Then, Damon exhaled harshly and lowered his voice. “If I spare her, there will benaymore moves against ye, or me. Nay more secrets. Nay more lies.”

Lilith hesitated.

Nay more secrets?

Damon narrowed his eyes at her, searching her face. “Do ye have anythin’ else to tell me?”

She opened her mouth.

The letter burned in her mind.

Magnus’s child.

Rightful heir.

Tristan.