Page 62 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

“It’s not like I’m perfect.” I shift, sullen. “I’ve lost control in the Coven. People have been hurt by what I can do.”

Tilting his head, the heir waits, patiently.

What does it hurt telling him?

“When I was a child, the Coven’s children would… tease me.” I flounder, searching for my words. “They would throw rocks at me. Say mean things. I rarely left the cottage.”

At the corner of my eye, I see the shadows become thicker, richer, as if they are daring to drown us.

“One day, I left with Nessa and Tay for a visit to another elder’s home. The children gathered and started to bully me. When a rock hit my temple, I lost control. My magic reacted and he…” I can still see the small boy hovering in the air, my magic pulling his blood so harshly, he was rigid, eyes wide. A trickle of blood fell from his nose.

It took Nessa breaking my control to get me to release him. But by that point, his heart was crushed and the Coven’s hate grew.

He huffs, crossing his arms. “He deserved it.”

Surprised, my mouth parts. “You don’t know what I did. He was killed?—”

“And he was a brute of a child who picked on the wrong girl,” he says dismissively. “He got what he deserved. You have no reason to feel such guilt. Nor should the Coven have placed it on you.”

He says it so plainly that the self-hate, the guilt, the anger atmyself, seems to dissipate. I was a child defending myself. Instead of the blame resting with the victim, it should fall to the perpetrator.

Carefully, gently, he tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.

“You are a vicious lioness. People should bow to your magic, not shame you for it. Force you to hide it. Yes, control is necessary but to hate you for such a thing?” He snorts, eyes beseeching. “Without your magic, you’d be dead. It’s a gift, kitten.”

My stomach twists as his appreciation warms my heart.

Itisa gift.

“Do you truly believe that?”

He nods. “Of course. People would not hate you if it they weren’t envious of such powerful things.”

“Powerful,” I echo, pride swirling in my gut. “So powerful that beasts came out of the forest to find me?”

“I did warn you.”

“You also said there was a barrier and yet, they attacked.”

He shrugs, smirking. “The barrier is not exact. We might have been just inside their territory.”

Flipping him off, he grabs my hand tugging me close. His warmth burns into my chest, chasing away the coolness of the forest.

“Now you,” I prompt. “What happened in the clearing?”

The heir stills, eyes crinkling, confused. “You noticed that?”

“Noticed how you seemed to morph into a predator while your sister looked ready to stab you through?” I laugh. “Yeah, pretty obvious.”

“Hm,” he hums, tilting my chin higher. “You said once you can’t hear me. What is it that you meant?” He’s avoiding the question and although I want to dig into him, he’s too close for me to focus.

His lips hover over mine. If I leaned forward, just a breath, I could kiss him.

I won’t. But Icould.

The idea of kissing him doesn’t seem so terrible.

Gulping, I pull back slightly, eyes wide. “My magic reacts to blood. And with you?” I glance to his chest. “It doesn’t react to you.”