Page 136 of Ignite
“My father won’t be coming home.” My voice rings out, causing Adrian to shift nervously beside me. The wordsmy fatherfeel like acid on my tongue, but Amira’s father wasReichardt. Somyfather has to be him right now, too. I lock eyes with Moros as I say, “Because I killed him.”
Moros’s nostrils flare, and he shoots to his feet, energy crackling around him in a quick movement.
I tilt my head to the side, playing the role we decided I would play. Pretending to love Reichardt, to be a grievingdaughter,would be something Moros would never believe. So instead, I tell the truth. Partly.
“My father was a monster,” I whisper, voice hoarse, the five words filled with nothing but the truth, no matter if I’m Lunaria or Amira. But here’s where the deception needs to be wound in. One carefully laid lie after another. “Why did you think I left Crea to begin with? My father was forcing my hand, pressuring me to marry Adrian and become queen.”
Part truth, part lie.
Reichardtdidwant me to marry Adrian, but he wasn’t why I left Crea. Not entirely.
Moros raptly watches every muscle I move, every breath I take. “But you didn’t want that?” he asks carefully, his words dripping with suspicion. “To bequeenand be with yourdarlingAdrian?”
I swallow, averting my eyes to my feet as I play the part of a girl who’s ashamed of what she has done. “Of course I wanted to be with Adrian.” The words feel like sand in my mouth, but I push ahead. “But becoming queen?” I look up at Moros, meeting his gaze once more. “Thatterrifiedme. Especially if it meant doing it for my father. He once almost let a guard kill me just for trying to leave the camp. His owndaughter.
“So I panicked. Fled the castle and made the biggest mistake of my life by leaving Adrian behind.” I turn toward Adrian, taking a beat to give him a delicate smile.
His face is blank. Hollow.
I knew this would be hard for him, but he agreed to it—a means to an end that Penyth desperately needs me to besuccessful in.Find Nightfall. Kill Moros.I wordlessly chant those four words over and over, letting them fuel my next lies.
“And in my fleeing, Graylen found me trying to escape. He tried to convince me to come back, but I wouldn’t listen—couldn’tlisten. My magic…it was out of control.” The words spill out of me, and I pray to every fucking Divine that he’s believing it. “I tried to get Opal to come with me, but…she wouldn’t.”
I let true, raw anger flash in my eyes at that. He’ll remember how I came to her the night I left. Keeping things as close to the truth as possible is the only way thismightwork.
“Speaking of Opal…” I say slowly. “I’d love to see her now that I’m back.”
Moros grins, the smile making my stomach turn sour. “She’s away today, but I’ll send word of your arrival.” His grin widens. “I’m sure she’ll hurry to the castle the moment she hears.”
Away.
My stomach tilts uneasily. The sinister undertones to that single word have my fingers itching toward my blade. As much as I want to demand Moros to let me see her, there’s nothing I can do to force his hand right now. Not when I still need him to believe our story.
“Then I’ll see her the moment shereturns,” I grit out.
He watches me closely, a wry smile dancing on his face. “And how do I know you won’t pose a threat to my delicate wife?” he asks with a frown, brows pulled together in faux concern. “If your magic is unstable as you say it is, I can’t take a chance on you harming anyone here at court.” He gasps with faux horror, gaze flying to Adrian. “Certainly can’t let you near the king.”
The guards around us angle their bodies toward me, and the sound of metal screaming against sheaths fills the air.
Adrian jumps in front of me, arms waving as he shouts, “She has the suppressor on!”
He spins around, gesturing for me to show them.Suppressorsounds a lot nicer thancollar.
My nostrils flare, and I can feel the weight of Graylen’s eyes burning a hole into my soul as he watches me.
I step up beside Adrian, my fingers fumbling to unhook the clasp tying the cloak to my shoulders. The fabric loosens and falls to the floor with a softthump. I’ve never felt more exposed than standing before someone who knows I’m defenseless.
Even in my years at the camp, I had my weapons. My wits. But this…facing a human who possesses dark magic while I don’t have access to mine? When the dagger at my hip is useless against his vile shadows?
It’s my nightmare.
Moros tips his head in my direction, eyes fixed on the collar around my neck. He hums, tapping his fingers against his chin as he asks me, “You agreed to this?”
I force my head to nod, muscles stiff. “I didn’t want to at first.” The lie slips out easier than I thought it would. “But then Adrian explained that it was to keepotherssafe around me. Keep him and Opal safe. So I agreed to it.”
Moros holds my gaze, and a tense silence stretches between us. Even with Adrian being the king, we still have to play this game. And if there’s anything I know about being back here, it’s that there’s always a game to be played with politics.
“Two guards will be stationed outside both your and the Snake’s room,” Moros says finally. “For your safety, of course.”
