Page 188 of Infernal Secrets

Warm liquid raced down my cheeks, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Ash stepped up to me as Ranthus watched from the side.

I pleaded silently for him to see the truth, but he looked away, shutting me out. “I thought it was real, Rae,” he whispered, his grief tightening my throat more than the magic preventing my speech.

I don’t know if he believed me. All I knew was their words—and my lack of them—hurt him, and I could do nothing to stop it.

His glossy eyes met mine again, his voice breaking when he added, “I wanted it to be real.” He turned and exited behind the others while I remained silent.

“We cherish our Young Masters,” Ranthus said, stepping in front of me and blocking my view of the guys on the back patio. “To believe you would work with other infernals to upset the balance of our world… to take heirs beloved by an entire population was a foolish endeavor. Have you nothing to say for yourself?”

The magical hold on my voice released, but my body remained frozen under his power.

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I said, my tone weakened by the hurt in their eyes. “Why wouldn’t you let me talk to them? I don’t wanna hurt them.” I sniffed, my voice stronger. “I wouldn’t hurt them.”

I couldn’t.

Not even Cyn, who stole the most precious item I owned. He didn’t deserve to feel betrayed. From what I understood about him, his actions made sense. Even if I couldn’t forgive him, I wouldn’t hurt him the way he hurt me.

“Then tell me who you’re working with.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ranthus scoffed. “And the necklace? Where did it come from?”

“My mom.”

“And where is she?”

“Dead.”

His crimson eyes settled on my face. “So you claim to have done no wrong, and yet your only defense is dead?”

I lowered my gaze. “What do you need? Like I told the princes, I will help however I can. I wanted to help them go home.”

“Pretty words, human. But if you hadn’t taken them to begin with, we wouldn’t be here.”

“I didn’t mean to! The stupid game brought them here.”

His brow wrinkled. “Game?”

Before I could explain about the book, the woman from the bookstore flashed through my mind, and something in her look told me not to trust him.

I never ignored my instincts, so I kept my mouth shut.

Besides, while I’d considered their concern for the guys earlier to be genuine, I no longer trusted they had the guys’ best interests in mind.

They twisted Ash’s protectiveness into my influence rather than an example of who he is at his core. They manipulated the situation by silencing me with magic and never telling the guys they’d done so. Instead, the triplets hurt them by letting them believe I didn’t care. Their willingness to break the guys’ spirits spoke volumes.

Nothing I said would help—and the woman’s warning in my mind told me they’d twist anything else I said.

“Fine then. Keep your secrets, human. But know this: your trial’s outcome is predetermined. This is all formality for the sake of our people and justice for our heirs. You will never put the people of Elyrdin at risk again.”

Before I could ask what he meant—though I suspected I knew—he turned away.

My body floated forward against my will until we reached the small backyard, where the others stood in a circle on the patio.

I opened my mouth, but magic seized my vocal cords again. I glared at Ranthus.