Page 149 of The Prince of Broken Crowns

“There’s more,” Finn proceeds with heavy reluctance. “I looked into the family name that necklace is linked to—Everford.”

“River told me about that.” I shift my weight as this horrible feeling overcomes me that something terrible is about to happen. “He said the bloodline was extinct.”

“From everything I found out, that’s true.” Finn thrums his fingers on top of the table. “I also found out why. And it’s …” A visible shiver rolls through his body. “It’s bad. It’s really bad, especially if you are linked to the family somehow.”

“I’m not,” I insist, growing frustrated. River brought this idea up, too, and it’s completely implausible. “I don’t have royal blood in me. There’s no way …” I trail off, my mind drifting back to that message my aunt sent.

I’m not who you think I am.

You’re being targeted by a powerful group.

“What is it?” River hedges, his eyes searching mine.

I wet my lips with my tongue. I’ve been hesitant to talk about this aloud, but maybe I need to.

“What did you find out about the family?” I direct my statement at Finn with my arm resting on the table.

He begins fidgeting with his ring again. “That they went extinct because they were … being hunted.”

Shock whips through me. “What?” That definitely wasn’t what I expected.

“I’m unsure about the details as to why. It took me a lot of digging just to get that information,” Finn explains, dragging his fingers through his hair and leaving blond strands sticking up everywhere. “I need to find out more.”

I trace the lines in the table as I process what he said. “Why? Sure, I have the necklace, but it doesn’t mean I’m an Everford.”

I’m not who you think I am.

You’re being targeted by a powerful group.

Dammit, I need to tell them.

“Although …” My mind is racing a million miles a minute.

What did my aunt mean by that?

“Although what?” River wonders, his stormy eyes assessing me intensely. When I remain quiet, my thoughts muddled inside my temporarily broken brain, he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “You can trust us.”

I glance at Finn, who’s watching me, then I look back at River. “Fine. I got this text last night from my aunt.” I open it on my watch and angle my wrist toward River so he can read it. His fingers circle my wrist as he does, and my heart pounds against his fingertips.

“What does it say?” Finn inquires after a handful of silent seconds ticks by.

River’s gaze locks on me. “She sent you this last night?”

I nod. “I’m not sure what she means by any of it. However, while we’re laying everything out there, my phone is missing, and if by chance the society has it, and someone figured out my password, they probably read the message, too. And that sucks because I don’t like people knowing my business.”

“Fuck,” River breathes out, his fingers brushing along the inside of my wrist. “This is … This can’t be a coincidence.”

“Hello,” Finn interrupts. “Can you guys please tell me what the hell is on that watch?”

River traces his tongue along his bottom lip, giving me a look that reads: it’s up to you.

God, this guy is too perfect. He can’t be real.

I rotate forward in the chair and slide my arm across the table so Finn can read the message. His expression plunges as he does.

“You have no idea what she means by any of this?” he asks, his gaze colliding with mine.

I shake my head as I bring my arm back to my side of the table. “Nope. Other than either she’s having a mental breakdown, or she’s been lying to me all of my life.”

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