Page 10 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

She was angry.

At her fate.

But also at herself.

Merrick was right—even if the gods had bestowed on her the stupid gift, she had made the choices leading to where she was today.

She was the one who hadn’t listened to her father’s advice to manage her emotions, especially as she neared the age when magic manifested, to avoid situations exactly like the one she’d believed she’d caused that day with her sister.

Stealing a glance at him, she whispered, “How do you know my sister is alive?”

Merrick’s eyes drifted her way. “I saw her once.”

He hesitated for a moment. “King Rioner had me follow your father a few years ago. He suspected he was hiding something, and it didn’t take me long to find your home. It was easy, even.”

He let out a low laugh as he shook his head. “But as soon as I stepped onto the island, Alarin trapped me. He’d intended for me to find him all along. Rioner didn’t realize we’d gotten to know each other during the many years I was in his service… that we’d become friends, even. And apparently it was on purpose. Alarin needed someone close to Rioner, and I wanted out, so we decided to work together. We had to be careful with what he told me, but I learned of the stirring rebellion and the other threats against our realm, and Alarin provided me with enough secrets that Rioner was kept satisfied and I could leave out the other things I saw. Including your little sister.”

Lessia shook her head, her thoughts whirling.

It didn’t sound like her father to take such a risk, even if he considered Merrick a friend.

Rioner could have easily forced Merrick to tell him every detail he’d learned.

And he’d worked too hard to keep her, her mother, and Frelina hidden.

Merrick moved to face her. “It was a risk he had to take.”

One corner of his mouth quirked when her eyes widened. “He wouldn’t have done it if he believed another option existed. The threats we’re facing are real, Lessia. He’s protecting your family against them.”

Glancing down at her laced fingers, she asked quietly, “Can we go see them?”

It was quiet for so long she wondered if Merrick had left without her noticing, but then he finally cleared his throat. “I think it might have been your father who turned me in that night.”

“What?” She slipped on the wet planks as she spun around. “He wouldn’t do that!”

Her father was nothing if not loyal to those he loved.

He’d rather die than hurt them.

“He would if someone more dear to him was in danger.” Merrick placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her, and his grip tightened as he continued.

“You were nowhere near to figuring out what King Rioner wanted to know. He knew that someone close to him must have been betraying him. Too much confidential information was leaked for him not to figure it out.”

“What do you mean?” She stared from his hand to his eyes as her heart began pounding.

Merrick sighed. “We had to get the rebels to trust us if we would ever convince them to stand down so we could face the Oakgards’ Fae together. And the only way was giving them something they wanted…” His hand dropped to his side. “Rioner would have never let you go unless whoever it was, was captured.”

“But my father doesn’t remember me,” she whispered.

If Frelina was alive, she would have told them.

The small voice in her mind made a lump form in her throat.

But if they knew…

Why hadn’t her father come for her?

Of course he wouldn’t come for you.

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