Page 167 of Crown of Briars
“I’ve been following the human brides to ensure the curse remains intact. It’s why I didn’t want to let you go to the Wraith King in the first place. I tried to stop you.”
He said the words as if they made him a hero. A saint.
But he had known the truth the whole time and had never told me. He simply let me live my life, believing I could take down the Shadow Court on my own, when all the while he knew the truth: The curse was stronger. And it would claim my life.
He kept this from me. This whole time, he kept the truth from me.
“All those other brides… you just let them die?” My voice was weak, but I had to utter the words.
Gerard made a pained expression. “They weren’t like you, Sybelle. They weren’t strong-willed and determined. They weren’t fierce and loyal. They weren’t willing to fight the Wraith King or to die to protect their own people.” He took both my hands in his, making my skin crawl. I swallowed down my disgust and forced myself to look him in the eye. “Youdeserveto live. You are the strongest woman I’ve met. Even with your fae blood, onlyyouhave captured my heart, Sybelle.” He shook his head with a sigh. “I had to keep the truth from you. If you knew about the curse, I feared what the Wraith King would do to you.”
I shook my head, nausea roiling within me. He had let my ancestors die, all because they weren’tstrongenough for his liking.
Stones, I was such a fool. How had I ever trusted this man? How had I ever believed the bullshit spewing from his lips?
“Sybelle, we’re out of time. We have to leave.”
I wanted to shove him away from me and flee for the door.
But he would only chase after me. He was faster and stronger. I had bested him while sparring before, but right now, he was heavily armed.
Besides, I still needed the bloodstone.
He had to believe he could still trust me.
I took a deep breath and looked up at him, forcing away my revulsion. Inside me, my anger still simmered, bubbling closer to the surface. I wouldn’t be able to hold it off for much longer. “How do we get past the shadows?”
“I can travel us through them safely.”
“Travel?” Unease momentarily blotted out my anger. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t have magic, but my mother’s blood protects me from the dark shadows. Not only that, but I cantravelthrough them. Like portals. Anyone who travels alongside me has my blood as protection against the poisons in the shadows.”
My mind worked furiously to keep up with everything I was absorbing. He couldteleport?
From what I had read, most male witches did not possess any magic. But it seemed Gerard was an exception. He might not be able to cast spells like Tislora, but he could still use the magic in his blood.
Of course… Now, it all made sense.
Warwick had promised his allies would meet him on Chesser Road. But Azure had claimed the road was covered in Necro Shadows so thick that she couldn’t even see through them.
Gerard had beentransportingthe soldiers through the shadows.
He could travel back and forth with ease. That was how the army had gotten here without detection. That was why Warwick was so certain Varius would be defeated.
Shit.That meant if I tried to run away from Gerard, he could easily find his way back to me through the Necro Shadows.
My eyes darted to the crimson stone in his hands. Now that it was so close to the shadowstone, the ringing had stopped, but an odd buzzing filled my ears. Like the stoneswantedto be reunited.
I had to stop Gerard. Kill him, if necessary.
But, more importantly, I needed the bloodstone.
“If the king finds that…” I said, gesturing to the bloodstone. I tried to sound worried, as if the idea of Varius getting his hands on it was the worst possible scenario.
“He won’t.” Gerard tucked it into his pocket. “Besides, even if he does, he doesn’t have the power to destroy it.”
My skin prickled with awareness, and I stared at Gerard. The answer was so close.So close.“What do you mean?” I tried to sound innocent, like I was merely curious.
