Page 72 of Gilded Wicked Mirrors
Quinn inhaled sharply before saying, “I believe you’re utterly arrogant, but I hope you won’t hurt me.” She pinched her eyes tight for a moment and drew in a long breath. “I also believe you enjoy playing with people.” Her voice cracked.
“That would depend.” His words were an eerie lullaby.
Her chest rose in frantic beats. “Do you enjoy toying with me?”
“Always,” he purred.
“You seem to have a talent for it.”
He scrutinized her, his gaze traveling from her dark green dress to the shimmering makeup dusting her skin and landed on her green eyes. “I have many talents.”
She placed a hand on the door handle.She wanted to turn it and desperately escape whatever emotions were bubbling in her chest. But that’s not what she did. Her insatiable curiosity got the better of her.
“Why did you want me to come here?” The question stormed from her scarlet lips.
Emrys pulled his features into a mysterious mask. “I wanted you to know the truth. I wanted to be able to tell you everything, and I couldn’t do that until you already knew my secrets. I am bound by the Accords and couldn’t say anything before tonight.”
Quinn’s hand dropped to her side. She no longer wanted to escape. Instead, she wanted to learn more of this man’s secrets.
“You wanted me to know,” she repeated as she suddenly realized he was the only person who trusted her with the information. Her uncle, the council, and even Constance wanted to hide everything from her, including why and how her parents were murdered.
“Yes, you deserve to know.”
“Thank you,” she said, biting her lip, trying to process how much it meant to her that he fought for her to know the truth. That he cared enough to tell her.
“Of course.” He nodded, the mask slightly sliding, showing a vulnerability she’d never seen in his eyes.
If he wanted to tell her everything, she had questions. “How are you a vampire if you were the human who led the Blood Rebellion?”
He sucked in a breath. “The short version is that during the war, I was captured and turned as a punishment. I would become my worst fear.” He grimaced. “It was their greatest mistake because as soon as I became a vampire, I knew our weakness.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I used it to win the war. And when the dust settled, humans decided to let the five vampires who aided in the war live. We lived peacefully for a time until we created too many new vampires, and things got out of hand, and the Accords were created.”
“And you agree with the laws?” Quinn asked.
“More or less.” He shrugged. “I agree with protecting my people. I am the King of all New Swansea, not just the vampires. It is my duty to keep humans safe. I cannot always protect people from the mirrors, but I can protect them from vampires.”
It made sense. If he never wanted to be a vampire, it would make sense that he spent his immortal life trying to protect humans.
“Will you tell me about Jane?” she asked.
“Yes.” A muscle feathered in along his smooth jaw. “Jane and I were working together to solve the council murders. Her . . . parents were also murdered the same night as yours.”
A surprised sound crossed her lips. They were called the Ashelle murders for a reason. “But that would mean . . .”
Shit.Holy shit.
“Jane wouldn’t want me to tell you this, but she is . . . you’re related to her,” Emrys confirmed.
“She’s my cousin?” There was no other reasonable explanation. Quinn didn’t have a sister. She’d remember that. Wouldn’t she?
Wouldn’t she?
When Emrys didn’t respond, Quinn asked again, “She’s my cousin?”
He nodded. “Jane didn’t really share much about herself or her family . . . even with me.”
Fuck.Her family.QuinnwasJane’s family.
She didn’t know what to do with that realization. So she chewed on it for a moment before deciding it was better not to think about it, because if she thought about how Jane was her cousin and brutally murdered, the dam of emotions would break.
