Page 44 of The Court of Secrets
“You wanted them first,” I stated. It made sense. It was what I would do, although I wasn’t going to tell him that.
“After I was released,” he said, “I was sent home. My mother and father were forced to give the last of their gold so Xenos would release me from the dungeons. We had nothing, except for the Amulet of Viribus. When we found out they were siphoning dragons, I knew we were in trouble. With that magic, Xenos could have overpowered my family easily. Our people were being taken, captured, tortured…”
“Like me,” I stated. “Yet you betrayed me. You could have told me.”
“I got you out. We got you out. My brother gave me the last of their coin to get an army to get you.”
“Which brother?” I spat. “The one who murdered mine?”
“Yes.” He sighed. “After we spent more time together. I knew I could trust you. Well, I thought I could.”
“You could have! If you just asked.” My heart tugged. “I’d have given it to you. Blaise wouldn’t, but I would.”
“I was going to,” he admitted. “But then you told me your plans to reunite the Objects of Kai, even asking me to get the Amulet of Viribus, to break the curse on them. You made up an excuse, but I knew the truth. Blaise is cursed. I’ve always known. Many have, especially among royals. The boy prince who foolishly put on the Crown of Discieti.” He clicked his tongue. “Your motivation was him, and I realized you were never going to pick me over him, so I kept quiet. I still cared about you, but I needed to help my family. After the battle, when the defenses were down at the castle, I snuck in and found the Dagger. Blaise was so caught up worrying about you.”
I cut him off. “You went looking for the Dagger while I was dead?”
“No!” He winced. “After you woke up. While you were resting, I took it. Licia helped me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course he did.”
“We left before Blaise realized it was gone.”
“Why didn’t he tell anyone?”
He gave me a look. “Come on, Winter. If you were immortal, would you tell anyone if one of the only two weapons that could kill you had been stolen?”
“No,” I admitted.
“He knows it was me. I don’t know how. He’s been looking for me since they arrived.”
“Where is it?”
“I’m not going to tell you.”
I shook my head. “So you found the Sword. It explains why you asked where it was. However, I never did tell you.”
“I looked everywhere but eventually found it. I made friends, friends who knew where things would be hidden.”
I shook my head, scoffing a laugh. “The servants, and yet you berated me for saying how being their friend would be useful. Hypocrite.”
“They are actually friends, but I also did use them.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I hate doing all of this. It’s not who I am, but as I said before, I had no choice.”
“I’m assuming you’re not going to tell me where the Sword is either?”
He paused. “Winter, I do care about you. Truly. I was only meant to be your friend and to get you away from Kiros. Everything else, fighting with you and more, that was all for you.”
My heart ached. “Let me unite them first. Let me break the curse on them.”
Sadness crept through his gaze and into mine. “The mer king will never give them back to you once you hand them over. Nor will he give up the Crown of Discieti. My family comes first. I could have left as soon as I had the Sword,” he said. “I stayed because you asked. I saw how much you’ve changed and how much you were struggling here. Despite what you did behind my back—”
I scoffed. “Don’t mind if I don’t feel guilty kissing him, considering you lied to me too.”
“I’m just a man trying to keep his family safe.”
A lump formed in my throat. “The feelings were real?”
“Yes.” He reached out and grabbed my hand. “Unexpected,” he said with a smirk, “but very real. I had none of this planned when I met you. Not even when we first kissed. I still helped you without knowing who you were. It was only when we were taken by Xenos this plan formed into shape. It’s why I was never with my family, supposedly trading. I was trying to find them, the Objects of Kai.”
