I will burn them all.
“Are you sure you want to do this? We don’t have to right now. This can wait.”
She shook her head, wiping her face with both hands.
“I need to know why… Why she, why he, would do this. Not knowing will eat me alive.”
I nodded, understanding all too well, and guided her through the doors to Thana’s cell.
“Ara? Oh, Goddess, I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt—”
“Stop,” Ara commanded, holding up a hand, her eyes shut tight. Taking a deep breath, she returned her eyes to her. “Tell me why. Tell me everything.”
“I-I don’t know where to begin. Evander. He has my family,” she gushed, choking on a sob. Ara’s eyebrows creased together, tilting her head to the side.
“Why should we believe you?” I snapped.
Ara glimpsed up at me.
“I have no tangible proof, but I can tell you things. I have been his spy for…years. He kidnapped my family and me while I was visiting them four years ago. When he discovered I was a lady’s maid here, he kept my family hostage.”
Four years ago.
“Four years ago?”
She cast her eyes to the floor.
“Yes, four years ago,” she whispered.
“Then, you…” I stilled, unable to say what we both knew. My mind was blank, numb, unable to feel rage, betrayal, gratitude. There was nothing as I stared at her, processing.
Ara looked between the two of us. “What? What is it?”
Thana never looked up from the ground as she spoke, “I murdered Adrastus.”
That snapped me out of it. I lunged forward, wrapping my hand around her throat, choking off her breath.
“How dare you—”
“Rogue!” Ara grabbed at my shoulder, attempting to pull me off Thana. I glanced back at her, and her face was twisted in disbelief, eyes wide. Shocked. I turned to her, my arm still outstretched with my hand firmly around Thana’s throat.
“Have you forgotten who I am, Ara? The vicious King of Ravaryn, the son of Adrastus? And she just admitted to being a spy in my home. Not to mention that she just tried tokillyou.” My eyes turned back to Thana, blinded with rage. “My mate,” I seethed.
Thana quivered, her hands jerking against the restraints.
Ara placed a palm on my cheek and pulled my face back to her.
“You are not him,” she whispered. Her other hand grabbed my wrist and pulled gently. I held her gaze for a moment before releasing Thana, and she dropped her head, coughing.
Ara turned to face Thana, but my eyes remained on her, unable to look away. No one had ever said that to me before, as if they were all just lying in wait for the moment I would snap and become him. And Goddess knows even I was waiting for that moment. But she wasn’t.
She didn’t see him.
She saw me.
I blinked rapidly before reaching down to wrap my arm around her again, supporting her weight.
“Why would he order you to kill me?”