“You’re still wearing his ring!”
The anger radiated off him. It surprised Rune, who felt him holding the worst of it back. And deeper than the anger: hurt.Realhurt.
Rune frowned, confused by it. You couldn’t hurt someone who didn’t care about you… right? And Gideon didn’t care about Rune—not the real Rune. Not the witch.
His free hand lifted, as if to touch her, then clenched instead, returning to his side. “I hate your damned lies.”
Herlies? What abouthislies?
“You want the truth?” Her own hurt bubbled up, like steam from a volcano ready to erupt. “Thisis the truth: I would have married you in a heartbeat, had you asked me. I would have married youknowingyou would hand me over to my killers—or kill me yourself—the moment you found out what I was. That’s how pathetic I am, Gideon! That’s how desperately I wanted to be yours!”
His brow creased as his eyes searched her face. “Then why say yes to my brother?”
“Because he loved me! Because he didn’t want me dead! It was the best offer I was ever going to get!”
This time, when she tried to yank herself free, Gideon let go.She stumbled back several steps, glancing down at her gloved hand. The one bearing Alex’s ring.
She’d been afraid to take it off. As if removing it would dishonor him.
I wish it was yours,she wanted to say to Gideon.I wish you’d given it to me.
But saying so would be a profound betrayal of Alex.
“I loved your brother,” she said instead. “But only as a friend. A dear friend. Maybe it could have become more, eventually. And maybe that wasn’t fair to him. But…”
She felt guilty for thinking it, but sometimes she wondered if Alex had been in love with a version of Rune that didn’t exist.
I know the Crimson Moth. And she is no caged thing.
That’s what Alex had gotten wrong: he wanted to give Rune a quiet, comfortable life. And for a moment, Rune had thought she wanted that. But deep down, she knew the peaceful future she might have had with Alex would never have satisfied. Not completely.
There was a part of Rune’s soul—most of it, maybe—that yearned for adventure. That craved a challenge. That liked a little danger.
For better or worse, Rune needed these things to feel alive. In wanting her to live a safe, easy life, Alex was—without realizing it—wanting Rune to beless herself.
She tugged off her glove. Sliding the ring from her finger, she walked toward Gideon, grabbed his hand, and pressed the silver band into his palm. The moment his fingers closed around it, relief flooded her. Like a burden lifted.
“I was just a girl to Alex.” She stepped away, pulling her glove back on. “Someone to be loved and cherished and fought for. That’s why I said yes to him.”
The nerve in Gideon’s jaw ticked.
“I’m not a girl to you, am I? I’m a witch, and always will be. Something to be hated and hunted down. Not cherished or protected. Notloved.”
Rune waited for him to deny it. To contradict her.
But he only stood there, silent and stoic. Confirming what she already knew.
I am such a fool.
Stepping around him, Rune ran for the stairs.
TWENTY-THREEGIDEON
RUNE WAS RIGHT ABOUTone thing: she wasn’t just a girl. Not to him.
She was so much more than that.
Rune was a sparring partner. Someone to fight with, and admire. Someone tomatch.
