He’s right. Of course he is. But the way he found out… ‘Don’t go back to them, please.’
‘Go back to who?’
‘Your brothers. They … they’re just like him.’
‘Where else am I supposed to go?’ Pain flashes in his eyes.
‘I just…’ Fuck. This isn’t how this was supposed to happen. ‘I’m going home. You could come with me.’
Michael looks at me like I’ve grown another head. ‘Come with you? And what, live in your house like some sort of pet?’
‘Why do you think it would be like that? I want you to be part of my world!’
‘Iwaspart of your world! My mother was a Vindhof. My father was second only to your mother in rank.’ His lips draw back from his teeth, his eyes wild. ‘Ihadto leave! I didn’t grow up with parents who coddled me, like yours. Were you even going to tell me you were leaving, or would I have just come back here and found you gone?’
I flinch. Screw him. ‘Were you going to tell me about your brothers?’ We’re so close to each other, heat swirling between us, both of us almost snarling. But another part of me, the part that was already betrayed, is curling up, withdrawing. ‘Why go back to them, if youhatemy world so much?’
‘Yes, I was going to tell you. I was going to ask what you thought I should do.’ His voice catches. ‘I want a home. Family. And they’re all I have, now.’
It’s like I’m reaching out for him and pulling back at the same time. It hurts to breathe. ‘You have me! You don’t have to go back to them. We can have a home together and?—’
‘‘Don’t you understand? There is no moretogether.’ Michael’s face twists, his fists clenched. ‘There cannot be. Not if I can’t trust you.’
I blink, rocking back on my heels. My towel slips and I grab it. Michael’s eyes widen again, just for a moment. ‘I should have told you,’ I say, my throat raw. ‘The only reason I didn’t was because I was scared of losing you. Scared you might hate me when you found out.’
‘Funny how that’s worked out, isn’t it?’
The words hit me like a slap. My breath shudders, tears dripping from my chin.
Michael’s gaze softens, just for a moment, sorrow deep in his eyes. Then it hardens, becoming the stranger once more. ‘Go home, Emelia. Claim your crown. I hope it serves you well.’ He turns away. A few moments later, I hear the front door slam.
I stare at the empty doorway, as though I can rewind time and bring him back to me. Bring Laurel back to life and make everything right again. I clutch my damp towel around me, sobbing.
There are footsteps. My heart lifts.
But it’s my guard who appears. He blinks, looking away, when he takes in my state of undress, the tears running down my face. ‘My lady, I apologise. It’s just … the arrangements have been made for the human in the kitchen. They’ll be here shortly. However, I need to file a report about what happened. Will you be speaking with your parents?’
I take a shuddering breath. Michael is gone. Laurel is gone. Grief waits for me, beyond my anger. I need to pull myself together, before the might of Raven descends. Because it will, of course. An attempt on the life of the heir? This place will be crawling with guards. I can’t do that to the people here; can’t bring any more fear and darkness into their lives.
‘I’ll call them, now.’ I pull my towel tighter, wiping my face. ‘Then you can make your report.’
‘Of course.’ He bows, then disappears, a faint whoosh of displaced air.
I lean on the wall, because my legs are shaking so much that I’ll fall if I don’t. I resist the urge to crouch down, to give into my sorrow and loss. I reach for that core of ebony and steel, the strength that helped me to kill Kyle, that got me home.
Then I go and find my phone.
* * *
Raven, as a unit, are very efficient. But even I’m surprised by the speed at which everything happens. It’s as though my parents were already planning for this, I think, as I watch guards packing up my personal belongings, carrying them to a large van parked outside.
Four guards is a reasonably restrained response, I suppose. Even if they were here in less than an hour, and one of them is Bertrand. I tried to be as calm as possible when I called my mother, explaining there’d been a problem with my security system and I’d been attacked but the threat was contained. But my voice caught as I told her about Laurel, despite how I tried to hold back.
‘My lady, the car is here.’
The house is almost cleared now, apart from the furniture. I stand in the living room, my stockinged feet curling on the bare floor, Bertrand waiting by the door. The space looks forlorn, without the comforts that made it home. Laurel’s body is gone, sand scattered on the kitchen floor. I don’t want to remember her like that.
I nod. ‘Thank you.’
