Pushing off the wall, we spun and smashed into a glass cabinet.
“What is going on here?”
I heard Derrick’s shout over the crack of glass. He rushed into the room, followed by Harold and the others who’d been out searching.
Isabelle ignored them and ground her heel into my foot. I yelped and rammed the heel of my hand into her chin, snapping her head back.
Derrick hauled Isabelle off me, and I panted, trying to catch my breath. My throat ached from where she’d burrowed her fingers.
I bent at the waist when the room began to spin. Okay, maybe I should have come up with a better plan than a physical cat fight. But some of it had been satisfying.
“There’s two of them!” Edward crowed. His mouth dropped open, and he swung his spectacles onto his nose. “How is this possible?”
“Shapeshifter,” I choked, but no one was listening. Everyone began to talk at once, their voices getting louder as confusion set in.
Derrick pressed a cloth to Isabelle’s temple, concern darkening his gaze as he pulled her closer. His protective instincts were kicking in—but then he turned toward me and visibly flinched. He didn’t know what to do. Turmoil raged on his face.
“Derrick, it’s me.” I lifted my hands as I stepped away from the broken cabinet.
“I—what?” he stuttered. A step in my direction had Isabelle latching onto his arm, and he paused.
“She’s trying to trick you,” Isabelle lied. “Don’t listen to her. I’m right here.”
This was absurd! She had to know she couldn’t keep the ruse up forever. I growled in frustration. “I know this looks confusing, but that’s Isabelle. She’s a shapeshifter. I tried to find you to warn you, but—”
“No—that’s Isabelle! She’s twisting the truth.” Isabelle spotted Andrew hovering in the doorway and waved him forward. A brief smile crested her lips. “Andrew, tell them what your sister did.”
All eyes turned on him, and he shook his head, confusion knotting his brow. “I don’t know who’s who. But Isabelle killed Mae, and our father.”
“She’s the killer!” we shouted at the same time, essentially canceling each other out.
“Well, only one of them can do magic,” Edward supplied, pointing his cane at each of us. “Go ahead—do something magical.”
My lips turned down at the edges.Thanks, Edward. Not helping.“Actually, my magic isn’t working right now, so…”
“Tessa, I—” Derrick’s gaze darted between us. How was he supposed to choose? We looked identical. My magic hadn’t returned in any usable form, and as each second passed, he appeared more conflicted. I had to prove who I was. This couldn’t continue.
Isabelle must have thought the same thing. She winced and held the side of her head. “I’m not feeling well. Hopefully, after some rest, my magic will return, and I can prove it to you all.”
Derrick’s fingers flexed. She’d found the right tactic: appeal to his protective side. Leaning into him, she wound her arms around his neck and went in for the kill.
“But until then, you know it’s me, Derrick. I love you. Look me in the eyes, and you’ll know it’s true.”
Well, this trip just got real.I’d rather be arrested for murder than witness this disgusting display. My hands fisted, shaking as she gazed up at him.
Don’t do it!
His eyes lowered…
Bloody hell.If I couldn’t convince them with charm, I’d convince them with attitude and a healthy dose of pent up loathing. So much for my serene face—not that it ever stood a chance.
“Enough!” I shrieked. Above my head, a chandelier rattled, and I winced, expecting crystal shards to rain down on my shoulders. When they didn’t, I refocused my rage. “I have reached my limit with every single one of you. In the past few days, I’ve been shot at, upstaged by baked goods—which, by the way, I tried really hard to bake, and yes, the pie was disgusting, but it was also extremely heartfelt, and that should count for something.”
I paused at the widening stares in front of me. I’d gone offtrack. Jabbing my finger in the air, I continued, “Where was I? Oh, yes, I nearly drowned, was accused of murder, and, thanks to a surprise shapeshifter who apparently doesn’t realize magic is forbidden in this house, I was taken into the woods to be executed while Isabelle stole my identity.
“Yeah…that’s a lot. Especially when my only hope for this trip was for this family to like me.” My finger swung toward Derrick. “But I swear to all that is holy in the grimoire, if you for even one second look at that woman the way you look at me, when my magic comes back, I’ll zap you so hard they’ll see the sparks in the next kingdom!”
You could have heard a pin drop.
