She walked over to me and dumped the contents into my mouth, then pushed upward on my chin as though she was afraid I might spit it out.
I swallowed instead, all the while staring her down.
Her stormy gray irises swirled with a dozen emotions, chiefly among them being anger. But she didn’t say anything, her eyes searching mine for something.
I waited, letting her lead while Az stood just behind her, his reverent gaze on her. It was a look I’d never seen from Az before, one I hadn’t even known he could make.
He had to be pacing angrily inside his mind right now, demanding that his Phoenix release him. And I feared what might happen when he did.
Hopefully, he didn’t punish Camillia for his bird’s insanity. But if Az felt she was a threat to him and his beast, he just might try to kill her.
What will I do if that happens?I wondered.Will I even be alive to find out?
“What are you thinking about?” Camillia asked me, her question catching me off guard.
“I… I was thinking about whether or not I’ll be alive when Az takes control of his Phoenix again,” I admitted, wincing when I realized the truth serum was definitely already working. The words had practically rolled off my tongue.
“You think I’m going to kill you?”
“I’m not sure,” I answered honestly. “You absolutely could. I guess it depends on how mad you are.”
“How mad I am,” she repeated as though considering the words. “Well, you did interrogate me with snake vines and force the truth out of me, which wasn’t all that different from what I had already admitted. And you still don’t seem to believe me even now.”
I gazed up at her, aware that she hadn’t asked me anything, yet feeling it necessary to clarify regardless of her lack of inquiry. “I believe you now. And I feel like an ass for not believing you before.”
“You… you what?”
I repeated what I’d just said, the truth serum forcing me to speak. Only this time, I added, “I thought you betrayed me. It clouded my judgment.”
Her brow furrowed. “You mean I harmed your precious reputation and you felt the need to get retribution. That’s your definition of betrayal?”
“No, my definition is confiding in someone only to have those confessions used against me for the other person’s gain,” I stated flatly.
She blinked. “And you think I did that?”
“I thought you did, yes. But after hearing your truth… I’m no longer sure.” Because she could have been planning to exploit my weaknesses at some later time.
Or maybe she hadn’t planned to take advantage of me at all. Camillia had said herself that she’d considered asking for my help but had decided against it. So it stood to reason that she hadn’t planned to manipulate me or use my past in some nefarious way.
Some of the fire died in her gaze, her expression turning thoughtful. “Why would you think that?”
“You disappeared while I was in the shower. I thought you seduced Az and me in order to lower our guards, just to escape. And…” I swallowed. “And I thought you used my past as a way to infiltrate my defenses.”
“Used your past?” She shook her head. “I don’t know enough about your past to do that.”
“But you do. You know more than most. About… about Emelyn.” It hurt to say her name aloud, but that was the truth serum working its magic. I couldn’t fight it, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to. I just felt so tired. Mostly due to Az’s dark weaponry and the energy-zapping wounds he’d inflicted upon me with them, but also because of this place. The last thirty days. Everything I’d endured.
“Who’s Emelyn?” Camillia asked, her question sending a dagger through my heart. “No, wait. Is that who you said I reminded you of?”
I nodded. “Yes. She was a fighter. Strong. Stood up for what she believed in, even when all the odds were stacked against her. She never gave up. Just like you.”
“Where is she now?” Camillia sounded more curious than angry now, but her inquiry cut right through me, the truth tugging sharply at my soul.
“She’s dead.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Do I want to know how?”
I huffed a laugh, then flinched as two of the snakes bit me at once.Fuuuck.I fucking hated snake vines. Yet I’d inflicted them on Camillia earlier, because I’d thought I’d hated her, too.
