“You’re acting like a crazy person!” Emma shouted. “Ethan, stop!”
I heard a couple more people come in. Stefan and Theo put a hand on my shoulders and dragged me back.
My chest was heaving. Why couldn’t anyone admit the obvious? Vara was a traitor, and continuing to keep her here was putting us all in danger.
“You two need a time-out,” Stefan said. He kept a firm grip on me, but I’d already lost my will to fight. Brawling wouldn’t solve this; not unless Arthur was willing to face the truth.
“Just keep that gobshite away from me and my mate. He’s gone round the bend,” Arthur growled. He put an arm around Vara as he led her out of the room, giving me a look that could curdle milk. The rage I felt when they left the room shook my entire body.
“What’s gotten into you?” Emma said in disgust. “Have a little self-control.”
“She didn’t admit guilt,” I spat.
“Of course! Why would she? She’s not guilty of anything, and if she is, you can’t prove it!” Emma insisted.
“Give me one shred of evidence it’s not her,” I snarled.
“How about the fact that we're still here? If she was the betrayer, why isn’t Droga banging down the door?” Emma questioned. “She wouldn’t have a reason to conceal us if she had joined up with Gabby, because giving us up would be safer for her children, and for Arthur, than remaining in hiding!”
I took a few breaths, to calm myself before speaking further. “Perhaps I overstepped—”
“You think?!” Emma screeched.
“—But it had to be done,” I insisted. “In time, the truth will come to light, and we’ll have to do something about Vara’s actions. At least then, Arthur can’t deny that he knew.”
“If Vara was working for Gabby, she would’ve told her where we are,” Theo said. “What sense does it make for her to keep concealing Emma’s location, if she’s truly on Gabby’s side? The traitor can’t be anyone in this house, otherwise, we’d be dead by now. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Perhaps this is the first safe place she’s found where Gabby can’t intimidate her,” I stated.
My knuckles cracked as my fingers clenched tightly. “And if that’s the case, I understand. I wouldn’t be so angry if she’d just own up to what she’s done.”
“This is going too far,” Jasper argued. “You can’t be sure Vara is the traitor. To accuse her without iron-clad proof…”
“I know the truth,” I insisted. “I feel it in my gut. I just wish she’d admit it.”
Emma sighed in frustration. “Whateverthe truthis, you’ve pissed my brother off royally. He might refuse to help us tomorrow.”
“He’ll help,” Jasper said. “His sister is more important to him than some silly argument.”
“What doyouthink?” I asked, and I turned to Jasper. “You’ve known Vara longer than we have. You must have some inclination behind all of this.”
Jasper paused. He ruminated on the question before he said in a low voice, “I don’t think so, Ethan.”
It baffled me how they refused to acknowledge the obvious. After all,who elsecould be behind the betrayal?
One day, I’d get Vara to admit her role in our defeat. No one would be able to defend her actions once I discovered proof she really had betrayed us all.
My only concern was what Arthur would do then.
I wasdue to head out to Darragh College with Lucien, Alexei, Kiara, and Arthur. We waited past midnight, when we hoped most of the college would be asleep, before we gathered in the main foyer to craft the portal that would take us to the campus.
Arthur was barely speaking to me, and refused to look in my general direction. Mention of Vara hadn’t come up since our argument, and I figured he wouldn’t see reason until I had hard proof I could shove in his face, so I didn’t bother to mention her name.
He was still bitter, though.
“Sure Ethan should come along?” Arthur said to the room at large as Lucien crafted the portal. “He might accuse one of us of trying to keep the scrolls hidden while we’re looking.”
“I don’t believe anyoneamong uswould do such a thing,” I said fairly. I heard Arthur let out a disagreeable noise.
