Page 78 of Immortal Game

Their mother stood in the doorway. “Hey, gals. Am I interrupting something?”

“No,” Shea said flatly.

“Good.” With that, Kara marched toward Aideen’s closet and flung open the doors. “I have a date tonight. Will you help me pick something out?”

Aideen hastily began unfastening the braid. “Mom, stop rummaging.”

“Relax. It’s not like you wear any of this stuff. Honestly, you look so drab these days, Aideen.” There was an edge of vindication in her voice as she riffled through the hangers, each of which held one of Aideen’s old dresses. She brought one out—a sundress patterned in soft blues—and held it up to herself. “This might fit me better than you, actually.”

Shea’s entire body coiled tight. Another fight was brewing. She could feel it like a shift in the atmosphere before a storm.

“Mom,” Aideen said. “Seriously. Stop.”

Kara smiled, and her eyes glinted like knifepoints. “Oh, I get it. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

“No.” At last, Aideen tugged herself free from the braid. “I just don’t want you going through my things.”

“I can go through your things if I want. This is my house.”

Kara flung open one of the dresser drawers. The malevolent glee drained from her, replaced by genuine shock. Shea half expected her to pull out some contraband, like vodka or a box of condoms. Instead, Kara lifted out a chain of delicate gold.

Shea was surprised, too. The last time she checked, there wasn’t any money missing from her account. And as far as she knew, Aideen didn’t have a job. Even if she did, no part-time gig could earn her something as nice as that. She glanced at Aideen from the corner of her eye. Her sister had gone deathly pale.

“What,” Kara asked quietly, “is this?”

“Nothing,” Aideen blurted out. “Put it back.”

Kara laughed incredulously. She opened another drawer as Aideen made a strangled noise of protest. In seething silence, Kara unearthed a veritable dragon’s hoard of jewelry. A silver comb inlaid with gems. A necklace of beaten gold. Brooches and hairpins, rings and bracelets. It had to be Aideen’s weight in gold and in silver.

Kara deposited it all onto the bed. “And where did you get all this?”

Aideen glared at her. “Nowhere.”

“Who gave it to you?”

Aideen’s voice trembled now. “No one.”

Unlike the fae, Aideencouldlie. But she’d always been terrible at it. Shea stiffened to hear it in her voice now.

“You willnotend up like me,” Kara said lowly. “I had no choice in the matter. But if you’re making stupid decisions—”

“Oh, believe me, I will not end up like you.”

Kara’s face twisted as the insult hit its mark. She planted a hand on her hip. “So you stole it.”

“No!” Aideen choked out. “No. I don’t know. I don’t know where it came from.”

“Well.” Kara fished a ring out of the pile of gold. “Then you won’t miss it.”

“You can’t let me have one thing for myself, can you? Just take it, then. Take it all. I don’t care anymore. Just go, okay?”

Kara slipped the ring over her finger. Coolly, she replied, “You’ll be sorry for treating me like this when I’m dead.”

“And you’ll be sorry when I’m gone!”

Kara snatched the sundress, then stormed out. The entire room shook when she slammed the door behind her. Shea let out a shaky breath, relieved, but Aideen’s eyes glittered with unshed tears. She buried her face in her hands.

Very softly, Shea said, “You got all this from him. Didn’t you?”