Page 108 of When Ashes Fall

They could have been listening and reporting to my mother and other casters every detail of Seth’s and my plan. And there might have only been one gorman there… hers.

“This is how she knew,” I breathed.

“Knew what?” Gizzi picked his head up again; oils dripped from his face and into the bowl.

“This is how she knew all my plans about running away with Seth,” I whispered. “She had a gorman spying on me.”

“Holy shit,” Zephyr breathed.

“Where’s Knox?” I scooped the metal box off the ground before shoving myself up. “I have to see him now.”

“He’s in the dining hall with the other shifters, Bertie, Ridge, and some sprites. They’re still trying to figure out how to save the roses.”

“I know how to save them.” I tucked the metal container under my arm. “We have to kill every last gorman in Wildwood.”

“I’m coming with you!” Gizzi cried.

It would be a waste of time to argue with him. Instead, I scooped up the bowl of healing potion and carried it with me as Zephyr flew ahead.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Briar

As I stalked toward the dining room, my anger grew with every step. Knox never believed me when I told him that I’d never betrayed him. He claimed to believe me now, but he still doubted me. He’d proven it by turning on me the second the roses started dying.

Maybe it was his fear of me trying to escape that drove him to be a rash asshole, but that was no excuse for blaming me or my potions. He wanted to be angry at me. It was easier for him to feel that emotion because I was a reminder of a better time he wished to forget.

He couldn’t have known how my mother learned of our plans; I hadn’t until now, but I was his mate and the one who loved him, even if I was a caster. His years in the harem broke him, and my mother fucked with his head; I understood that, but at one time, he’d loved me and I’d loved him.

He should have had more faith in us.

No one noticed when I stepped into the dining hall. Knox sat at the far end of the table; the others were all gathered around him. Their heads were bent close as they tried to formulate a plan.

When I stormed toward them, Knox looked up, and his scowl deepened. He sat back in the chair, and the others all looked at me as I stopped beside the table.

“Can we help you?” Knox inquired.

The frigid tone of his voice only served to enflame my wrath. When I set the metal container on the table, Gizzi scrambled up to sit beside it.

I set the bowl down for him, but he didn’t dunk his head again. He still had to be sore, but his attention remained solely on Knox as Zephyr hovered nervously over my shoulder.

“I know what’s killing the plants,” I stated.

A murmur ran through the group as Knox lifted an eyebrow. “So, now you know what’s causing it?”

Gods, how I yearned to punch him in his too arrogant face.

“Yes, now I know,” I bit out. “And I also know how to stop it.”

Knox stretched his long legs before him and clasped his hands on his stomach. He didn’t believe me; I saw it in his eyes. “Well, don’t leave us in suspense. Please, enlighten us.”

“When I show you what’s in this container, I expect an apology… for everything. I expect you to say sorry for believing I was the one who told my mother everything, for locking me in the tower, for the way you’ve been these past few days, and for being an all-around giant prick all the time. You will apologize for all of it.”

I didn’t add that I also expected a lot of groveling, but I did. He’d treated me like shit, and I wouldn’t easily forgive that. We might never be able to fix what was wrong with us, but an apology was a good start.

Knox’s casual posture vanished, and he sat forward in his chair. “Do you have a miracle in that fucking box?”

“I have the answer.”