Page 261 of Vexatious Queen

“What,” she asked, clearly confused. “He put his own son in jail. Why?”

“This started long before any of us,” I said, trying to explain as best I could. “There’s history there. Decisions he made that Sabastian is now paying for.” I swallowed. “I’ll see if Theo can find out anything. Legally. But Ivy…don’t hope too much. I honestly don’t know what any of us can do.”

She was quiet for a beat.

“Since the day I met you, you’ve never dodged a question. The fact that you are right now…tells me everything.”

The silence stretched, heavy and accusing. I stared at my reflection in the mirror over my dresser and wasn’t sure I liked the person I saw staring back.

I hated being in this position. Hated that I was carrying secrets that weren’t mine to share. Hated that I could hear my mother’s voice in my own when I spoke next.

“There’s nothing I can say that will make this better.”

The words tasted wrong the moment they left my mouth. The irony of the situation was not lost on me.

“Can’t, or won’t?”

I closed my eyes.

“Both,” I admitted. “And I hate it. I really do.” My voice softened. “I think of Sabastian like a brother. I hate that this is happening to him.”

“That’s not enough,” she said. Not yelling, but I still heard the thread of anger beneath. “You’ve been shutting me out since last summer. Every time I turn around, there’s something else you can’t tell me. And now this.”

“You told me that you didn’t want to know anything,” I said gently. “Remember? And I warned you about Sabastian. I told you he was trouble, Ivy. You stayed with him anyway. Even after you found out about his father, what he was involved in, and with who.”

“Sabastian is not his father,” she snapped. “Did Owen or Lawrence stop you from dating Myles and Nash? No.”

She was right…it hadn’t. “I know,” I said. “I know that. But this isn’t a clean world. There weren’t bombs falling, but a war was still being fought. And in any war, innocent people get hurt.” My chest ached as I added, “It doesn’t make it right. I’m just trying to be honest without dragging you deeper into something that could destroy you.”

She laughed then, the sound void of any humor.

“That’s a fancy way of justifying doing something terrible.”

The disappointment in her voice cut deeper than anger ever could.

“When I first arrived, Myles told me that sometimes good people do terrible things, but it doesn’t make them bad people. I didn’t believe him then—but I understand it now. I can only hope you’re never forced to carry the weight of those words yourself.”

“I never thought I’d hear you say something like that, Ren.” She exhaled heavily. “I need to go. I’m exhausted.”

“Okay,” I said, even though panic curled tight in my stomach. “I’ll call you later.”

“No,” she said. “I think…we need some space.”

The floor dropped out beneath me.

“You don’t want to be my friend anymore?”

The question came out quieter than I intended.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, and my chest ached under my ribs like my heart was being squeezed. “All I know is that in the span of two weeks, two people that I love were thrown in jail. I don’t know if or when they’re getting out. And the common denominator is you and the Kings.” Her voice softened, just a little. “I just need time, Ren.”

“Ivy—”

The call ended.

I stared at my phone long after the screen went dark, my reflection faintly staring back at me.

Some losses didn’t come with explosions or blood. They just walked away.