Page 57 of A Fate In Moonstone

My shimmering fingers paused an inch away.

“You’ll beg for mercy later.” I breathed, slowly and forcefully, pushing the air out as I dug my diamond coated hand inside. The pieces clinked, and I swear the sounds of my betrayal would echo across the kingdom.

When guards didn’t immediately rush in, I cleared the item from the diamond casing and pulled it out.

Between my clenched hands was a purple journal with a white gem in the middle.

My mother’s journal.

I inhaled as the tightness extended beyond my skin and into my chest. My lungs.

If she ended up hating me for opening this, for invading her deepest secrets, and hell, using her own power against her, could I live with myself?

This wasn’t me.

I hated games and lies.

But here I was playing them.

And I hated myself for it.

When placing the journal back in the table, I wouldn’t be able to explain how the diamond broke without telling her. Coming clean was the only thing I could do.

The guilt lessoned but only a little.

I betrayed my mother’s trust. Even if she lied, or hid things. I didn’t want to do the same if I could help it, and I could.

The journal’s weight kept me standing in front of the broken table, gaze locked on the little white gem on the cover.

It was there. All the secrets, everything.

And I turned around to leave.

Only to stop dead in my tracks. My whole body froze to see my mother sitting in a chair, a cup of tea in her hands, watching me at the scene of my crimes.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“Grab the journal and have a seat, Sapphira.”

My feet were stuck, and I couldn’t move. I looked for a frown, sad eyes, pinched facial features. Any hope to read how she felt right now and found none. She was impassive, cool even.

“Sapphira, please.” She sighed and sipped her tea.

I did as I was told and sat with a slight shake in my hands, the journal bouncing on my lap.

She lifted a delicate hand out and I placed the evidence of my betrayal in her palm. My mother loved me fiercely. Whatever came from this conversation, I’d try to remember that.

It opened.

Pages were flipped and the queen smiled.

“I just wanted to secure us more time. I’m very sorry.”

Err… What?

I didn’t say anything. Mother scanned the pages with a mixture of smiles, longing, and I’m pretty sure glistening tears growing in her eyes.

“I’m not mad at you for wanting to know the truth. For feeling my lies through that prince’s power and even using my gifts to get the journal. I know you. You’re so curious and deserve to hear the truth from me.” She paused on a page toward the middle, her fingers touching the paper as if it were the face of a loved one.