Page 60 of A Fate In Moonstone

I shot up and paced.

“You married Verin. You let me believe Verin was my father. You’ve been fucking Verin?” What was even happening? This couldn’t be real.

My mother sat there patiently while I ranted and wore a line in her floor. I’m honestly surprised I hadn’t lost control of my powers and broke something by now.

My father wasn’t bad. He wasn’t evil. He was just…

He was what, Sapphira?

I plopped back into the chair and let my thoughts race.

“I didn’t know who he was when we married. I thought he was a normal prince. I found out two years later, and we—” Her eyes closed, and she took another deep breath before looking at me.

“We struck a bargain. He could play his role, the beloved king.” Beloved… that wasn’t the word I’d use but whatever he told himself.

“And he’d have me. In return, he’d leave Crysia alone instead of covering it in his darkness and debauchery.”

She traded herself to keep the peace. I swear the cracking in my chest echoed around the room. The secrets, the façades, the games. All of it to keep Crysia… to keep me, safe.

The thought must have been written on my face because she kept talking.

“So many times, I wanted to kill him. End it while he slept. But he has protections against me, and as you know, we don’t sleep in the same room. And I did think to leave. You were a blessing. I thought about taking you and running far away. Desmire would help keep us safe.”

But she loved this kingdom. It was hers, and she’d built it into the legacy it was today. If she could walk the line. Make Verin believe I was his, keep his attentions on her, and let him think he ruled the kingdom.

She made her choices.

“I’m sorry, Sapphira. For all of it. I should have—”

I held up a hand to pause her.

“There’s no reversing time. This is a lot, and I will surely need a vacation in the future to process it, but there are bigger problems at hand.”

I wasn’t happy. But the disassociating my brain was doing kept me going for now.

“I have questions,” I said and the queen sat straighter in her chair, ready to receive them. Which was good because they were likely to come out in rapid fire.

“Celestine said war was coming. She mentioned the evil would rush if I ended things with Tor, so I’m assuming that means I can’t let Verin know that I know. What is his plan? How can we stop it? What are his powers and did he hurt Tor on their trip?”

I sucked in a breath and waited. My father’s kind words as to why I couldn’t access his fire felt like a lie now. Was that true?

Then I thought about Tor. They’d spent time alone together. The enemy and my current fiancé.

“Celestine has told me this as well. She has stated he will change the world, both our realm and the humans. She warned it cannot be stopped.”

My body sagged as the air rushed out of me.

“He claims to have fire to keep his true power a secret. The fire power belongs to Desmire and his sister. Celestine warned us of your core prior to birth, and he has not touched you until that day in Crystoria. You cannot let Verin see your fire, or you shift into a dragon.”

I sputtered.

A dragon.

I possessed the power to shift into a dragon?

“Yes. Celestine foretold you would be able to shift. I assumed that is the reason for the illness. So much power flooding you making you ill. And as for the young prince?”

My body leaned forward, gaze locked on the queen.