Page 29 of The Faceless Queen

“You changed,” he said. “I thought I dreamt it. But you did. You—you shapeshifted.”

My heart thundered. It was on the edge of his mind. He was putting the pieces together. About to see it, to say it, to understand.

Demonos. Witch. Azete.

And the minute he did, the minute he was awake enough to make the final connection, his feelings for me would end. Just like everyone else I’d ever known.

I sat back, listening as birds chirped in the distance. Robins. The threat was over. And there was more—voices were calling out Brennan’s name.

Rowan and Kienan. They were just catching up to us now.

“Samara?” Brennan asked, taking no notice of his friends.

“I have to go,” I said.

“No. Please. Tell me the truth. Are you⁠—?”

I shook my head. “Don’t. Don’t ask that of me. Please.”

“But—”

Kienan and Rowan appeared at the edge of the clearing.

And all I could imagine was the three of them putting the pieces together, taking hold of me in my weakened state. Being brought before King Tirian, sealed into a box. With how low my reserves were, I would shift to my original form long before the seven days were up. Under no circumstances could I let that happen.

My job here was done. The chimera were dead, and Brennan was safe.

“Don’t worry,” I told him. “You’re going to be okay, I swear.” I squeezed his hand. He squeezed mine back, his thumb running over my skin. A slight warmth moved through me. But there was no magic behind it. Just the feel of his own body slowly regaining heat. “Your friends are here.” I pulled back from his grip, inching back to the lake.

He knew. He knew what I was. And he was going to hate me for it.

“I have to go.”

“Samara?” he asked, reaching out for me. “Samara, wait!”

Be safe and be well, I thought. And I was gone, diving back into the waters, gasping in pain, my lungs screaming as the freezing lake swallowed me into darkness.

Brennan’s fear had given me a fresh burst of magic, but a second mermaid transformation would drain me beyond repair. I was close to running on empty, already using the final dregs of my reserves to escape.

I had to get away before I grew too weak. Before I really did revert back to my original form. To my pale skin, my blue eyes, my honey blonde hair. The face that Brennan had somehow conjured when he was half-conscious.

The face that confirmed what I was. Azete.

So I swam, and I swam, without stopping, without thinking. My tail glided through the waters until I reached the lake’s other side. Too far for Brennan to find me again. Too far for anyone to find me ever.

Tears burned behind my eyes. My heart felt heavy. It had happened. I’d lost everything. Again.

As I reached the shore, I threw myself onto the grass, coughing and shivering. A small glow of power shone inside of me, radiating out from my skin. The only bit of my power that was left. And it had come from Brennan. It was all I’d ever have from him, and already it was fading. I wanted to keep it, to hold it, to maintain my glamour just a little longer—to hold onto him. But I was too cold. And my energy was fading. I let his lifeforce spread through my body until I was dry, and no longer freezing with cold.

And then, at last, I stepped beyond the edge of the lake and looked down into the waters, into my reflection, and saw my true face. The face I hadn’t allowed to exist since I left Azeal. The face I’d hidden, that I’d tried to forget.

I let the tears fall, my chest heaving.

I already missed Finlay and Thomas. I hoped they were okay, and Cecelia, too. I hoped everyone was.

I wrapped myself in my arms, knowing I needed to decide what to do next. I needed somewhere else to go. Somewhere else to hide.

A way to steal some energy, to become someone else. To start again. A new face. A new name.