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“No. Adrian wanted an execution. Edith refused and called the chains a holding sentence until she could prove what he’d done. By then, he controlled the outer houses and most of the witnesses. Releasing me would’ve started a war inside Harrowmere.”

Bryony studied the marks at my wrists again. She knew what Adrian could do with a command and how quickly one vampire’s body could become his weapon.

“So she left you here.”

“I agreed to stay.”

Shock replaced some of her anger.

Her eyebrows rose. “You agreed to more than a century in chains?”

“I agreed to the first year. Then Adrian killed or drove out everyone who might clear me, and the sentence became permanent.”

During the first year, Edith searched for witnesses willing to stand against Adrian. He made sure none stayed, and opening my prison would have killed more people.

“That sounds more like him.”

“Edith kept me alive. Adrian tried to make sure alive was all I could be.”

Bryony moved the chair towards the fireplace. She stayed out of my reach.

“When you told me about Cecily, you made it sound as if the chapel was the first time the Crown had killed anyone.”

“I know.”

I’d chosen the version that made me look least guilty.

“You let me believe you saw the danger and stopped it that night.”

“Yes.”

Her stare held mine. I didn’t lower my eyes, although shame made me want to.

“That was another lie.”

“Yes. I used exact truths to give you a false answer because I wasn’t ready to tell you this.”

Her eyes flashed. “You promised there wasn’t another confession that changed whether I lived.”

“I told you there was no other plan for your blood or bargain with Adrian and let you believe I’d answered the secret too. I made the truth create a lie because I was afraid the full answer would cost me. It was cowardly.”

“Don’t agree with me and wait for the argument to end.”

“I’m not waiting. I’m answering.”

Bryony’s fingers curled at her sides. She paced once, swore under her breath and faced me again. “I’m furious with you.”

“I know.” I held her gaze without telling her what to feel or how quickly to forgive me.

“I understand why you wanted to save her,” Bryony said. “I understand why one more day kept feeling possible. What I don’t understand is why you still decided which parts I could handle.”

“I was afraid you’d see every risk Adrian wanted you to see and decide the Crown should keep me controlled.”

The red restraints proved how easily Adrian could still turn me into a threat.

“Would the truth have changed what happened?”

“No.”