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Mother took a calming breath, which slightly softened her annoyance. “Though his betrayal helped you realize your true identity, the cruel manner in which he treated you means he’s the last one you should involve yourself with.”
She stroked my hair and I struggled not to flinch away; the more she performed the gesture, the more I felt she was treating me like a pet rather than her daughter.
“Perhaps Darius isn’t the one who betrayed me.” I eyed Mother’s reaction to this statement. As I predicted, she stiffened before giving me her usual fake smile.
“What do you mean, Eden dear? Of course he did it.”
“That’s not what he told me.”
She snorted. “Of course he’d lie to you. Did you really expect anything else from a deceiver like him? Don’t tell me you actually believe him. Oh, Eden.” She shook her head with a dismissivetsk.
I tightened my jaw. “I do believe him. Shouldn’t one believe their...Pair?”
I used the word hesitantly, still testing it out on my tongue in hopes that it was as true as I desperately wanted it to be. Like everything related to Darius, applying the word to him feltright.
Mother’s careful composure cracked. “Yourwhat, dear?”
“My Pair.”
Blaze gawked at me as if I’d lost my mind while Mother scoffed. “You think you’repaired? Poor Eden, so incredibly naive.”
Blaze rolled his eyes while muttering something under his breath that sounded likedelusional...though to my surprise, Trinity’s expression remained impassive.
My face flushed with heat, even as the hope that had sparked within my heart at learning of Darius and Shade’s familial relationship nearly flickered out. “Why do you think so?”
Blaze sniggered. “I’m extremely familiar with Pairs and can confidently conclude that you and that...Nightmarearen’t paired at all. You’ve known him for a few months already, yet you still aren’t with him. You’d have recognized your magical connection much sooner if it existed between you.”
What he didn’t realize was Ihadrecognized the connection from the very beginning, even if I hadn’t understood what it’d meant. Despite the forbidden nature of our relationship and the obstacles vying to keep us apart, that connection had only grown, and it hadn’t died even in my darkest moments after I’d tried—and failed—to lock that feeling away.
But those feelings were too precious to cast before my family’s disbelief and scorn. Instead I simply lifted my chin. “By that same argument, you and Trinity wouldn’t be paired considering it took you so long to recognize your own connection.”
Blaze immediately sobered and exchanged a wary glance with Trinity, who’d remained silent during the confrontation, making no move to help me, yet also doing nothing to fuel Blaze and Mother’s arguments; I couldn’t think of another time she hadn’t supported her Pair. I gave her a quizzical look and she hastily looked away.
“But Eden, that Nightmare is trouble,” Mother said. “You shouldn’t even associate with him, let alone becomeconnectedwith him.” Her nose wrinkled in distaste.
“One doesn’t choose their Pair, magic does.” And I was only just now realizing how perfect a match it had found for me; the connecting magic of Pairs had peered inside my heart and chosen the only one it knew I’d want to give it to.
Mother’s smile tightened so much it looked on the brink of breaking. “Although it’s true that some maybelievethey’re paired“—she glared at Blaze and Trinity, whose expressions both darkened—”that doesn’t mean he’syourPair. It’s time to let go of this ridiculous girlish fantasy of yours and face the truth: Pairs are dangerous.”
I blinked rapidly to hold off the sudden onslaught of tears before Mother could see them. “But—”
“You’renotpaired,” she repeated firmly, every ounce of her attempted sympathy gone. “I won’t let you be, for I refuse to let him hurt you again. He’s nothing but trouble.”
“Funny, that’s what he claimedyouwere.” I regretted my words the moment they escaped, especially with the way Mother glared at me. She slowly stepped forward, her expression fierce.
“What exactly did he tell you?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “He believes you’re trying to take over the Dream—”
“Enough!“ Mother hissed. “I won’t stand here and hear such ridiculous accusations from my own daughter. How could you do this to me, Eden? After everything I’ve ever done for you, how can you actually believe a betrayer overme?”
I folded my arms firmly across myself. “Isn’t there truth to his claim? You can’t deny that you’re planning something.”
“Nothingillegal,if that’s your concern,” Mother said. “But my plans are not the issue. It’s your belief in this nonexistent paired relationship that has you turning away from your own family. Don’t you see? That Nightmare wants you to believe in such a ridiculous fancy in order to steal your valuable powers for himself. You can’t let him do that, Eden dear. I won’t stand idly by and let him hurt you again.”
She gave me an almost desperate look, as if sheneededme to believe her because she considered it my daughterly duty rather than because she was someone worth putting my trust in. And that’s when I realized with horror that Ididn’ttrust her. It was a terrible realization that twisted my stomach in guilty knots. Was it because she was actually unworthy of my trust, or because I was so desperate to believe Darius? Was I trying so hard to force myself to fit with him that I would go so far as to sever my relationship with my own mother?
For a long, tense moment Mother stared at me, waiting for my usual cooperation, so I obediently nodded in agreement, a necessary lie in order to escape this exhausting interrogation.
