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Mother awaited me with an expectant look and a smirk, as if she knew exactly what had just transpired and was actuallypleasedabout it.
“Hello, Eden dear. I’ve been expecting you, especially since you have nowhere else to go.”
I narrowed my eyes at her smile. “You seem strangely pleased by that.”
“Of course, dear. I care about you and want to keep you close, no matter what I have to do in order to achieve that.” She stroked my hair and I flinched away with a glare.
“You seem to know what’s just happened. Are you really happy that something so terrible has befallen me?”
Mother sighed. “It pains me that you believe I don’t have your best interests in mind. Each step I’ve taken has only been for your greater good.”
“You truly believe my suspension and losing my magic is for my benefit?” If I wasn’t certain the gesture would anger her, I’d have rolled my eyes.
Mother chuckled, a dark and grating sound that sent a ripple down my spine. “Don’t look so betrayed. Every choice has a consequence, and you must accept yours gracefully.Someonehad to take the fall for the events your captured dreams caused. How sweet of you to have not only initially come up with the idea, but to volunteer as our martyr in today’s events. I’m so proud of you.”
The approval I’d always longed for filled her eyes, but once again it didn’t feel as I’d often imagined it would; rather than joyful, it was sharp and piercing. At her dark look something changed within me. I no longer wanted her approval, not when it came at too high of a cost—compromising all I wanted to be by complying with her demands.
Mother mustn’t see me faltering; the possibility she’d throw me out was still too terrifying. I knew I had to be the one to break away, but I was currently too weak to do it. Until I became stronger, I had to pretend to play Mother’s game according to her sadistic rules...at least for now.
But first I needed answers. I met Mother’s gaze head on. “Was my suspension part of your plan?”
Mother’s eyes widened before her face smoothed into another insincere smile. “Trinity told me that you’d started to figure out our game, but to think you’ve guessed one of my more brilliant ideas...perhaps you’re finally coming to see things my way.”
Once more she reached out to stroke my hair and this time I let her, keeping as still as possible when really I wanted to recoil from her burning touch, a feeling that warred with the pain of her betrayal. I buried the emotion to revisit when Darius could help me work through it so that I could focus on the façade I needed to portray.
Once my mask of indifference was firmly in place, I continued my questioning. “How would you be able to guarantee my suspension—or did you merely assume that outcome was inevitable when you released my bottled nightmares?”
“That would have been one way to do it,” Mother said as she continued stroking my hair, as if attempting to soothe me before the blow of her next words; I stiffened with each of her touches, balling my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms. “But surely you know me better than to think I’d rely solely on chance.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I believe it’s time for you to meet our guest.”
She turned to face the doorway, where Head Nightmare Ember appeared. I gasped and stumbled back, severing myself from Mother’s touch. Ember watched my reaction coolly, a calculating smirk playing across her lips.
I gaped at Mother. “Emberis part of your plot?”
Mother’s sinister grin grew. “Brilliant, isn’t it? With the Head Nightmare’s approval, there’s nothing to stop us. I assured you I wasn’t doing anything illegal. How can I be with the Head Nightmare on our side?”
My mind swirled with this revelation. “Of course,” I murmured. “I should have been suspended for destroying the Dream Cultivating Fields, and you shouldn’t have been allowed to return to the Nightmare Realm following your own suspension. It all makes sense that the Head Nightmare is on your side.”
Ember leaned regally against her staff and stroked it with long, slender fingers as she took in my surprise with sickly delight. “I wasn’t to suspend you without Ebony’s approval. I received a lot of grief from the Council for ignoring your stunt, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I could finally act.”
I frowned. “So that explains it...Darius was surprised you didn’t suspend me.”
She scoffed. “Darius is on our side and knew the truth from the beginning. Why do you think he’s been getting so close to you?”
My breath hooked, and for a faltering moment fierce pain wrenched my heart at her words...before my confidence in him caused it to evaporate. I narrowed my eyes at her. “You really expect me to believe you?”
Ember frowned. “You’re in denial?”
“Darius would never betray me. You want me to believe he would in order to turn me against him, for neither you nor my mother want us to be paired. But our connection isn’t up to you; the Universe’s magic has bound us and it’s impossible to sever us.”
Ember’s scowl deepened and Mother rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Don’t tell me you still harbor the delusion that—”
“It’s not a delusion,” I snapped. “You know we’re paired and it frightens you because it makes it more difficult to manipulate me. You’ve wanted complete control over me since the beginning.”
All trace of motherly affection vanished and her expression twisted. “Is this the game you want to play? Very well, I’ll play it with you, Edendear.” She spat out the last word like an expletive.
