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We were out of the parking garage before I spoke. “I know of the night you spoke of earlier—"
“I don’t want to talk about it, you lying murderer.”
I snorted and she glared at me. “I’m not the one lying all the time.”
“What are you talking about?” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.
“You lied about what side of the bed you sleep on and sleeping with men. You also lied about poisoning me.”
She looked over. I didn’t have the energy to glare back at her as she did me.
“How did you know?”
“I guess you’ll find out soon enough. If you know now, it might save me a headache later when you don’t believe what I’m telling you.” I winced against a headache forming behind my eyes. “You think the Love element is useless, but it isn’t. Don’t try to lie to me again. I know when you lie.”
Her eyes widened as she drove and stared at the road. “You can tell I lie because your element tells you so?”
“You and everyone else who speaks a lie. It’s rather annoying. Also, I cannot tell a lie. Whatever leaves my mouth is the truth.”
Her eyes widened more, and she looked over at me.
“You can never lie?”
“Never.” I looked forward again. “That is why Nate didn’t kill me this morning when you tested his patience. He knows what my Love element does. He knows I have to speak the truth. Those aren’t the only things that particular element can do, but it’s what I’m sharing today.”
“If I asked you to continue…” Tessa hedged.
“I’d tell you that I’d probably throw up on you.”
“Fair enough.”
A few minutes passed, but I needed something to distract me from the ache in my stomach and the threat of throwing up again.
“What else do you have planned for me? Before you kill me, that is?”
Her smile was evil and filled with cunning. “It will spoil the surprise, and my fun, if I tell you now.”
“You’ll need to wait until the Mindolin is destroyed to kill me.”
She growled. “Yeah, I heard. Puts a damper on my plan.”
“Do not hurt my family. Leave them out of this for now, and I’ll take whatever you dish at me.” Giving in didn’t sit as badly as I’d have thought. My Love element was back to making a nuisance of itself, wanting to curl up inside her.
“Oh, that seems too easy.” She sounded all too pleased with my surrender. “Why should I agree to leave your family alone and focus on you?”
“They need their heads in the game. Another stunt like today, and the talks may be called off. You are the representative for the Harbor Witches, you and Nate, and whether or not I think he’s an idiot, Nate thought you could do the job, so do it. Your vendetta will be here when it’s over. My siblings and the leaders of the races are the only people standing between the Mindolin and world destruction.”
“And you aren’t?”
“I’m standing with them. I’m also standing beside two feisty Earth Elementals, one of whom is pregnant. I need to keep her and the babies alive or it won’t be the Mindolin who destroys the world, but my brother. I’m also standing between you and Nate and any danger that comes at you. I’m also a freakin’ lie detector. And somehow, I have to withstand all the crap Alex the Healing Lord is giving me over the poisoning and live through any physical punishments he hands out because of it.” I needed to start the day over.
“Nate doesn’t know my plan. Do not tell him.”
The safety and comfort I normally felt while turning into Drew’s drive and riding up the driveway to his house didn’t come to me as Tessa turned into the drive. My heart sank as I realized that my home, my place to relax and get my head on straight, had been tainted. I felt betrayed.
“Nate will not find out as long as my family is safe and you do not do anything to harm the birth of Jazz’s and Drew’s babies. That is the only deal I am giving. If you do not agree, I will shout your treachery the moment this door opens.”
“Deal.”
