AllFreeNovel
Share Us
By God, it couldn’t be true. I knew him. Devere would never hurt me like that. He’d never trap me, knowing all he did about me. But if he had, and he knew what he’d done as we’d lain together last night, was my love a game to him? Was I a puppet to make dance?
“Devere is the puppet master…” I whispered, understanding why he’d feared meeting my gaze. Understandingso much more.
“Yes. For my part, when Jacapo came to me years ago, stricken with grief, I saw an opportunity. And I made a monster. It seemed like a fabulous way to pass the time, but I did not expect my monster to be so enthralling, so perfect, so very unique. I did not expect to love him—”
“Love?”
I loved a man who had stolen my whole life, controlled my every dream, manipulated my hopes, coordinated my every wish.
“I have tried to make others,” Adair went on. “But none have come close. He is ruthless and brilliant, and his mastery outshines even my ability. But this game has endured too long. And he knows it. If he surrenders to me, leaves this store, this town, and this game behind, his surrender will set you free.”
“What will become of Devere when all this is over?”
“I will take him away. That is all you need to know.”
Take him away, remove him, and I’d get my life back, my real life. Whatever was left of it.
“I need you to convince him to do the right thing,” Adair said. “He will not listen to me.”
“I can’t…” I couldn’t look at Devere. I couldn’t see him again knowing he’d masterminded everything. But I had to know if Adair was telling the truth. I had to look in Devere’s sorry eyes and know whether he’d kept me in a cage because, long ago, I’d made a mistake. “You need to leave.”
He breathed in, held my gaze, then rose to his feet. “Human lives are so terribly short. At least you have lived a hundred of them.”
“If what you’re saying is true, I’ve yet to live a single one.” My voice trembled, my heart had turned to ice in my chest, and somewhere far off, somewhere deep in my soul, I screamed.
“Well, I suppose that’s true enough. There is an easy way to end this. He chooses me, and you’ll go free.”
I listened to the fae’s soft footfalls as he left the store. The bell tinkled over the shop door. The fire crackled, the clocks ticked, the trains clattered down their narrow tracks. It was all a terrible lie, one after another, layered together like one of Devere’s clockwork toys.
I rose, numb and empty, and drifted toward the train tracks and their little make-believe village through which they trundled. Tiny, frozen model people raised their hands as though waving at each passing train. My gaze landed on the model church, and the two boys in the graveyard, seated hand in hand beside a weeping angel. How had I not seen them before?
One had dark hair, one sandy blond. I picked up the boy with dark hair. The toymaker’s son. I’d betrayed him, yes. I’d been among the boys who had beaten him for being different, for being queer. And that was wrong. But what he’d done to me… That was cruel.
It was monstrous.
I marched across the store and tossed the model boy into the fire.
All of this, the clocks, the puzzles, the colorful rugs, the smell of cinnamon and toffee, the noise, the warmth, the snow outside, the love I’d felt.
It was all an intricate lie, made by the puppet master. Made by Devere.
My heart thumped against my ribs. Blood throbbed through my head. I stumbled against the counter where I’d first seen him reading the book about the wonder and wickedness of the fae. A book about him, with his father’s comments in the margins.Monster. Mistake.
I spied the poker beside the fireplace, and my racing heart slowed.
I knew what had to be done.
ChapterThirty-Nine
Devere
Rochefort Manor’s windows were dark on arrival. I climbed from the carriage and knocked at the door. Adair usually had staff to answer, even if he was elsewhere, but the door remained closed.
I cupped my hands against the nearest window. The fireplace was cold, and white sheets covered all the furniture, as though the house had been closed for the season. I’d never seen it so empty. Had Adair finally vacatedmyfantasy world? It was too much to hope that he’d given up completely on pursuing me. He’d likely be back. But his absence would give me more time with Val.
I returned to the carriage and had the driver take me to town.
Last night, I’d loved Val in so many new yet terrifying ways. And Val had loved me in ways I hadn’t known were possible.
