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“That’s it?” Rinya asks, sounding disappointed.
“What more can I say?” the woman counters. “That’s the story of why I stole the undergarments and shoes.”
Talodus bites at his lower lip before gently inquiring, “Do you know why they were stalking Ada?”
“They wouldn’t admit anything about her, even when I confronted them.” She shakes her head as if to ward off the memories. “Poko would get so angry when I asked. He told me this thing between him and me was out of convenience, and he had no intentions of our connection being a lasting relationship. That was the day before he dis—”
“I killed him,” I interrupt, confessing so she doesn’t doubt the severity of the situation we’re currently in.
“He was a good man,” she declares, rising out of her chair as if she can’t contain her outrage.
“He tried to rape me,” I snap, refusing to sugarcoat anything. I want to add bits of Rin’s story to my admission, but I won’t overstep. “He attacked me from behind, broke my nose, ripped the buttons from my clothing as he choked me. And I wasn’t the only one. Poko admitted to raping others. He wasn’t a good man; he played you for a fool. It happens to the best of us.”
There’s a beat of silence where she simply stares at me, processing what I’ve just said. Something in her expression evolves as the truth sinks in. I won’t pity her, but I do feel the urge to hug her.
“I thought he loved me,” she quietly claims, her voice cracking. “That they loved me, and you were the issue.”
“Ada’s arrival saved you from a lifetime of misery with two men who were using you to cover the tracks of their crimes,” Rinya spits, her ire boiling over at this woman’s naivety. “You were the person they planned to use as proof they hadn’t done anything wrong. They expected you to lie for them to your queen.”
“What do you want me to do with her?” Tal asks, blocking the doorway.
“Nothing. She’s suffered enough between the heartbreak and the knowledge that the men she loved are dead.” I turn my attention from Talodus and Rinya to the woman before me, hoping my expression doesn’t show my lie. “You will no longer work in the palace. And you will not steal. If you’re caught committing crimes again, I will punish you for your past and present transgressions.”
She nods, tears pooling along her lashes, though none tip over the edge. I’m grateful to see her emotions. Her actions in this moment allow me to believe many of these people deserve a second chance. That I can lead and not be merciless.
“Please,” I softly beg, my chest clenching. “Do not make me the villain of your story. I do not wish to start my reign as your enemy. I’m willing to call this incident water under the bridge, but I need assurances that you can move forward, too. So let me explain.”
I wait for her to look into my eyes before I continue. “At no point did I court them or spend any time with them. I saw Cotear when I was in the general store, but I was always with Rinya. I saw Poko a few times; however, most of them happened while I was with my lovers or Rin. There was never a moment where I called upon them at night, sought them out, or did anything in attempts to gain their attention.
“The night Poko attacked me, he told me he was doing it to hurt Ecaeris. He was doing it for his queen, the old Shade queen, to weaken the Everwar dynasty so Nesta Valestorm could exact her revenge for a perceived grievance. And that grievance has nothing to do with the people who’ve been hurt. Not us. Not the Mongrels. And not the Shades.”
I take her hands in mine. “I’m sorry your heart is broken and you’re mourning your losses. But please, don’t let that turn you away from the light within yourself. Don’t let the pain fester into a pit of darkness that swallows you whole. I look forward to watching you become a florist or a blacksmith or—”
“A baker,” she cuts in.
“Or a baker.” I smile. “When you do great things on your own, and have confidence that you can be whole by yourself, your next relationship will prove to be that much stronger. We aren’t fragile; we’re all warriors in our own right.”
She softly chuckles. “I guess I should dust off my armor.”
“I think so,” I murmur, more to myself than anyone else. “I imagine we all should.”
13
ADELAIDE
DAY SIXTY-THREE
Connak leans against a tree as he waits for me to finish inspecting Cotear’s camp. It’s in a sensible location, far enough away from the village for no one to spot him, but close enough to the shore to enjoy the ocean’s music at night.
I doubt he’s been back since they first found it, but I’m still curious why he’s hanging around.
There have been no incidents in the village that would lead me to believe he’s just visiting our tribe. And no one really knows much about him or how he got here.
“You’re sure he’s a Howler?” I ask Connak for the tenth time.
“As sure as I can be without asking him,” he snarks.
I shake my head at his attitude. “How would a Howler blend into the Mongrels without someone noticing? Feeling the difference in power like they do with the Shades?”
