He lifted his other hand, revealing the pixie dust. He’d swiped it off Gabrielle when they were fighting. The guards shot more water out at him, but it was too late.
“I’m sorry, Lilypad. I need you to remember that I meant every word I said.”
“What are you about to do?” My stomach dropped to the floor.
“No!” Gabrielle screamed from next to me, getting to her feet.
Penn dumped some of the dust into his hand, then dropped it onto the mirror. Glass shattered into thousands of pieces, a bright light flashing. I covered my eyes from the blinding glow.
He’d done it. He destroyed it. But why had he been sorry?
“Liliath?” I heard, and I stopped breathing.
I’d dreamt of that voice night after night for the past two years. I’d have given anything to hear it again. It couldn’t be real.
I removed my hand, and my father stood there, staring down at me, tears shining in his eyes.
My gaze flicked to Penn, who now stood and held Gabrielle’s sword in his hand, pointing it directly at my father’s throat.
Chapter Fifty
The water’s hold on me weakened, and I rushed forward, pushing myself in between the sword and my father.
“What are you doing?” I hissed at Penn. “This is my father. He is not your enemy. I know there’s a lot of complicated history between Elwen and Mosswood Forest?—”
Penn didn’t move his sword.
I sent a pleading look toward Gabrielle as her guards surrounded us, water spears out. “Please just give us a moment,” I said. “I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit, but please, Gabrielle. It’s my father. He’s here.”
Her gaze was hard, and she stared at me for a long minute before giving a firm nod. Her guards lowered their weapons. I turned back to Penn, his sword still pointed at my father’s neck.
“What has gotten into you?” I asked. “I know you have no love for my father, but this is extreme.”
“You knew,” my father said slowly, his voice hoarse, his dark brown eyes focused on Penn. “You knew this entire time, didn’t you?”
I looked between them. “Knew what? What is going on?”
But neither man looked at me, their gazes locked on each other.
“He knew I was trapped in this mirror,” my father said, “imprisoned by your stepmother to be her eyes and ears in my own court.”
“No.” I shook my head. “No, Penn wouldn’t lie about that...”
I trailed off, recognizing all the things I’d missed. The holes in those conversations I’d overheard between him and Wayfinder, how Penn wouldn’t let me look at the mirror, how he’d kept trying to tell me the truth in different ways.
Except he didn’t tell me.
I was furious.
“You,” I snarled at him. “How could you?”
Penn’s face remained a stone mask, the man I’d spent all day in bed with yesterday no longer standing in front of me. “I know he’s your father, but he doesn’t deserve to live, Lilypad.”
“Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare.” My voice shook.
“He killed my parents.” Penn’s grip on the sword tightened.
“Because they betrayed Elwen!” I said. “I know the false king and queen were your parents, and I’m sorry for their deaths, but they started a war.”
