He gave me a soft smile, then gently squeezed my hand with his other. “Now, don’t go pitying me—I know you hate when people do it to you.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled, then sat up straight, our hands disconnecting. “Igon?”
His smile faded. “Yes?”
Mine was now gone as well, and I bit my lip before speaking. “Do you…have you seen anything about Torrin?”
There was a gentleness to his features. “He is alive if that is what you are asking.”
My shoulders sagged, and I looked to the floor. “I just can’t believe he has stayed away for so long. This was his home, after all.”
It was quiet, and Igon let out a shaky exhale. “It was me.”
To that, my head sprang right up. I had to have heard him wrong. “What did you say?”
He kept his expression neutral, but I could see the guilt in his eyes. “I am the one who sent him away, more or less.”
When his words registered, I sprang to my feet, gripping the desk in anguish. When Torrin had left, I immediately went to Igon, who at the time told me he knew nothing of it.
“You lied to me,” I gritted out. Any bit of sympathy or warm feeling for Igon was gone at that moment. “Why? What did you say to him?”
Igon clasped his fingers together. He just stared at me.
I could feel the flames burning inside me, and I slammed my fist on his desk, the little trinkets on top of it rattling in response. “Damnit, Igon! You lied to me!” It was taking everything in me not to unleash hell on his library. “Tell me why!”
He looked at me for a few moments, and just before I was going to explode, he spoke. “I told him to leave because of his growing feelings toward you.”
I blinked several times, wanting so badly to have heard him wrong. “You forced him to leave because he desired me?” I asked with dark calmness. If my voice didn’t portray my anger, I knew my eyes and shaking limbs did.
Igon winced. “Forced isn’t the correct word. Strongly suggested,” he said cautiously. “It is known who your Soul-Tie is, Lena. It isn’t Torrin.”
I let out a shaky exhale.
Calm the flames, calm the flames.
My hands were clenched so hard into the wood that I wouldn’t be all that surprised if my fingers were indented into it. “Ames washishome, not mine. If you cared so much for who I ended up with, then it should’ve beenmeyou suggested to leave.” I shook my head in disbelief. “The Prince is married. It doesn’t matter who my Soul-Tie is!”
It was true that the news of his marriage a year ago completely wrecked me. But Silas believed me to be dead. Of course he would move on.
Igon tensed. “I know you are angry—”
“Angry? I am furious.” I seethed. “What, I am just supposed to be partnerless for the rest of my days? Just becauseyouare okay being alone your entire life doesn’t mean everyone else is.”
Igon flinched, actually flinched at those words, then pointed to the door. “Leave,” he said calmly. “Take some time to cool off. You’ll see things more clearly later.”
I bared my teeth. “Where is he?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Where IS HE?” I cried, and my fists erupted in flame, Igon’s desk catching fire. I backed away nervously, and Igon cursed as he pushed the contents of his desk onto the ground and frantically ran to the washroom sink, filling a bucket with water. Though he could also wield fire, attempting to calm another Mage's flames was a difficult, if not impossible, task.
I just stood there, my mouth forming a tight line as I studied the flames. I should feel remorse, but I didn’t. Even letting out a small bit of fire did nothing to relieve the anger.
Igon poured the bucket over the top of his desk, successfully extinguishing the flames. He looked at me in disappointment.
“I won’t forgive you for this,” I hissed, and with that, I walked out.
Chapter Thirty-One
