“It has,” I agree.
“I wasn’t sure I believed that you would come. I always knew you were fierce and brave, but I suppose I should stop underestimating you.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes again. “I’m not sure I can trust the sincerity of that compliment.”
Her red lips curve up. “I can understand that. But it is sincere. For the record, I’m sorry for my role in your harm. Your sister’s too.”
I frown. “What exactly was your role in that?”
My sister was targeted by an older demon, who believed her to be the crown prince’s chosen mate. He manipulated her into the Akrasia Games, where she could have died. So far as I know, Bea had no role in that. What she did do, was get me an invitation into the Akrasia Games when I was seeking information on them.
Bea huffs and sits in the chair across from me. “Getting to the point quickly, I see.” Her eyes drift to the stone table, distant and somber. “My role in your harm was simply that I invited you to the game initiation.”
“Which is exactly what I was hoping for at the time.”
“But it nearly resulted in your and Jarron’s death.”
Nothing new there, except the apology. “So how about your role in my sister’s harm?” Anticipation coils in my stomach.
She presses her lips together and looks down at her lap. “I—” She closes her mouth and takes in a long breath. “I intended to confess this information to you during this meeting, but it’s harder than I expected to get the words out. This is my most shameful act. The crime that haunts me.”
My stomach sinks, but finally, my mind is sharp and in the moment. The only thing I’m concerned with is the demoness in front of me and whatever damning information she’s about to spill.
“I am the one who told Vincent… about Jarron choosing a mate.”
My blood runs cold at that admission. My mind spins, trying to put all the pieces together. Someone told Vincent Vandozer that Liz was Jarron’s mate, which is why he targeted her, but we never knew who began the rumors.
The identity of a High Orizian’s chosen mate is supposed to be a sacred secret until the mateship is accepted.
Which means, if Bea is the one that passed along this information then she’s the one responsible forall of this.That’s what she’s telling me.
My lungs squeeze, making it hard to breathe.
“Drink,” she whispers.
I wince. I’ve already taken a sip and felt the brief relief, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s safe.
“I will not harm you, I swear it. I understand you questioning my motives and my morality, but I also believe you know that I need your help.”
I force the hot mug up to my lips and gulp down the tonic. The liquid burns my throat, but the moment it warms my chest, my tension eases.
I breathe deeply, trying to help the soothing feeling take root.
“Why should I trust you? Or help you, for that matter, if you’re the one that caused all of this?” I try to remind myself that I need to keep her on my good side, or there would be literally no reason for her not to kill me. She needs to think I can be an ally, not an enemy.
She winces. “My information made it possible, yes. And I’m sincerely sorry about that. It was a mistake. A terrible mistake. But I did not know what Vincent would do with the information. I didn’t know about the games or his schemes for an uprising. I had no idea he would go after your sister. I didn’t even know that’s what happened until far too late.”
I take another long pull of the tonic, allowing the calming nature to relax my body and mind so I can think clearly. “Why then?” I ask. “Why did you tell him?”
She sighs. “Because I was a foolish child. Both cocky that I knew something he didn’t and bitter because you got the better prince.”
My eyes widen. “The better prince?”
She shrugs. “I was naive. Selfish. Stupid. I loved Trevor, but this was before I’d let him mark me. Before I felt his devotion and the rightness of our bond. I’d been raised to believe I deserved to be a princess. Jarron could give me the right to rule; Trevor could not. I was jealous.”
“And so, you enacted a plan to become queen anyway.”
“No,” she stammers. “No, I never had that intention. As much as I was an egotistical idiot, I’d never have wanted to harm Jarron. Ever.”
