“She’ll tell us everything whether she’s ready or not.” My jaw clenched as I said the next words, “Call Delara in.”
Keir nodded as he put his hand on his wife’s arm when she opened her mouth. No doubt to object. Anstice was an incredible Healer, but she was new to the Scars and still had to learn to never question me.
I pushed away from the doorframe I leaned against and turned away from them. Reaching into my pocket, I took out my candy container, opened it, and spilled a tiny pill into my palm before tossing it in my mouth. Every time I popped a pill, it reminded me of Delara. She begged me to give them up. If I ever laughed, it would have been then, because if she knew anything about what I’d endured for over sixty years, she would know that giving up the pills was impossible.
A hand touched my forearm and everything inside me reacted as I jerked away and spun so quickly, I knocked Anstice back a few steps.
Christ. It was an instinctive reaction to a woman’s touch. Any woman’s, except Delara’s. I had learned to control the reaction with the pills, but she’d surprised me. I didn’t like surprises.
Anstice backed away. “I’m sorry.”
Keir took Anstice’s hand and pulled her in to his side then leaned in to her and whispered something.
Finn barked and whined as he looked from me to Anstice to Keir and back again. Then he bowed his head and ambled out of the foyer and into the living room. Smart dog. Don’t pick sides.
“Kilter may object to her being questioned,” I said. The Visionary had trust issues, and after sending him to Rest for six months, his issues would be worse. “Make certain he does not attempt to leave with her.”
“He refuses to listen to anything I say,” Keir admitted.
I continued, “Have everyone here in three hours. No exceptions.”
Keir nodded.
Then I gave them the bad news. “Trinity will also be attending the meeting to discuss the witch, Abby.”
Keir cursed.
Anstice gasped, but it wasn’t from my words. It was from the front door opening and who walked in at that exact moment.
Delara.
Jedrik sauntered in after her grinning. His eyes hit me, then Anstice and Keir then to Delara, who stood frozen, a stunned expression on her face. It was as if I’d just slapped her across the face. Yeah, she definitely heard what I’d said.
“What’s going on?” Jedrik asked, grin fading.
“Library,” I ordered Delara.
Trinity was coming here? To the Talde house? I glared at Waleron for several seconds as Anstice and Keir slipped away while Jedrik squeezed my hand before telling me through telepathy to keep my cool.
Fine, Tac wanted to chat, I’d chat, but it wasn’t going to be friendly when it involved Trinity. I tilted my chin up and brushed past him into the library. This would just be another one of our fuel-charged arguments. There was so much anger, passion, and heat between us that it was impossible to be in the same room together and not have combustion.
I was about self-destruction and Waleron was about ultimate control. The two could not mix.
I jerked as Waleron shut the door and leaned up against it, arms crossed as if to block my escape. “You’re still seeing Liam.”
Fuck. What the hell? How did he find out? I noticed he avoided the words sleeping, fucking, or having sex with. I refused to bend under his cool intensity when I replied, “Yeah.”
“You fuckin’ lied to me!” His pulse throbbed in his temples. Shit, he was mad. Like livid mad. He didn’t swear unless he was about to lose his shit. So, yeah, he was about to lose his shit.
I swallowed. “Not really. I did stop sleeping with him.”
“Why, Delara?”
Because I had no choice. “To protect someone.” A half-lie. How could I tell him the truth, though? How was I supposed to tell him I’d been pregnant all those years ago? That Liam was threatening my child’s life? A child that had been born dead, and yet I couldn’t take the chance that he was telling the truth.
“Abby,” he stated.
He knew about Abby? I fiddled with the pockets of my khaki cargo pants, nails digging into the material. Tears threatening to fall and I pinched my thighs.
I inhaled a ragged breath. “We didn’t tell you about her because you’re obligated to tell the Wraiths. They’d have killed her, Tac.”
“Our law has changed since Balen—”
I interrupted, “For Scars, not witches, and you’re so goddamn loyal to them that you’d have handed her over like a mouse to a snake.” I bowed my head, needing a moment to escape his ice-blue eyes that used to look at me with such adoration.
Waleron’s voice hardened. “You think so poorly of me?” I looked up and his brows rose. I didn’t say anything. “Yes, I’m obligated to inform the Wraiths, but I protect all, including the witches when need be.”
“You think you have the power to do that?” I shook my head, jagged strands falling in front of my eyes. “You don’t. Not from this.”
Waleron remained quiet and I forced myself to keep my eyes on him despite wanting to look away. Everything in my body came alive when I was near him, and it hurt like hell. No, it was more than that. It was as if I was being killed over and over again.
“If I stay with Liam, he won’t go after Abby,” I said.
“No!” Waleron shouted. He ran a hand over his shaved head and broke eye contact. Every muscle flexed with frustration, and it appeared like he was looking for something to smash his fist into. But he wouldn’t. This was Tac. “And you think he’ll let you just walk away? When? When, Delara?” he said.