Page 79 of Their Pretty Little Monster

It’s difficult to have feelings toward someone I’ve never met, someone who abandoned my mother and me, who left us ostracized in a village that ended up hating us. My whole life, I’ve desperately wanted to know who my father is… to ask him why he never returned, never wanted to meet his daughter.

Yet, the unsettling sensation that I’m now with a powerful Shadowfen who intends to kill him dawns heavily on me. I frown, my hands shaking in my lap.

“It’s a lot to take in, and why we’ve taken our time to tell you.”

“But I had a right to know,” I answer curtly.

“Yeah, you did. But your father’s actions have impacted us all, so it’s not that straightforward.”

“Then why not just summon a portal and pop into his kingdom and get your revenge when he least expects it?” Anger simmers in my veins.

He sighs. “It’s not that simple, Sage. A portal can only be summoned to take you out of our world and back, not across Blight. And we tried having Killian transport himself from Earth right into the kingdom, but it backfired. They have magic around their island, and Killian was thrown back into Earth.”

The reality hits hard, and part of the stings is that if he’d wanted to visit us, he couldn’t have.

Thoughts fly in every direction, dread squeezing my gut at his revelation about Wolfe.

Shifting in my seat, I ask, “So, Wolfe is the true heir to the kingdom?”

“Yes, he is now the rightful King of Silvercrest Kingdom.”

I swallow hard, trying to come to terms with the news, with everything I’ve learned since arriving in this world—the reason for them living on this vessel, why Wolfe and the other two are in charge. My thoughts spiral on what Killian had said to me in Nightingale Village… that he’s been searching for me. That I’m needed.

He’s watching me intently. “Are you all right?”

I blink at him, my words pouring out, “Why was I brought to Blight?”

He doesn’t respond instantly, and his face is stoic, blank of any emotions. But when he doesn’t answer, I do it for him.

“You were all planning on using me to get to my father, weren’t you?” My voice trembles with a mix of anger and betrayal. “That’s why you brought me here—to use me as bait or have me convince him. Whatever it is, you three were going to use me to your benefit!”

“Sage, it’s not that simple,” Nyko replies, his face blanching, that serious expression confirming my worst fears.

So, all those things about Killian and Wolfe being my true mates, them bringing out emotions in me… was it all fake? Did they trick me? My heart’s galloping, the courtyard tilting, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. Pushing my chair back, I jolt to my feet.

“You’ve all been using me this whole time.”

“Sage,” Nyko states, reaching for me, but I flinch away from him and dart across the courtyard, bursting into the busy marketplace. I glance back to see him coming after me.

Betrayal churns in my gut, and I hate that I feel anything for them. I turn and push myself into the crowds and down a path on my left to get away from him.

At that exact moment, something sharp jabs me in the side of the neck.

I cry out as my knees buckle.

Dizziness comes so quickly that I have no time to react before my world darkens, and I fall.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

SAGE

Igasp for air, startling awake, convinced I’m back in Wolfe’s bed, having slept an entire day after the strangest dream of spending a day with Nyko. Opening my eyes, yawning, I roll onto my back, the bed rock-hard and cold.

Wait, this isn’t right!

That’s when a horrifying hiss fills the room.

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