Page 17 of Princess Avenged

Rage detonates inside me.

I leap to my feet on the bed, glaring at Crusher. “Tell me what happened.”

The events of that horrible night flash through my mind, muddling my ability to think, almost stealing my ability to stand. The mêlée at that meeting was clearly designed to throw me into shock, mimicking the massacre of my human family, and it worked. And although they’ve denied it, it’s possible these men were in on the plan all along. Why else would they kill Timur?

But I don’t want to believe that.

“Did you kill Timur in self defense?” I ask.

Crusher shakes his head. “No. Timur’s stake was raised, but not aimed at me. He was turned toward you. I thought he was about to kill you.”

I glare at him. “Timur would never have killed me.”

“I understand that now.”

“You didn’t kill Timur to save me.” Rage boils inside me again. “You killed Timur because he got in the way of your mission. Your mission to kidnap me!”

Crusher maintains eye contact and doesn’t deny what I’ve said.

“Completing our mission was part of why I acted,” he says finally. “And, as we previously explained, our mission had expanded to take you into custody for Mariano. But it’s part of our code to protect the innocent, and I thought you were in danger.”

“You’re making excuses for killing Timur? Trying to justify it?”

Crusher blinks like my words struck him, but then nods stiffly. “Given the same set of circumstances. Given the knowledge I had at the time, there is nothing about my actions I would change.”

Crusher not only admitted he killed Timur, my friend for a hundred years, the man he thought was my mate, but he’s saying he’s glad he did it. That he’d do it again.

“Does your ‘no regrets’ assertion extend to lying to me about it?” I glare at him. “Lying to me about it for weeks?”

Crusher blinks again. The only indication my words have had any impact, that my feelings matter at all.

He clears his throat. “That part, I do regret. I should have told you sooner. Especially after…after we?—”

“After you fucked me?” The word comes out harsh.

He flinches again, but it’s barely perceptible. Crusher shows zero remorse for killing my long-time blood partner, my friend. I can’t even look at him right now.

I leap off the bed, needing to put distance between us. Turning toward the wall, I cross my arms over my chest, hoping they’ll hold me together.

“I should have told you,” Crusher says stiffly. “I should have told you regardless, but especially after we?—”

I turn back toward him, glaring, fires of anger and hatred rising inside me and shooting out toward him.

Crusher is a liar. He’s probably lying about Phil being dead too. At this point I wouldn’t put anything past him. Plus, every part of my gut, every part of my soul, tells me that Phil’s still alive.

“Are you lying about Phil, too?” I spit out. “I can tell there’s something else you haven’t told me.”

His head bows for a second, and then his gaze returns to mine. “In the interest of full disclosure, there is one more detail you should know.”

I stagger back, bumping into a mahogany dresser. “What?”

My last accusation was a bluff. My heart races and my stomach flips.

What hasn’t he told me? Did he actually lie about Phil being dead?

I’m flooded with alternate explanations for Phil not coming to the palace with Crusher.

What if Phil left me?

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