Page 95 of Winterfall Destiny

"I kinda understand why he did. We all know what Tobias was like back then, just never specifics. Knowing exact details won't change anything. Unless…" Shit. "Did he kill someone else we should know about?"

Maeve drags hair from her face, silent long enough for my heart to beat faster. "No. But Tobias once had a relationship with Anastasia."

I blink. "He what? What type of relationship? When?"

"Before the killings." She snorts. "Well, before the Winterfall killings."

"Not since?" I ask, voice hardening. "Because if he had anything to do with the shit at the academy, I can't deal with him being here. Was he their spy?"

"Tobias says not, and I believe him." She hugs the cushion tight to her chest. "But why didn't he tell me?"

I bark a laugh. "Because he's Tobias Whitlock? That guy will take his secrets to the grave."

"Apart from he's immortal," she reminds me.

"As is Gabriella and we're gonna kill her." I pause and study Maeve closer through the dim, and my chest grips tight. "Have you been crying?"

"This seems like such a big thing to hide from me. Us. It hurts." Her throat bobs. "And I know that sounds weird when Tobias has done so much worse."

Like killing her whole family? Yeah, that tops everything in my books. But whatever, this upset Maeve and weighs on her. She's bang in the middle of bullshit that'll drag her down. Again.

"Right." I stand and hold out a hand to pull Maeve up. "Get your shoes on."

"What?"

"We're going out. To that cafe we passed the other night."

Maeve stares as if I'm insane. "Now? We can't."

"Uh. We can. It's five minutes away."

"No. But we can't."

I beckon her to take my hand. "Why? Because we'll be alone? I'll tell Jamie." As I pull Maeve to her feet, she looks at me doubtfully. "Hey, if we're really lucky we might find a Dominion or two to take out."

"You're serious?" she asks.

I stroke hair from Maeve's pale face, heart tearing for her again that she's hit with one more thing to deal with. "You didn't want me to fetch you a drink, so I'll take you to one." I sigh. "You're not going to bed with all this in your head; you'd never sleep. Get your shoes on. Now."

I scout around the room until I find her black sneakers. Pointedly placing them at her feet, I leave to head upstairs.

"Don't say anything to him about what I told you," she says from behind me, and I smile to myself that she's agreed to leave.

I pause and look back. "Him? Jamie or Tobias?"

"Both."

Darkness shrouds the second floor apart from a soft orange glow from Jamie's room. As I tell him, he's curious why, asking if Maeve's okay, but doesn't try to talk me out of going—probably because he knows I'll ignore him. I've left Jamie's room before he can protest anyway, heading back towards Maeve before she changes her mind.

As I stride towards the stairs, I spot Tobias standing in the doorway to the bedroom he took. I bite down hard on my lip to stop me saying anything but meet his eyes. I've no doubt the guy sweeps my mind the moment I look at him.

Here's a thought for you, Tobias: yeah, I know.

I'll never understand everything, including how Maeve can forgive Tobias for the Winterfalls, but I do understand that sometimes keeping secrets is worse than telling lies.

He half-smiles at me. "Do you really think so, Ash?"

I've nothing to say to Tobias's mind reading, or to him, and I walk away.

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