Page 62 of The Secret Life of a Witch

Yet another thing I didn’t know about her.

Slowly, the shadow starts to shift into her. Well, the dead version of her, with long, blonde lily white hair; big, blue, bloodshot eyes; and pale skin. The sight of her brings me zero comfort, only anger.

“You lied to be,” I bite out, stopping in my tracks. “All my life, you and our parents—your parents—lied to me. Even Hunter and Opal, my only real friends. I guess nothing was real, was it?”

“That’s not true,” she insists. “How we feel about you, that is real. We all care about you, Eva. And you and I might not be blood-related, but you’re still my sister … Always will be.”

I shake my head, fighting back tears. “If that were true—if you really cared about me—you would’ve told me the truth a long time ago.” I swallow hard. “Honestly, I don’t even think I believe you. After lying to me for all those years, who’s to say you’re not lying to me now?”

Tears flood her eyes. “Eva, I’m so sorry we did this to you,” she whispers. “I really am. There were so many times I wanted to tell you … But the society wouldn’t let me—wouldn’t let any of us.” She stares down at her hands. “I wasn’t the only one who wanted to tell you the truth. Hunter did, too.” She looks up at me. “He really cares about you.”

I grit my teeth. “Did he tell you to say that?” I ask, and she nods. “How? Can he, like, communicate with the dead, too, or something?”

She shakes her head. “No. But he knew if he talked to me, I’d hear him. Just like he knew that I’d eventually come here and pass along the message.”

“Sounds like you know each other well.” I mentally curse the jealousy that creeps into my tone.

“It’s not like that, Eva. Hunter and I are just friends.”

“Yeah, I thought we were, too.” Pressure builds in my chest as I realize that maybe we never were anything. That perhaps I was just Hunter’s job, and that all those years of being in love with him was wasted time.

“You two are more than friends, and I think you know that.” Her voice is soft and cautious.

I shake my head, staring down at the ground. “I don’t know anything anymore.” I really don’t.

Everything I thought I knew was a lie. All lies. Every single day.

Sucking in an uneven breath, I raise my head and meet her gaze. “Why are you here?”

“To see you. To make sure you’re okay.” She gives an elongated pause. “And to see if you can help us figure out where you are.”

“I’m fine,” I tell her. “As for where I am, I can’t help you.”

She frowns. “You don’t have any idea?”

I shake my head. “All I know is that Max took me to some demon lair, but I don’t know where it is.”

“Max?” she questions with a raise of her brows. “Is that the demon who kidnapped you?”

I nod. “Or, well, it’s what he told me to call him. I’m not sure if it’s his real name or not.” I hug my arms around myself as the wind picks up. “He’s also the one who rescued you from the tunnels.”

She tenses. “The one you made the deal with to free me?”

I nod again. “But taking me wasn’t part of the deal.”

“Then why did he take you?”

“I have no idea. He did say he was going to bring me back.”

That doesn’t seem to relax her the slightest bit. “Eva, you can’t trust demons.”

“Well, I don’t really have a choice, do I?” I pause, trying to bite back the cruel words wanting to fall from my tongue. They slip out, anyway. “Besides, Max has been more honest with me than any of you have.” When she winces, I sigh. “Sorry, but it’s the truth.”

Her mouth curves into a broken-hearted frown. “I know. And I’m so sorry for that.” She exhales loudly. “I’m going to make it up to you. From now on, I’ll tell you the truth, no matter what. But first, we need to save you, and in order to do that, I need you to try to help us figure out where you are.”

“I already told you I have no idea. I just know I’m in a demon lair.”

“How did you get to the demon lair?”

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