Page 145 of Bound By Darkness

“Was this… was this all a lie?” I seethed as tears welled in my eyes.

He took a step forward as I countered with my own. “Nothing was a lie. I meant every word I’ve spoken to you. I despise my father, and what he’s doing. I rescued you to bring peace to Cethales.”

The back of my hand wiped a few fallen tears away as rage seeped into my pores at every word he spoke. “You’re a liar,” I hissed. “You… you killed my family. You knew this whole time!” I screamed at him.

“I didn’t. I tried to stop him, but I was a young boy who was scared to defy his orders. I didn’t want harm coming to my mother.”

“I don’t care!” I cried, my tears falling faster than I could stop them. “Your family took away mine. I will never get them back. I will never see my sister again because of yourfather,” I spat. “You chose to run away rather than face your father. You’re worse than any coward I’ve met.”

“Thalia,” he said, his eyes pleading as he looked at me.

“Leave me alone!” My fingers brushed the salt from my cheeks. “Do not come for me. Do not come to my tent. Do not… do not look at me again.”

“Please, Thalia, wait,” he said as his hand reached toward me.

“Do not use that name,Kaydn,” I hissed. “You are a stranger to me and I am done.”

As I turned from him, I bit my finger to keep from wailing as I stormed up the hillside, leaving the person I’d grown to trust behind.

“Can I get you anything?” Moria said as she combed through my wet curls, her fingers working diligently to untangle the massive knots.

“I’m fine,” I muttered, my eyes distant as I stared at the fire roaring in her tent, heat sweeping the area around us.

“It’s okay if you’re not,” she said as she pulled the comb through a particularly thick section.

“I’m fine,” I repeated, my voice a bit rough.

“Right.”

A log broke, embers releasing into the air.

“Sorry, I—” Was I even sorry?

“You don’t have to explain anything,” she said as she placed the comb on the table. “You have every right to feel the way you do.”

My head leaned back, resting against her shoulder as the events played in my mind. It had been a few days since Iva—Kaydn’s reveal, but it wasn’t getting easier.

“I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been.”

I had given him everything. I had trusted him and he’d lied to me at every corner and opportunity available. Did I even know him? Had I known him at all?

“You weren’t stupid,” Moria huffed. “He’s a Fae male, Thalia. They all lie.”

“But I should have caught all the warnings. I should have seen all the signs people were giving me and I didn’t.” My eyes shut. “I feel so stupid,” I groaned, my head burying into the crook of her arm.

Moria smacked me lightly, her arms shoving me forward. “You about ruined all of my hard work,” she said as she pointed to my hair.

“I don’t care,” I muttered.

“Well it matters to me after you made me brush it for the past hour,” she grumbled. “The last thing you’re going to do is mess it up.”

“Alright,” I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Good,” Moria said, but a bit of a smile shone through as she leaned back against her chair. “I don’t think I’m going to get used to us being in the same room without bars.”

A chuckle left my lips. “It is weird not having a barrier.”

“We’ll have to come up with a new system as I refuse to let my points wither to nothing.”

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