Page 74 of The Other Side of the Mirror

Rivan looked both ways down the hall, purposefully closing the door behind them before saying imploringly, “You can’t just not tell her.”

I knew I should tell them I was here. But the déjà vu of how I discovered Aviel’s deception had stolen the air from my lungs. And I froze, just as I had then.

Bash’s hand dragged down his face. I leaned carefully against the door, trying to get a better look at his expression even as I laid my palm over my pounding heart, trying to breathe.

Only, my heart stopped working entirely when Bash said, “You need to be more discreet. I think Eva’s back in her room, but she could’ve overheard.”

I stiffened at my name on his lips, my darkness wrapping around me as though it could hold me together. Shaking, I pressed my ear to the door. Needing to hear exactly what they were saying now that I was sure it was about me—something Bash didn’t want me to know.

A sharp ache flared in my chest at how much that realization hurt.

“Eva needs to know and drawing it out isn’t helping either of you after what happened,” Rivan said in a hushed tone, that deep voice rumbling in distaste.

Acid filled my mouth, and not from leftover bile. The thought of Bash breaking my trust after what we had shared last night…

He’s not Aviel. He wouldn’t do that to me.

“She’s not ready,” Bash countered. “After what happened to her, she may not be for a while.”

A burst of anger flattened my mouth into a thin line as I listened to him decide what was best for me without so much as discussing it with me.

“Maybe it would help,” Rivan insisted softly. “To know that she’s meant to be yours.”

His words echoed hollowly as I realized exactly what they were talking about.

He knew…he knows.They had all known, I realized. Because if Rivan did, I didn’t doubt Yael and Marin knew too.

And no one had bothered to tell me.

You didn’t tell him either, a callous voice reminded me over the sudden staccato of my breathing.

My heart was thudding so loudly I thought they might hear it. Hammering in vain against the vise squeezing in my chest.

“I don’t think she’s ready for any part of that yet,” Bash said wearily. “And I’m not going to force the bond on her. She’s been through enough.”

“But if she belongs to?—”

“To whom do I belong, exactly?”

It might have been funny how quickly they stopped talking if my heart wasn’t breaking.

The door hit the wall behind me, ricocheting from how hard I had yanked it open. I touched the hilt of the dagger on my hip as though it could ground me and saw Bash swallow as he followed the movement. The shock on his face quickly transformed into something akin to guilt.

“Please, hellion. It’s not what you think.”

Was that panic in his voice?

Good.

My blade trembled at my side, and it was then I realized I was shaking.

The darkness around me hadn’t dissipated at my reveal, just gathered behind me as if waiting to strike. I saw shadows appear at Bash’s fingertips in response, as if they were drawn by my night…and, maybe, they were.

Rivan took a step toward the door, his face grave, and Bash ushered him away with a flick of his hand. He was probably off to tell the others. But I couldn’t think about anything beyond the guilty look on Bash’s face.

Something twisted inside my chest. Howlonghad he kept this from me? How long had the rest of them known? It couldn’t have been before they handed me over to Aviel…

But suddenly I didn’t care. I was so sick of feeling used. Of people making decisions for me about my life, about my heart. Sick of being lied to, even if I had done the same by omission.

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