Page 117 of Theirs to Rule

Theconciliantiscalled me to see her. I didn’t say anything, but she told me to pass on a message. She wants to see you in thirty minutes.

I bit my lip, remembering how I'd told Bianca we shouldn't trust theconciliantis. But she’d summoned me to her office, not her on-campus cottage, so unless she was planning on killing me where anyone could hear us, I was safe. Plus, I doubted she’d try anything since Bianca had passed along her message.

After changing and bundling up into a jacket, I made my way to the admin building and her office, wondering what she could possibly want to discuss. My steps slowed when I spotted Ty heading that way, too.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, but before he could answer, the door opened, and theconciliantisherself beckoned us inside.

“Come in, both of you.”

Slowly, we complied. I could tell how stiffly Ty held himself, his muscles tensed as if he was ready to spring into action at the hint of any threat.

“I saw your drawings from your art class,” she began, “and it’s clear there’s something intimate between the two of you. Can you tell me your history? You knew each other before CU, no?”

I looked at Ty, sure he was going to deny it since there’d be no reason for her to know the Ty I’d met in Italy was the same Matteo Serrello who’d later been accused of poisoning hisfamily. Instead, Ty said, “We dated for a while, but things didn’t work out.”

I couldn’t help the hurt and annoyance that flashed through me. Dated for a while? I’d loved him and thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together.

“Is that right, Camille?” Theconciliantisand Ty both turned their gazes on me, his burning into me like he was daring me to contradict him. The way he'd minimized what we'd meant to each other made me reckless.

“I fell in love with Ty, and then he ended things,” I announced boldly, refusing to hold back. “A part of me still loves him, but I know I can’t have him because he doesn’t love me back. Plus, we’re both different. Irreparably changed. We’re not the same people we were when we were together.”

Ty stared at me, obviously stunned at my stark acknowledgment that part of me still loved him. For some reason, even though I’d just given him potential power over me if he ever chose to use it, I didn’t regret what I’d said.

“And now the two of you are just friends?” theconciliantisasked, directing the question at me.

“We’re more than friends,” Ty bit out. “I just can’t be the person she wants or needs. But I’d protect her with my life.”

I sucked in a breath at the vehemence in his tone. I knew he was telling the truth. He’d put his life on the line for me more than once since coming to Crimsonvale.

“I see,” theconciliantissaid. “And what about Kage, Camille? You two seem very close, and your father has indicated he’d approve a match between the two of you.”

Jesus, my father. I hadn’t even heard from him, not even when he had to know what happened with Officer Davis. And he was still trying to marry me off? Of course, he’d put Kage on one of his lists of potential husbands, so why wouldn’t he still be whispering in theconciliantis’sear about our possible union?

“Kage and I are just having fun,” I lied. Kage might have told Moira we were going to be together, but I was banking on the fact that his parents hadn’t said anything to theconciliantisor my father. Kage’s commitment to me was too new, too precious, and I hadn’t shared it with anyone. Not Dante. Not Bianca. Not Ty. I certainly wasn’t going to share it with this woman who could very well turn around and tell my father.

“In that case, there’s no reason we can’t talk about potential matches for the both of you.”

“Not interested,” Ty said.

“I’m not either,” I said.

“Just humor me. What would you both want in a match?”

The perfect combination of Kage, Dante, and Ty, I thought.

A Ty who let me in. A Ty who not only called out the darkness in me but let me be a light for him.

As theconciliantistried to drag information out of Ty that he had no intention of giving her, my eyes fell on a piece of paper on her desk. There was a drawing buried beneath some papers, and I could only see part of it, but for some reason, it made me think of tree symbols. Exactly like the ones on the university president’s gates.

Holy shit. Maybe Ihadn’tbeen so crazy to suspect him then. Maybe I was right to suspect we couldn’t trusther. I forced my expression to remain neutral as I listened to her talk about the importance of a strong match, but her words barely registered. I was too stunned about this possible breakthrough and unsure what to do with the information.

Other than tell the guys about it.

“I need to go,” I said suddenly, standing. “I’m so sorry, madam, but I just remembered an urgent appointment.”

Theconciliantisnarrowed her eyes at me, but Ty was already on his feet. “Let’s get out of here,” he said, leading me toward the door.

I craned my neck over my shoulder. “I’m so sorry, madam.”

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