Page 54 of Magic of Sins

I don’t like the way she emphasizes the wordintense.Nor the way she winks at me, as if she knows exactly what happened in there between Caden and me.

“You must be exhausted, Miss Ashton.”

I save myself a snarky reply because I actually am. On the drive to the palace, my eyes fall shut a few times.

When we arrive, the sun has already set. The moon is pale in the sky, and the streetlights bathe the palace in a golden yellow light.

Erin collects me at the gate. I feel like I’m constantly being passed from one person to another. The last decision I made on my own was probably this morning when I decided to go back to the library. Clearly not my best moment.

“Ophelia’s already waiting for you,” Erin says.

It seems like she wants to say something else, but then shejust gives a slight shake of her head.

I haven’t told the princess why I left the palace … or why I’m suddenly back on her doorstep now. She must think me terribly fickle. But at least she’s agreed to let me in, and when I enter her room she immediately embraces me.

“There you are. I’ve missed you. Are you all right?”

Taken off guard, I shrug.

“I thought it would be safe to return home, but it wasn’t,” I explain.

After all, she still thinks my biggest problem is the threat of Caden’s enemies. If only.

Ophelia shoots me a worried look. “They didn’t lie in wait for you, did they?”

“No, no, everything’s fine. I’m fine.”

The princess scrutinizes me, and I force myself to smile, though even that seems too much effort after the day I’ve had. Finally she nods.

“Let’s have some tea. You can tell me about it.”

Although I would prefer to fall right into bed, I accept the invitation. I tell Ophelia about Ava and Tinkerbell, my visit to the library, and my encounter with Caden. All the while leaving out anything to do with my newfound powers. There are so many gaps in my story that Ophelia should be suspicious, but her mind seems to be elsewhere. She stirs her tea absentmindedly until I place my hand on her arm.

“Is everything okay withyou?”

“Yes… No.” She shakes her head. “Father demands that I meet again with this young lord he’s trying to set me up with. Lord Ernest Diligence. Such a silly name.”

She laughs, but it doesn’t sound genuine.

“Would that be so bad?” I ask. “He seemed nice enough, didn’t he? And your father isn’t going to make you marry him, right?”

I wouldn’t put it past the king. Even Ophelia’s certainty seems to have waned some by now. She wrings her hands nervously.

“I won’t be able to stay unmarried forever. Someday I’ll have to take a husband. I know that. But…”

Her gaze wanders to the door, where Erin is standing watch on right outside. Revealing everything she dare not speak.

“Does she know?” I ask.

“What?”

Ophelia looks at me in alarm. I want to tell her not to worry, that her secret is safe with me, but I can’t find the right words.

“Erin would never do anything to compromise her position here at the palace,” Ophelia says.

She struggles to keep her voice firm, but I can pick out a slight tremor. It breaks my heart. Even if Erin feels the same way, they’ll never be able to be together. And it’s all because the king has decreed it so. For fear of sin mages who might feed on the passion of others.

For fear of the likes of me.

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