Page 45 of Nest Of Lies

“You’ve lost weight.”

I nod my head as she continues to criticize everything about me before telling me to put my clothes on. She’s wearing a beautiful black and white silk dress. How can she lookso beautiful and be so cold?

I follow her from the room and notice her assistant and Arnold going from room to room. I haven’t met this assistant. She’s new, but she looks nervous. My eyes snag on the panic room’s ajar door.

Sweat breaks out on my lower back.

What do I do?

Arnold walks into the panic room, and I wait for his shout. But then he walks out. We stand there for ten more minutes before they return.

“Nothing, Ma’am.”

“Well, then. I guess that’s good. Aurelia, you need to take better care of yourself. Keep an eye on what you eat. Take all your medicine and remember you are a very sick beta. You need to stay here in the house. Where you’re safe.”

I stare at my mother, wishing that this pretend fantasy that she cares about me, this whole act, was real.

“Promise me you’ll be good.”

“I will, Mama.”

“Good girl. Right, I’m off.”

How long will you be gone? Will I see you again? Mama, I have things I want to ask. I drown all the words that want to escape and watch as they pack up.

And just like that, my mother swans back out of my life. I stand there for a long time until I notice Ranger sitting on the stairs.

“Don’t tell them.”

His eyebrows raise.

“Don’t tell the pack that I’m sick.”

“Lia-”

“Please. Don’t tell them.” I start to cry, but he’s somehow closed the space and pulls me into his arms.

“Lia, don’t cry, please. Ah, I can’t stand it. All right, just stop crying. It will be okay. I promise.”

I don’t think either of us believe him.

He holds me while I sob, stroking my back. It’s a moment I’ve always yearned for.

It’s a dream I’ve always had.

Just not like this.

Chapter sixteen

Zaden

Ranger stands in frontof me stiffly and repeats word for word every foul thing China Raines said, everything Lia cried. I sit with a stone face, forcing myself to hear every word, while Ranger uncovers the sinister evil that has been haunting my Lia.

“We have to do something about it, Zaden,” he cries out and starts pacing. “She’s been subjected to that hell for her entire life!”

I close my eyes. She’s innocent. No, she’s been in prison. She’s been locked up. Someone put that beautiful songbird in a damn cage and tried to turn her into something she wasn’t.

“Is she sick?”

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