Page 210 of A Bond in Blood

He shook his head. “Brennahewas the beast. The man sauntering around the dais? Murdering and hurting? It wasme. Always me. The whipping? Me. Sigrun? Me. Harold…?”

My body went hot with hate. Realization rushed through me while Olen paused his words.

The man before me let out his breath, dropping his head in shame.

“Me, Brenna. Harold, claiming that life, I forced you to do that. Ulrich was the beast beside you the whole time.”

I fell to my knees. Ulrich had slept by my side when my wounds had healed. Ulrich stayed at my feet when I was lost in myself, drawing my maps.

Ulrich had swum in the sea with me laughing about white bears.

Ulrich had not whipped me.

He always, each time we laid together, paused at my scars, pressing them with rage.

“He didn’t leave me in the courtyard.”

Olen knelt beside me. “No, Brenna, that was me. He stayed with you on the ship the entire way. He said his goodbyes.”

I glanced up, finding Oberon’s ship crossing the fjord.

The image of my father’s bleeding body in the palace ran through my mind. “He killed him,” I gasped.

Olen knelt before me, gripping my face. “Brenna.” He shook me again. “That isnotUlrich. That is the curse. The one Titania mentioned. She has full control.”

I have never hated someone as much as I hate you.

Ulrich’s last words rang in my ears.

“He hates me,” I gasped out. “Olen, this was all just a game to him.”

Olen continued to hold my face. “No, princess, he hates that helovesyou.”

Love.

The word—the foolish phrase I’d uttered that had ruined whatever this all ways. The words on the paper, confessing the same thing.

Was it true? Had he been trying to speak to me this entire time? How long? How long had the madman loved me?

I stared into Olen’s black eyes.

I wasn’t confident Ulrich knew what love was. But I also wasn’t confident that he was lost forever.

“We have to get him,” I sobbed.

“Princess,” Olen objected.

I stood, pointing to the water. “We have to get him!” I screamed.

Olen said nothing. He was silent while we watched Oberon’s ship pass Ulrich’s and I cried out when blasts of fire hit the vessel, igniting it in flames instantly. Preventing us from being able to catch up to the king’s ship.

“What have I done?” I whispered, falling to my knees, watching the man I hated and loved sail off.

The man who had done everything he could to ensurehewould not cause me harm.

I had to get him back.

Even if it killed me.

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