Page 214 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

“I don’t have a little, breakable, human heart, girl. Let me out and I prove it to you.”

“That’s not true. You care. I can see it. That’s why you spared me, right? Even though a part of you wants me dead.”

“Clearly, a mistake. Now make way, or I swear I’ll try to rip these bars apart and come for you.”

I lift my chin and straighten my shoulders. “Keep going with your threats, but we both know that if you could, you’d have done so by now.”

She snarls. “Bold. But I’d really suggest you fuck off now.”

I take a deep breath, not moving a muscle. But oh hells, she’s terrifying, even behind bars. If her gaze could kill me, I’d be long dead. I do my best to ignore it and to hold my voice steady as I say, “If you were at Gatilla’s court, you must have known my mother.” I saw her in Caryan’s memory, my mother; my features so unmistakably hers. It hurt, to see how much I look like her. The woman who gave me away, who wanted to sell me. She stood in the crowd when Gatilla cut off Caryan’s wings.

“Oh yes, Ididknow your mother,” Blair snaps, disgust tingeing every word.

I take another deep breath. “Why did she try to kill Caryan? And when?”

Blair’s head perks up, and she narrows her eyes before a cruel smile spreads over her face. “So many questions, little clueless one,” she taunts, clearly enjoying that she has something over me.

“What did she do at Gatilla’s court?” I probe on, ignoring her mocking.

“Why not ask your master?”

I swallow down my anger at her remark. “He won’t tell me.”

“Huh. That’s how he does things,” she muses, almost to herself.

“Please, Blair. I saw so many things in his blood, so many bits and pieces, but they make no sense to me. I need to know more.”

Blair’s eyes go briefly unfocused before they fasten on me again. “Very well then, it’s not like I have anywhere to be. Your mother was an outcast. She came to Gatillas’s court because my aunt offered her refuge in exchange for Caryan’s runes. Your mother painted them for her. She and Gatilla were best friends—”

“What?” I breathe but Blair holds up a silver-clawed finger. “Nuh, nuh, nuh, don’t you dare spoil the moment. I’m not done yet. They were best friends, or so it seemed. But, in truth, your mother came to infiltrate my aunt’s court and destroy her.”

Blair makes a pause while I don’t dare breathe.

Then she says, “Your mother had guts. And she was good at what she did—so good no one suspected a thing while she secretly sided with Riven and Caryan.” Blair lets out a sad, choked laugh. “Even I didn’t see it coming. But Ciellara was the one who helped free Caryan from Gatilla’s shackles in the first place. She worked on him for months, right under Gatilla’s nose, yet even my aunt didn’t feel it. Didn’t realize that she tampered his runes, made them able to cut through her leash.”

I startle. Those magical shackles I felt when I was in Caryan’s body, in his memories.

“But why did she do it? Help him in the first place, only to turn against him?” I ask.

Blair gives me a look as if I should know these things. “Because everyone wanted to get rid of my aunt, she was that bad. And your mother did the math. She helped Caryan, who was strong enough to kill Gatilla, but he was also severely wounded and weakened from that fight with her. I guess your mother just saw a chance and tried her luck.”

“But… why?”

Blair snorts and rolls her eyes as if I’m truly stupid. “Whywhat? Why she wanted to kill him? Because he already was the mostpowerful fae. With Gatilla’s magic… well, he became what he is today. Unmatched in power. I guess she killed one monster but realized she unleashed another.”

“And he still wants more,” I say quietly. “He still wants those relics. He said he needs them for the war.” Blair smirks at me, and for a moment, she looks so human despite her beauty, it’s startling. Then she says lightly, “Of course he does.” Too late do I realize that she’s being ironic.

“You don’t believe that?”

She shrugs. “I just believe in what I know.”

She doesn’t say more. After a moment I grow restless. “Calianthe also said it corrupts the mind and soul of the person who claims it.”

Blair throws me an endlessly bored look. “And?”

“He still wants it.”

“What is ityouwant, little confused human?” she drawls with a sigh, tilting her head back, peering at the ceiling and the bats who have gathered there as if she was contemplating whether to snatch one as dessert. “Other than riding my last nerve?”

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