Page 129 of Moonmarked

I bit my tongue.

“She only cries blood when she conjures images. What did she show you?”

A thousand thoughts crossed my mind. “Me.”

Lyall paused. “You?”

“Yes. She showed me an image of me.”

How incredibly absurd was it that I wasn’t even lying?

Lyall could tell. That’s why he looked even more confused as he stared at his fingers for a moment.

“And? What else?”

He believed me.

“You heard, didn’t you? You must have.” That’s why he’d had his soldiers bring me here in the first place. He’d wanted me to see the seer since the beginning—but not forme.Forhim.He wanted to know what my deal was, too, because he knew something was off. And when I refused,he’d made sure that Iwouldsee the seer anyway.

“Well, since you’re truthful with me,” he said with a sigh. “I didn’t hear a lot, I’ll admit. Just that you’re not human.” Stabs at my gut. “And the rest?”

“Veren,” I said without batting an eye. “She whispered in Veren. Called me a word in Veren. Stars withN.”

Lyall raised his brows. Analyzed my face, as if expecting to catch a lie dancing on my skin. He wouldn’t—I made sure to tell him only truths.

“That’s it?” he finally asked, his face transformed,full of sharp edges now that only the light from the fireplace fell on him.

“Yes,” I said and took another sip of the water. “And if you’re done with your questions,Your Highness,I’d like to know why you would set me up like this when I told you that I didn’t want to see the seer.”

Lyall’s eyes zeroed in on my lips. “Those words belong on your tongue,” he whispered and raised every inch of my flesh in goose bumps—in a very,verybad way.

“Answer me, Lyall,” I demanded, and who gave a shit who he was right now? I certainly didn’t.

“Because I thought it would benefit you to know who you are.Whatyou are.”

“An anomaly. That’s what I am—a fucking anomaly thatyoumade when you saved me.”

He leaned his head to the side. “Do you wish I hadn’t?”

The tension in the air was so thick I felt it against my skin. “I don’t know yet.” Another truth, this one full. Complete.

Lyall smiled and looked at his legs when he crossed one over the other. “We can do another session. Seers always need a few tries to truly see.”

Except I wasnotabout to let that happen, not if I lived another thousand years. I didn’t tell him that, though. Because soon it wouldn’t matter.

“Why did you save him, Lyall?” I asked.

His brows narrowed. “Who?”

“Rune.”

Something about what Rune said before. It had remained in my head, and now I wanted to look this man in the eyes when he answered me.

“Rune,” Lyall repeated. “You know, I thought you’d be devastated about Rune, but you’re holding up all right.”

The way my palm itched to slap the shit out of him right now.

“Why?” I repeated, but I knew he wasn’t going to answer me. “Why did you saveme?”

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