Page 115 of Mirror of Malice
Driscoll shrugged. “He was a little shady—” Jillian cut him a glare. “But I’m sorry, too,” Driscoll amended quickly.
“Wait a minute.” Jillian straightened, tugging at her red curls. “You said that your father died because Penn used the pixie dust. That your father’s death was the price paid for the magic used.”
I nodded.
“But Penn couldn’t have known that was going to be the price. You can’t control what the magic demands as payment.”
“Okay . . .” I said.
“So Penn didn’t kill your father,” Jillian said.
“He might as well have!” I said, a defensiveness rising up in me. “He lied to me, Jil. Used me and didn’t even tell me the full truth about why.”
He’d kissed me, made love to me, made me feel things I’d never felt before—all while he knew my father was still alive and trapped in that mirror. It was unforgiveable.
“I know,” Jillian said quickly. “I’m not excusing the behavior. It wasn’t right, but can any part of you understand his perspective? Your father murdered his parents to cover up hisown evil dealings. He waged a war to get rid of the people who knew his secrets. He manipulated your entire court?—”
Driscoll cut her off. “Maybe now’s not the right time to remind Liliath about her father’s shortcomings as king.”
“No,” I said, tears welling in my eyes. “She’s right. My father did awful things that cannot be undone. I understood why Penn wanted his revenge. I understand the lengths he went to get them. But I don’t think I can forgive the way he used me.”
Sorrow shone in Shadow’s eyes.
“But that’s what I’m saying,” Jillian said. “He didn’t kill your father, Lil. He’d spent his entire life wanting to avenge his parents’ deaths, and then he let your father go.”
“You don’t know that,” I said. “Maybe my father escaped.”
“Really? From Penn?” Jillian arched an eyebrow.
Driscoll nodded. “Yeah, I have to agree that doesn’t check out.”
My heart hammered in my chest. “What are you getting at?”
“Well, from everything Shadow told us, from everything you’ve told us, I think it’s pretty obvious. The king of thieves is in love with you.”
The words shook me to my core. “No, no, that’s not—” I started, but Jillian cut me off.
“So he never showed any kind of interest in you?”
Penn’s lips on mine.
“You two didn’t bond while spending weeks alone together?”
Penn whispering all the ways he wanted to worship me.
“You’re telling me there was nothing between you two at all?”
Penn hovering over my naked body.
I swallowed.
“Oh my good green earth,” Driscoll said. “Something happened between you two.”
“That’s another hundred gold coins Hammer is going to owe me,” Shadow said, studying her nails.
I glared at her.
“We might’ve made bets about you two getting together.”
