Page 63 of Spies without a Face
“You were engaged and never told us?” As Gianna turned to me, her eyes gleamed with incredulity.
Only Zoe didn’t pummel me with an inquiry save for the question in her wide eyes.
“Cassandra knew.” That was true but with few details. It was long before I met her, and I wanted to put the pain of my broken engagement behind me as I started over in Salem. “I’ll give you the brief overview so I can get into the situation now.
“Marius and I went to school together. He was brilliant and so talented. We grew close, and I learned about his past. His family was terrible—they either neglected or abused him. That’s why he threw himself into learning all he could at the academy. It was the first time he’d ever felt he had a home. As we got older, he started to dabble with dark magic. I’d tried to get him to stop. Others bullied him, calling him the freak of the freaks. It made things worse as he sought more power, and that was by venturing further down a darker path.
“We had a tumultuous relationship over the next few years with such highs and lows. I was afraid of where he was headed but also understood why he thought that was the way. Also, I was madly in love with him and tried to bring him back to me. Eventually, I realized it was futile. His passion was power. He was determined to become a formidable sorcerer. I ended it and it broke my heart. Some time later, I heard he got in trouble with some nefarious creatures and was dead.”
After I gave them the condensed history of my past with Marius, I mentioned his recent appearances, including the last one at the concert with Austin.
Gianna said, “That’s quite the story.” She raised a pitcher. “You need a refill after that.”
“I sure could use one.” When I nudged my glass over to her, my hand was trembling.
We paused for refills and then I continued, “The problem with Marius showing up is that he brought back an epic ton of history—and then made me leery of getting into a relationship again. The timing was impeccable on his part. Right after a sweet guy shows up at my door, Marius announces his return from the dead.”
“Wow,” Nova uttered. “That must have been quite the shock.”
“Indeed, it was. I don’t know how long he’d been watching me, but the timing of announcing his presence seems more than a coincidence.”
“Like he realized he had competition,” Cassandra said.
“Right. It was after I went out with Austin,” I said. “At the same time, seeing that he was alive wasn’t completely shocking because I’d started to wonder if it could be possible. More specifically, with the magic used on Diego and Gianna.”
She winced but then wiped her expression clean.
Nova raised her chin. “Why didn’t you say anything once you knew he was alive?” The judgment in her tone was justified. After all, she almost lost Diego.
“Because I wasn’t sure of—well, anything. I had nothing on him but a hunch. Zero proof. The Network couldn’t do anything with that. I thought I could coax a confession.” I lowered my head. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes when it comes to Marius. I was wrong then. And now…” I sagged in my seat. “I’m very sorry how I went about this the wrong way.”
I braced myself for the judgment and the tirade.
“Love makes us respond in ways we don’t expect,” Gianna said.
“Especially to protect someone we care about,” Nova added.
I raised my gaze to meet theirs. “You’re not mad at me?”
“For what?” Gianna questioned. “You were doing what you thought was best.” Her mouth straightened into a grim line.
“You’re not the first woman to have fallen for a bad boy,” Nova added.
I exhaled, the weight of shame somewhat lifting. “That describes him completely,” I admitted. “He always treaded the line between right and wrong. I hate to admit how his dangerous edge turned me on. What can I say? I was young and foolish.”
“What is it about that lure?” Cassandra asked as her gaze drifted toward the ceiling and then back to me. “You thought you could help him. Save a troubled soul. That totally fits your style, Pandora. You always want to save things—cats, people, even Salem itself. And that’s what makes you so good at what you do and a great friend.”
Zoe murmured in agreement. “True.”
“It could be the ‘he’ll burn the world for you’ appeal,” Gianna suggested.
“Yes.” I considered it. “Only with him it was ‘he’ll burn the world for himself.’” I frowned. “He let me think he was dead. I grieved for him. Mourned for him. He broke my heart, and it almost destroyed me.”
Gianna covered her chest. “Ouch. I’m sorry.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Then I washed it down with another swig of sangria.
A wary look passed over Cassandra’s face. “Where is Marius now?”
