Page 63 of A Clash of Embers

I watched his gaze linger on my lips before moving back to my eyes, to gauge my reaction.

"Theo did tie himself to me and to Leo in the curse. Queen Anne triedreallyhard to hide him, but eventually he was found, even with his new name, Madok. And I never actually lied about my name. I was Evander in the curse, Eros Vander, but here I'm just not called that. Queen Anne was fed lies and in return is feeding Leo the same ones but unfortunately, he is bound. His magic was taken from him. That's why he bears no wings and has no power. He is no oracle. He simply exists." He leaned towards me, "Ask me how I know this, Clara."

I took a deep breath trying to process what he was telling me, "Wha— How do you know this?"

He scooted his chair closer to me and smiled, "Because you are right, Leonardo Madokus is my brother."

Chapter 31

There was no doubt in my mind that the blood pumping through my head could explode out of every crevice of my face because I was so livid. How could he keep something like this from me? He had known this entire time and he hadn’t said a damn thing. He lied to me.

"How could you do this to me? You've known—"

Eros gripped my hand, "We're not discussing this here." His eyes widened and glanced around the room at our audience of witches. Watching cautiously.

I studied his eyes with an internal fire raging towards him.

How could you do this to me?

You couldn't know yet. I was waiting for the right time.

The right time? And the right time is right now? Why?

Because Queen Anne knows. She didn't say it out loud, but your mother told me that she was acting strange. She knows that your mother is not on her side.

This doesn't take away from why you didn't tell me that Madok was your brother. Your twin brother! I was in love with him most of my life and you didn't think it was important for me to know?

He gripped my hand, but I didn't move.

Why didn't you tell me, Ev?

I watched his eyes fill with concern. Concern for me. Concern for himself. He licked his lips and glanced quickly around us.

We need to talk somewhere else. Not here.

"No. We're going to talk right here. Right now," I yelled and slammed my hand on the table standing up over him.

Eros watched me. Intently. We stayed there staring at one another, then I heard someone clear their throat.

"Eros. Why are you in the Beacon? You are supposed to be with Queen Clairece. Ensuring her safety."

He rolled his eyes, turning to face Consul Loveridge.

"Estelle. A pleasure to see you. She is safe. Queen Anne has left Bolzana," he said in an annoyed tone, but I was surprised that he was on a first-name basis with Consul Loveridge.

She took vexing steps towards him. "We will be the judge of that."

Consul Loveridge turned and nodded at the witches sitting at the crystals. Within a minute they were able to confirm that Queen Anne was indeed not there. I knew the smugness was radiating from Eros as he had achieved what he always loved to achieve: beingright.

"Now." He stood reaching out his hand to mine. "I would like to take my wife back to the castle."

I pulled my hand from his and whisper yelled at him, “I am not yourwifeanymore.”

A wicked smile pulled across his face exposing his sharp fangs. “We'll see about that.”

Then he pulled me towards him and lifted me over his shoulder placing my face between the wings on his back and my ass in the air.

I was kicking, I was screaming, and I was alsoslightlyturned on.

---