“Who?”
“Cobalt.” The name escapes her lips with more wrath than I’ve ever witnessed her demonstrate. “He...he destroyed me. You have no idea the things he made me do. The things he made me say and suffer through.”
My heart squeezes, but I refuse to fall for her words. He could have sent her here, could have planted every reaction and every word into her. He could be lurking near the border, waiting for some sign from Amelie that he and the council can make their move against us. She could be here to poison me, to take my crown. “Why are you here?” I say again, more forceful this time.
She looks at me through glazed eyes, cheeks wet with tears. “I came to see you.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Your protection.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “You had your chance and you refused my help. Why should I protect you now? After everything you’ve done—”
“I want to kill him.” She says it like a growl, face twisting into a hateful mask I’ve never seen her wear. “I want your protection. Then I want to help you kill Cobalt.”
I study her, seeking signs of Cobalt’s manipulation. “How would you help me do that?”
“I have the power of his name,” she whispers.
“You’re Bonded, so he has the same power over yours as well,” I argue. “He could be ordering you to do this, to be here and say everything you’re saying at this very moment.”
She shakes her head. “I made sure I waited until all his orders that could possibly harm you faded. He had to give me new orders daily to ensure he always covered all his bases with me. But with his new wife,” she says this with clear disdain, “he became easily distracted. Stopped renewing my orders as often. Left me alone in the undersea palace for longer and longer. When I felt no current command to keep me there, I fled. I crossed lakes, rivers, and streams to get here. Ran until my feet bled.”
I can feel my resolve to hate her beginning to lessen, a sure sign I need to cling to it more. “How can I trust you?”
She rises to her feet on trembling legs. Tears continue to stream down her cheeks. “Evelyn Fairfield,” she says, voice quavering. “I give you my name. I give you the power of my true name.”
A hum of energy buzzes toward me, feeling like both a lightness and a weight at the same time. It isn’t like the mutual hum between me and Aspen. This one only moves one way. Rage soars through me, revulsion at this one-sided power she’s bestowed. I never asked for this burden. All I ever wanted to do was protect her. Now I control her.
Angry tears swim in my eyes, but I blink them away. I square my shoulders to hide how shaken I am and burn Amelie with a glare. My voice comes out cold. “Thank you, dear sister.”
Without another word, I turn on my heel and march from the dungeon, letting my sister’s sobs follow me long after the sound of them is gone.
End of Book Two. The Fair Isle Trilogy concludes with the final book, To Spark a Fae War, releasing winter 2020. You can preorder your copy here.
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About the Author
Tessonja Odette is a fantasy author living in Seattle with her family, her pets, and ample amounts of chocolate. When she isn’t writing, she’s watching cat videos, petting dogs, having dance parties in the kitchen with her daughter, or pursuing her many creative hobbies. Read more about Tessonja at www.tessonjaodette.com
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To Wear a Fae Crown (The Fair Isle Trilogy Book 2) Page 28