“Are you serious?”
I nodded. “That was all they said about him.”
The Prince cursed under his breath. “Perfect.” Lifting the glass, he downed the rest of the Nightshade in one impressive swallow. “I know why you were at Flux and why you were here tonight. I know what Tobias did to you.”
A ripple of shock rolled through me as I stared at him. “You don’t know—”
“I know he was one of the five fae who attacked you and your mother.” Leaning forward, he placed his empty glass on the table. He didn’t settle back, and instead, placed his hands on his knees as he stared up at me. “I know that you’re seeking revenge because of what they did. I know you’re here tonight to see if you can find one of the other fae and I know you put yourself in ridiculously dangerous situations to get that revenge.”
Arms falling to my sides, I took a step toward him and then stopped as my stomach twisted nauseously. “How do you…?” My throat thickened. “How do you know?”
He didn’t answer for a long moment. “Because you are doing the same thing I am, but for different reasons.”
I drew in a stuttering breath as a tremor rolled through my arms.
“I know what it’s like to be consumed with revenge and the need to seek justice against those who have done you wrong so terribly. I understand that. It is why I am searching for Aric. He was once a trusted friend of mine, and I know he is the one who set me up to fall to the Queen’s spell,” he explained, and I felt pressure clamp down on my chest. “I know he’s still alive and he’s here. I will find him and I will kill him for what he has done to me. And if I ever get my hands on the Queen, I will rip her limb from limb.”
That might sound shocking, but I couldn’t fault him for wanting that. Not with what she had done to him—made him do.
“Well,” I said hoarsely, hating the feel of the bitter knot creeping into my throat, “I guess we have that in common.”
“I know what it is like to lie awake all night, consumed with what you could’ve done to change what happened and how you could’ve stopped it.”
“How could you have stopped it though?” I asked, my question genuine. “You were injured in a battle, right? Weakened?”
“Not only do I believe he is spending every moment trying to aid the Queen’s return, it was Aric who shoved a sword right through my chest.”
My eyes widened. Swords? Man, the Otherworld always sounded archaic but swords? I shook my head. “The Queen placed you under an enchantment. You didn’t have a choice.”
“I know everything I did while under her spell. Every person I hurt or killed. Every horrific act I committed.” Thick lashes lowered, shielding his gaze as my heart turned over in my chest. “I remember in vivid detail what I put Ivy through.”
Pressing my lips together, I blinked back unexpected wetness. I couldn’t imagine what he was going through. In a way, I knew it was worse than what happened to me and my mother. He’d been the bad guy. He’d done terrible things and now he lived with the guilt even though it hadn’t been his fault.
So I told him that. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Tell me,” he said. “When you look at me, tell me you don’t think about how I kidnapped Ivy? Tell me you don’t think about all those Order members I killed with my own hands. Tell me—”
“I do,” I admitted, flinching. “I do think of those things, but I also realize it wasn’t your fault. You had no control. You didn’t have a choice,” I repeated, meaning it.
“And you were outnumbered by creatures a hundred times stronger and faster than you,” he said, meeting my gaze. “What could you have done differently?”
“If I had been better trained, I could’ve fought back,” I said without a second of hesitation.
He stared at me for a long moment. “Even better trained, you most likely would’ve died, sunshine. You have a soul of a warrior, but that is not enough.”
A soul of a warrior?
That was… that was kind of a nice thing to say.
“You need to stop this, Brighton.”
Biting down on the inside of my lip, I looked away as I shook my head. “Are you going to stop looking for Aric? Are you going to move and take the higher road and not seek revenge?”
“I’m different.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why? Because you’re the Prince?”
The faint smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes.”
Irritated that he understood why I needed to do what I had to, but was trying to stop me, I threw up my hands. “You can’t stop me.”
He arched a brow at that as he sat back. “I can stop you.”
Caring and sharing time was so over. “You know what? I don’t even get why you care. We barely know each other. You’re the Prince, and I’m just… I’m just me. I’m a—” I almost blurted out ghost, but stopped myself.
“You’re what?” Curiosity crept into his features.
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. I appreciate your concern. I do. It’s unexpected, but I appreciate it. It’s not going to change—”
“You’re what?” he repeated.
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head in frustration.
“What were you about to say?” he persisted.
“I’m just a ghost,” I blurted out, surprised that I allowed the words to take flight, because once spoken, you couldn’t take it back. “That’s who I was before the attack and…”
He was watching me intently. “And you’re not a ghost anymore?”
“I don’t know what I am anymore,” I admitted, blinking back the stupid burn of tears again. “And I don’t even know why I’m telling you this. I don’t even like you.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“You know? You’re right. And no matter what you say, you don’t know me either.” I started for the door. “I’m done with this conversation. I’m done with your interference. You do whatever you want to do and I’ll do whatever I need to do. Goodbye, Prince.”
“You’re right.” A muscle flexed a long his jaw. “You’re just a human,” he said, and the way he said that made the word human sound like a venereal disease. “In your own words, you’re already half dead. I won’t stop you from finishing that job.”
Chapter 13
The Prince’s parting words stung more than they should have as I stared at him. There was a part of me, a stupid, tiny part of me that was hurt by those words. The rational part of me knew that was stupid because I’d called myself a ghost.
But to hear him say it?
Brighton from two years ago would’ve never found herself in this situation in the first place, but if she did, she would’ve definitely run from the room to lick her wounds no matter how stupid those wounds were.
But I wasn’t her.
And I might not know what the hell I was anymore, but in that moment, I wasn’t a ghost. Not anymore.
I met his gaze and then smiled as I slowly lifted my hand and flipped him off.