Thia turned toward Sumi with an expression that was riddled with seething hatred. “Believe me, it’s hard not to, given what he’s been through because of what she did. But I love Uncle Fain and I would never dishonor the woman he gave his heart to. He’d beat my butt if I did. No one’s allowed to say a word against her. Ever. Being Andarion, his philosophy is that had he been worthy of her, she wouldn’t have left him. He takes all responsibility for his failed marriage, and still holds her on a pedestal. For that matter, he wears her wedding ring, she threw in his face, on his pinkie and has never removed it.”

Tears filled her eyes at the last thing she’d expected to hear. All this time, she’d assumed, from what Omira had said, that Fain hated her sister. That he’d been the one who’d left their marriage first.

“I should never have married an Andarion, Sumi. What was I thinking? They’re not human. They don’t act human. They’re terrifying creatures who will tear you apart. I know Fain’s going to come for me one day, and rip out my heart and eat it. I know it.”

Omira had lived in absolute fear of him finding her. But she’d never really said why she was so scared of him. Other than he was an Andarion barbarian.

“How do you know he didn’t leave her first?”

“Because I know Uncle Fain. Why would he still have her ring on his hand? Not to mention, all he’ll ever say about it is that he wasn’t what she really wanted.” Thia shook her head. “No, he feels too much grief to have left her.”

Sumi’s throat tightened as she remembered how heartbroken and terrified Omira had been when she came home after Fain had supposedly left. For three days, she’d locked herself in the bathroom, and had refused to come out. Barely nine, Sumi had been scared that Omira would kill herself.

“Father… we have to do something to help her.”

“Let the tainted whore die. Better for all of us if she’s gone.”

She still didn’t know how their own father could be so callous and unfeeling. When Omira had finally emerged, he’d refused to even look at her. While he hadn’t thrown her out of their house, he’d treated her like a ghost. Never would speak to her or acknowledge her presence.

Omira had accepted it as best she could. But it was the reactions from other people who’d learned about her husband and her ongoing terror that Fain would hunt her down that had finally done her in.

Sumi had just turned eighteen when Omira had decided she couldn’t handle it anymore – that life, and the condemnation of others, wasn’t worth the struggle to get through it.

All Omira’s suicide had done was worsen their father’s alcoholism and his hatred of the only family he had left. He’d turned on Sumi like some bastard stepchild he wanted out of his sight.