Thisbe took her hands from the doorknobs and stumbled backward, falling half onto the bed and sliding to the floor. The sobs rushed out in horrible waves. She didn’t care if anyone could hear her. She didn’t care about anything anymore. She’d just said good-bye to Rohan, sending him away, explaining nothing for fear of the truth getting to the Revinir’s ears in a nefarious way. And even though she still had a tiny bit of hope that her relationship could be repaired someday, chances were growing every day that there was no coming back from this. Thisbe was causing too much damage.

If Rohan’s reaction was this bad, how would Thisbe face everyone else? One by one they’d want to have this same conversation. They would be so disappointed in her. This had been the worst, but it was just a hint at how it was going to go. All the hurt looks, all the spite… the anger, the tears. It was way too much for Thisbe to handle. She realized that now. She had to act before anyone else could confront her. Including the Revinir, because how was Thisbe supposed to explain Rohan’s disappearance without causing the dragon-woman’s suspicion to flare up again? There was no way to do it—it had been a stupid mistake to force Rohan to leave. But she couldn’t bear to have him around after what had just happened. Was there any method she could come up with that would allow her to tell him the truth but still keep him safe?

There was only one way. She had to take out the Revinir now. There would be no declaration, no more “growing closer” to put Thisbe in the best position to get the Revinir alone. It had to happen immediately, and it might even have to be messy. Thisbe needed to get her alone and do the deed.

Taking an obliterate spell out of her vest and the pebble from its box, Thisbe wiped her eyes and went out into the hallway. If the Revinir was anywhere she could access, she was going down. Right this moment.

Thisbe stalked the hallways. Peered into rooms on her way to where she’d last seen the Revinir. But the ballroom was empty, the balcony vacant. The Revinir had gone to her living quarters for the night, surrounded by guards.

Thisbe entered the Revinir’s hallway and saw the small army standing there. She stopped and watched them for a moment, contemplating, rolling the pebble between her fingers. Then she turned and, with a heavy heart, went back to her room.

Brokenhearted

Thisbe replaced the obliterate pebble and put it safely away in her vest pocket. She fell on the bed and tossed and turned almost feverishly until sleep came.