The truth of the words fragmented in my chest, and I exhaled deeply, absorbing their pain. No one was this good at playacting. Which meant . . . he had forgotten me. Just like Bas, he’d forgotten, only this time, I couldn’t reverse the pattern. I hadn’t cast it. But how far did it reach?

And why was he acting this way?

I searched blindly for an answer, remembering the way he’d collapsed in my arms. The way Morgane had collapsed with him on the beach. If he’d truly forgotten me, did that mean . . . ?

Holy hell.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Think hard, Reid. Please. Just think. I’m Lou, remember? I’m your . . .” I glanced down at my empty ring finger, and the cracks in my chest splintered further. I’d returned his mother’s ring. Stupid. So stupid. “I’m your wife.”

His eyes hardened. “I don’t have a wife.”

“Easy.” I jerked back as he swiped at me, lifting placating hands. “I am your wife. Maybe not legally, but in the biblical sense—”

Perhaps speaking of his holy book had been a mistake.

With a snarl, he charged again, and I sidestepped, kicking his knee from behind as he went. He didn’t stumble as planned, instead pivoting with frightening agility. This time his knife caught my shirt, but I twisted at the last second. It shredded my sleeve instead. “Goddamn it.” The fabric fluttered uselessly in the breeze. “Just once, I’d like to keep my clothing intact—”

He rushed again with unexpected speed, catching my torn sleeve and yanking me closer, lifting his knife to thrust it deep in my chest. I caught his wrist, but physically, I was no match for his strength. The blade plunged lower and lower, and—not for the first time in my life—I looked death straight in the eyes.

They were the most beautiful shade of blue.

Something hard thudded into Reid’s back, propelling his knife the final inch. Blood welled as it pierced my skin, as Beau pounded at Reid’s head with both fists. Coco soon joined him, hissing as she punched down on Reid’s elbows, breaking his hold. When he turned—dragging Beau over his shoulder and throwing him to the ground—Coco wrenched a knife from his bandolier and sliced open her forearm. The bitter scent of blood magic coated the air. “We don’t want to hurt you, Reid,” she said, breathing heavily, “but if you don’t stop being an asshole, I’ll cut you a new one.”

His nostrils flared. “Demon spawn.”

She bared her teeth in a grin. “In the flesh.”

He moved to attack her, but Beau caught his ankle. “Stop this now. I command it as your—as your crown prince,” he finished lamely. Reid froze and frowned down at him.

“Your Highness? What are you doing here?”