He looked down at me, and there was something horrifying about his face, a darkness in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Isolde,” he said and lifted his blade.

Shock left me immobile as his sword sank into my chest. I screamed, and as I did, I felt myself changing back. Tears poured from my eyes, and Sorin fell to his knees beside me, gathering me to his chest.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. He was crying too.

I did not want him to touch me. I could not understand why he was holding me.

“Why?” I asked, my mouth quivering.

“Because he has to die,” Sorin said. “Adrian will destroy us, Isolde. None of us can fight him. You have to understand. You once understood.”

I shook my head.

“The Book of Dis,” he continued. “You wrote those spells for him.”

“How do you know that?” I whispered.

Ravena had just told me.

“I know a lot more than you think.”

“You are a traitor,” I said. “You are the traitor. You told Ravena about the bloodletting.”

Sorin’s brows lowered. “I am many things,” he said. “A traitor among them, but I did not tell Ravena anything.”

“I don’t believe you,” I said.

“I am not choosing one side over the other.”

“Then you are weak,” I said, and he winced, closing his eyes for a second. When he opened them again and gazed upon me, his treason only hurt worse because I did not see the hate I wanted to see. I saw regret and sorrow and deep, deep sadness.

“Adrian is becoming more and more a monster every day,” he said. “Tell me you have not seen the signs. The flash of white in his eyes, the pain in his head. It is Dis taking over. It is Dis speaking to him.”

“How do you know it is Dis?” I whispered, my mouth quivering. I did not know if it was from my anguish or shock.

“Isolde,” Sorin said, shaking his head.

“Don’t,” I said between bloody teeth. “Do not say my name.”

Sorin nodded and then spoke. “He’ll hurt you one day, and then you will understand.”

“He would never,” I said with such conviction in my voice. I began to cry.

“I really do love you,” Sorin said. “I wish you could remember…this is for the greater good.”

Those words.

My father had used them.

“You wanted me to kill myself?” I asked, affronted. “For whom? For a kingdom of people who turned their backs on me for my sacrifice?”

“It is for the greater good!” he said.

“Get out,” I said.

“Iso—”

“I said get out!” I yelled, blood flying from my mouth. “Get out!”

Tears streamed down Sorin’s face, but he rose to his feet, took up his sword, and fled.