I stopped near the bed just out of her reach and crossed my arms. “If we undo that tape, you going to behave yourself?”

She nodded vigorously. I didn’t for one second believe it. Obviously, neither did Cynwrig. He grabbed her hands and pressed them against her stomach, then wrapped his other hand around her neck, effectively immobilizing her.

I stepped forward and pressed my fingers against her other shoulder. She screamed, but the tape muffled the sound, and it was unlikely to be heard given the hubbub still happening outside.

“You will answer all of our questions honestly,” I said softly. “You will not scream or otherwise try to attract attention. You will not attempt to escape, you will not attack either of us, and you certainly will never attempt to magically enforce your will on either of us or my brother.”

I didn’t bother asking if she understood, because her glare said everything that needed to be said.

Cynwrig released her, produced the scissors, and then said, “Hold still while I cut the tape away or risk being cut.”

She stilled. He carefully slid the scissors between the tape and her skin, cut down, then tugged the tape away from her mouth but not the rest of her head.

“Bitch,” she immediately growled, with another glare my way. “You will pay for this.”

“Says the women trussed tighter than an antique clock and staring at the possibility of a very long prison sentence.”

She didn’t say anything, but understanding flickered through the frustration briefly evident in her expression. She knew that simple saying was what had given her away.

“Who is your Looisearch contact?” Cynwrig asked.

Her gaze jumped to his, surprise evident. She obviously wasn’t expecting us to know even that much.

“Seryn Morrisa.”

No surprise there, given she was also Peregrine’s contact. But was she the brains behind this plot? I didn’t believe so, though there was nothing more than gut instinct telling me that.

“And you’re assisting them to find the Claws?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you attempt to kidnap me?” I asked.

“I told them I’d be more successful if I had the Eye. I couldn’t find it at the tavern, so we decided to go directly to the source.” She paused. “Is the Eye truly gone?”

“Yes,” I said. “And you could have simply called me instead of running the risk of outing yourself. I would have told you I didn’t have the Eye. Hell, I didn’t even know what it was until a week or so ago.”

She sniffed. “Mom said you’d never hand it over.”

“And she’s right. But I’d nevertheless have told you it had disappeared with Mom.”

She hesitated. “I am sorry for her loss, Beth. You have to believe me; I really didn’t have anything to do with that.”

I glanced away and blinked back those blasted tears again. She might be involved with the Looisearch, but it was becoming evident that it was the theft of the horde Mom had been trying to stop rather than that of the Claws. The crown—and indeed the sword, if the visions were to be believed—hadn’t been stored anywhere near the tunnel we’d found her body in, and Mom had been using the Eye in combination with her second sight for so long that she wouldn’t have made such a simple location mistake. I had no idea who had betrayed her, but I really didn’t believe it was either Aunt Riayn or Vincentia.