The way she twists the last word tells me I’ve yet to earn her respect, and while I want to snap back at her, I decide that sometimes I can take the higher road. It’s clear I’ve just scratched open a festering wound with my carelessness. But then another thought occurs to me. If I’m okay, then does that mean Nadir is actually . . . alive? A light tweaks in my chest.

“What? What is that?” Bronte asks, far too observant for my liking. “Why are you suddenly happy?”

“I’m not,” I say defensively, trying to smooth my face into a different expression.

“You’re keeping many things from us,” Cyan says. “First your magic, and now this.”

“What about her magic?” D’Arcy asks, her voice sharp as a needle.

“Nothing. My magic is fine,” I say.

At the same moment Cyan declares, “She has no control over it.”

My face heats as both women’s gazes turn to me, fire burning in their eyes.

“Why don’t you have control over your magic?” Bronte demands. “And why are you lying to us about your mate?”

The wheels in my head accelerate into high gear as I attempt to devise a plausible explanation for any of this. The truth is, I don’t have one.

“I can’t tell you,” I say, and that is sort of the truth.

“Can’t or won’t?” Cyan asks.

“Does it matter?” I ask. “Know that I’m not here to cause you any harm. Atlas tried to bond with me and use my magic, and the Aurora King is after me for some reason I’ve never understood. All I know is I need to keep out of their way and try to get back to what’s left of my family.”

The words flow out of me in a rush, and I hope it’s enough to convince them to let this go, even if they don’t entirely trust me. It’s not a complete lie. I don’t mean them any direct harm, but I very much intend to steal from the king, who’s staring at me as though he’s trying to figure out what to make of me. Maybe it’s wrong, and maybe I’m a terrible person for putting my needs and desires ahead of his, but if it comes down to some stupid piece of rock or Nadir, I won’t hesitate to make that choice.

“I suppose not,” Cyan eventually says. “But you understand I can’t just let you walk out of here?”

“Why not?” I croak.

“Because you’ve been lying to me, Heart Queen. And I want to know why.”

“I can’t tell you anything else.”

“So you’ve made clear.”

“What happens now?”

“You’ll remain here as my guest.”

“Your guest or your prisoner?”