“None. She was very careful to keep her identity a secret.”

I hesitated. “Was there ever any suggestion that she might be a witch herself?”

Catherine grew still. “Why?”

I stared silently at her until she sighed.

“She gave no such indication.”

“But you would have known, yes?” I pressed. “You knew I was.”

“Only because you drew on the earth’s power right in front of me,” Catherine replied. “Which is something she never did. What cause have you to believe she might have the talent? Do you know who she is?” She leaned forward, eyes searching mine.

“If she were a witch, she could have substituted her own potion for yours,” I said, choosing not to answer her question in its entirety. “What better and more sure way to get rid of you, with no one ever suspecting her. Not even you.”

Catherine said nothing, but her cheeks rose to a high color. She had long since ceased petting Souris, but I could see her hands balling into fists where they lay on her lap. Her anger gave me the answer to my question. I could not even imagine how I would feel, having thought for all those long years that I had ruined my own life with a simple mistake, only to discover that it had been orchestrated by another.

“We could find her,” I said softly. “You and I, together.”

Her eyes flicked to mine. “Revenge?”

I shrugged. “At the very least, you could discover the truth.”

“Why would you help me?” she asked, suspicion in her eyes. “What interest have you in this?”

“A very personal one,” I said. “Because I believe the witch whose curse I wish to break is the same one who orchestrated your fall from grace.” I purposefully refrained from telling her that I suspected her former mistress knew the witch’s identity.

All the color fled from her cheeks, but before I could garner much more than surprise from her expression, she dropped her head. “Marie warned me to stay away,” she said. “I need to think hard about the consequences of doing otherwise before I take any action.”

I wanted to demand that she decide now – the promise all but forcing the words from my lips, but I clamped them shut. Better for her to come around to the idea herself than for me to try to bully her. She’d be a stronger ally if she acted of her own accord. “Very well,” I said, rising to my feet. “If you decide you want to discover the identity of the woman who ruined your life, send me word.”

Chapter 26

Tristan

He had gone too far.

Brushing aside the guards as though they were little more than flies, I flung open the doors to the throne room and then bound them shut behind me with enough magic to ensure we wouldn’t be interrupted.

It was disgusting. An abomination.

The heels of my boots thudded against the marble as I strode toward the throne, the lamps flaring up as I passed, my power looking for an outlet as it filled the room.