Page 62 of Tarnished Crown

“Who are you?” the duke asked in the same calm, lethal tone that his son sometimes used.

He had never asked for my name before, always calling me ‘my dear’ instead. So, I took a moment, trying to decide on how best to spin this before eventually settling on the truth.

“Rowan, Sir.” I tacked on the honorific in an attempt to stay in his good graces while I got to the bottom of this. “We have been having breakfast together every--”

“Rowan!” He roared and flew to his feet in one swift motion, knocking the table over in the process.

Belatedly, I realized how thoughtless it had been to say that name to him. He was currently existing in a moment when my grandfather still lived. And I just told him I shared the enemy’s name.

Der’mo.

I scrambled backward, trying to inch my way closer to the balcony, but he moved to block the way, turning to examine my footprints in the snow.

The look on his face was murderous, and I internally berated myself for never making better decisions.

“Spy,” he said, barely above a whisper. “Lochlann spy!”

“No! No, Sir. I am not a spy, I’m--”

“Do not lie to me!” He was shouting now, his olive-colored skin flushing with red. “Why are you here?”

The duke stomped closer, and I barely stumbled out of the way as the main door came swinging open. Lady Mairi strode in on quick, purposeful footsteps. She glared at me with suspicion before turning her attention on the duke.

“She is a Lochlann spy!” he yelled. “Send for my guard. She never would have gotten in if it weren’t for that village of traitors!”

“My darling, there are no more traitors--” Lady Mairi started, and Aleksander cut her off.

“Do not question me! Bring me my guard! Now! Everyone in Korov will burn for this!”

I looked from the duke to his wife, and a thousand tiny pieces came together all at once.

My gaze roved over her soft, nearly white waves, the bare hint of pink that still tinged them, down to her strangely familiar green eyes, and then to her mouth.

My hand came up to rest on my lips and the small arch there, the one Evander had pointed out that Davin and I had in common.

LadyMairihad the same one.

“You think you can just come here after what your daughter did? That I will protect you?”

Aleksander’s words echoed in my mind and the room felt like it was spinning. Was the daughter he referred to the woman he was supposed to marry? Was this Aunt Isla’smother?

“Ava?” The name was a whisper, but I may as well have shouted it from the rooftops for all she was concerned.

Her face went from shock to fury within seconds. She fled to the hallway, practically screaming for the guards.

I stood frozen in place, looking desperately for a way out, but Aleksander blocked the balcony, and Ava blocked the door. And even if I could have gotten past them, they had both seen me in the duke’s rooms.

It was too late.

There was nowhere to go.

CHAPTER43

Aleksander began pacing back and forth across the room, spitting curses my way every few seconds. I barely noticed. My mind was still struggling to accept the information in front of me.

Ava...

Aunt Isla’s mother had disappeared during the war, shortly after trying to kidnap Isla to come here. Everyone had assumed she died, an entire generation gone in one year; first, my grandfather, then his brother, and his sister...