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Jocelyn gasped, horror filling her eyes
“Xavier didn’t care either way, but he knee needed Regus, so he agreed He’s always been a tactician that way The human emissary voted not to kill them, as did I” He looked at me “Since he was the brother of one ofI had You know that, don’t you? I tried everything I could to save Frederick”
“I know you did” I et the words out “I never doubted that you would have gone to war for him, even risked our species But Frederick died in the way he would have wanted, defending the woman he loved”
Jocelyn’s hand went slack in mine “He was your brother?”
I nodded
Pain, regret, sorrow—every eh her eyes “Your brother was killed for loving a woman from another species, and you still chose…” Her mouth slackened
“You?” My srim as I tucked her hair behind her ear
She nodded slowly
“There was no resisting this” I traced her mark with my thumb “You and I were inevitable, marked by fate There wasn’t a choice to make, Jocelyn No force on this earth could have kept my hands off you”
Alek’s phone rang and we all jolted at the interruption
He whipped it out of his back pocket, swiping to answer “Hello—Avi!” He bounded off the couch and strode for the door
“I have to go” I kissed Jocelyn quickly
“I’ll co withthe spell she’d set
“You can’t” I squeezed her hand “Just like I can’t stand at your side in witch territory, you can’t come to the war room I’m—”
“Don’t apologize” She pushed ently “Go”
I was halfway to the door when the sound of her gasp stopped ht where I’d left her, a hand covering herher eyes
“What is it, little witch?” I asked, uncaring that Lyric still sat on the couch
“Two for your brother and two againstwhichher eyes “No Tell me she didn’t”
I wended again, appearing in front of her and cupping her beautiful face in my hands “Don’t think about it”
“Say it,” she demanded, her hands on my wrists “Benedict, tell me the truth”
My jaw flexed once Twice There could be no lies between us, not if ere to ainst my brother and he was put to death”
“Tell me who cast it” Her eyes pled with ive her