Page 174 of Rite of Unity

She nodded, eyes still watering.When she’d drunk the entire cup, her head fell back as she exhaled a strangled sigh.

“You stayed,” she said after a moment.

“Of course I did.”

She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again.“What time is it?”

“It’s Sunday morning.You’ve been here since Friday night.”I leaned forward.“Do you need anything?Pain medicine?”

She shook her head.“I think...just rest.”

I nodded.

Her pupils were normal, gray eyes steady.

“Maryn.I need to ask you what happened.”The words spilled out of me, bottled from so many hours of carrying them.

Her pulse thrummed at her throat.

“I’m sorry.You can tell me later.”I pushed back in my chair, but her hand came out, resting on mine.I stilled, looking down.Her thumb was red at the corner.Was it new, from her fight for her life, or something she’d done to herself?

“Lydia...attacked me.When I got home from the ball.”

I scooted my chair closer.“And you killed her?”

She swallowed, closing her eyes.For a long moment, she said nothing.

I reached for her hand, wrapping mine around it.“Maryn, you don’t—”

“Yes.”

Finally, she opened her eyes, meeting mine.There was so much shame, so much guilt in them, and I was reminded of every time I’d ever watched a man die under my father’s orders.Of the grief that had settled on my shoulders the very first time I’d been commanded to make an arrest, to see it through, and for every one since then.There was no coming back from it.

I squeezed her hand.“Don’t blame yourself.She would have killed you.”

Maryn’s fingers tightened around mine, and she closed her eyes again, turning her head away from me as tears began to stream down her face.

“Maryn.”I touched her cheek with my free hand.“Look at me.”

She was frozen, shutting out the world for a moment.Then, she opened her eyes, looking at me.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Slowly, she nodded.

“I have to ask you something else.”I ran my hand through my hair.“Someone reported a man leaving your room.”

She stilled, her grip going lax in my hand.

“What?”She sputtered.“No.Why would— Elias, I would never—”

“I know.”I kept my voice even.“I believe you.”

She stared at me.

“Sera made the report.”My stomach twisted.I shouldn’t have asked a question I already knew wasn’t true.I’d worked out Sera’s motive while sitting with my thoughts all night.What better way to get rid of the competition than to ruin her reputation?Sera clearly hadn’t considered how it would look for me.Or perhaps she had.

“There was also a button found near the window.Not white.”The real question I’d wanted to ask.